SECTION LEADERS
Arijana Lempke
Soprano Section Leader
Arijana Lempke, is a native of Naugatuck, Connecticut.. She previously studied with Augusto Palialunga of Phoenix and Anne Elgar-Kopta at Arizona State University where she received a Master of Music in Opera Performance in 2017.
During her undergraduate degree at James Madison University she studied with Dorothy Maddison, DM. During her Master’s program, Arijana was known to regularly perform on campus at the Evelyn Smith Musical Theatre and subsequently, in her undergraduate career in the Forbes Center for the Performing Arts. While in university and attending summer programs, Arijana has performed at a variety of venues in the US and abroad, including Germany’s Mittelsächsische Theater Freiberg, the Schumann House in Zwickau, Lauenstein Castle in Lauenstein, and St. Burchard’s Abbey in Klosterbuch. She has studied German Lied with Gabriel Dobner and Eckart Selheim in Freiberg, as well as sung in multiple master classes with Jana Buechnar, soprano, at the Freiberg Music School, Germany.
Professional Opera performances with the Mittelsächsische Theater Freiberg include singing the roles of Second Lay Sister, Nun, and opera chorus in Suor Angelica, and the opera chorus and fighter in Die Jungfrau von Orleans. Performances with Arizona State University included with the James Madison University Opera include The First Lady, Die Zauberflöte, Madame Herz, Der Schauspieldirektor, selections from Vagaus, Juditha Triumphans, and chorus roles in Pirates of Penzance, the Spring Opera Gala, The Mikado, and L’Elisir d’Amore. Arijana sang scenes from Mozart’s Cosi fan tutte and Verdi’s Falstaff in Sant’Angelo, Italy, with the Lingua e Canto summer program in 2014.
In the spring of 2012, Arijana sang with the Connecticut Choral Society for the New Jersey and Connecticut performances of Vaughn William’s Sea Symphony; and also Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 in D minor while on tour in London. She has also sung solos and duets in the winter 2012 and 2013 Candlelight and Carols Christmas concerts with the Connecticut Choral society. Solos with the Connecticut Choral Society include Mozart’s Regina Coeli, “Laudamus te” from Vivaldi’s Gloria in D major, Faure’s Requiem, and selections from Handel’s Messiah. She has performed the soprano solo in Carmina Burana at the National Presbyterian Church, Washington DC, and at the Forbes Center for the Performing Arts with the JMU Orchestra and Choirs in 2014.
Her most recent engagements include cantoring for the Diocese of Hartford, and as part of the Diocese of Bridgeport quartet at St. Augustine. While not singing Arijana works as an assistant branch manager of Ion Bank in Oxford and runs real estate investments in NC.
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Dorin McBride
Alto Section Leader
Dorin McBride is a dedicated music educator and soprano whose passion for choral singing is matched by her commitment to nurturing the next generation of musicians. A graduate of Central Connecticut State University, she holds a degree in Music Education with a concentration in voice. During her time at CCSU, she was a member of the University Singers under the direction of Dr. Pamela Perry, where she honed her vocal artistry and developed a deep appreciation for ensemble performance.
Dorin currently teaches general music, band, and chorus to students in kindergarten through fifth grade in the Monroe public school system. Her teaching philosophy emphasizes joy, creativity, and the transformative power of music in young lives.
After relocating to Newtown in 2022, Dorin joined the Connecticut Choral Society for its 2023 performance of Mozart’s Requiem and has since become an integral part of the ensemble. She is honored to serve as a soprano section leader, finding great fulfillment in contributing to the musical excellence and community spirit that define CCS.
She lives in Newtown with her husband and two children and continues to share her love of music both in the classroom and on the concert stage.
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Bryan Thomas Niedermayer
Tenor Section Leader
Bryan Thomas Niedermayer is a versatile tenor, composer, and conductor dedicated to enriching the choral community through performance and mentorship. As Director of Singer Recruitment and Tenor Section Leader of the Connecticut Choral Society, Bryan cultivates vocal excellence while fostering a welcoming artistic environment.
He holds a degree in Music Education from Central Connecticut State University and has performed nationally and internationally, including at Carnegie Hall, Avery Fisher Hall, and the Walt Disney Concert Hall. Bryan’s original compositions and musicals have been staged and streamed across the U.S., and his music video “With You” is available on major streaming platforms.
A former Conducting Fellow with the Vernon Chorale and current Artistic Director of The Wallingford Chorus, Bryan brings both leadership and creativity to CCS. His broad musical skill set and infectious enthusiasm make him a catalyst for attracting and inspiring new generations of choral artists.
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Tim Koch
Bass Section Leader
Tim Koch brings more than 25 years of distinguished experience as a bass section leader and soloist to the Connecticut Choral Society. Throughout his musical journey, he has served in leadership and solo roles at a number of prominent congregations, including First Congregational Church and St. Joseph’s Church in Danbury, First Presbyterian Church in Greenwich, and Trinity Episcopal Church in Newtown.
An accomplished choral artist, Tim has sung under the direction of many esteemed conductors across a wide range of ensembles, including:
- Danbury Concert Choir – Christine Howlett
- Connecticut Master Chorale – Tina Heidrich
- Gaudeamus, Torrington – Paul Haley
- Music on the Hill – Ellen Dickinson
- Cappella Festiva, Poughkeepsie – Christine Howlett
- Westchester Choral Society – Frank Nemhauser, David Baranowski
- Hudson Chorale, Pleasantville – Ira Spaulding, David Baranowski
- Connecticut Choral Society – Eric Dale Knapp
Tim has also been a frequent guest soloist and invited singer for special events and services throughout the region, including a performance at Carnegie Hall in 2015.
In his professional life, Tim has enjoyed dual careers—first as an executive in the printing industry, and later as a successful contractor in the construction field. Now mostly retired, he devotes time to his creative passions: woodworking, woodturning, photography, and travel. He resides in Woodbury, Connecticut, with his partner of five years, Julia Sheehy.