Annabelle Marie
With a Masters Degree in Music Education, Annabelle is a music specialist who focuses on “physical singing,” incorporating the body-voice connection into her teaching. Her diverse expertise comes from years of dedicated study. She holds a Bachelors in Music, violin performance; a Masters in Music Education with Kodaly emphasis; a full certification from legendary vocal coach Judy Davis, earned through a dedicated 4+ years of study; and grounding in choreography earned through the San Francisco School of Circus Arts.
Her pedagogy is based on the methods of Hungarian educator Zoltan Kodály who believed that song is the foundation of musical learning. This approach leverages folk music from around the world and physical movement to build music skills. Driven by a passion for generating access to quality music education, she founded the VOENA children’s choir in 1994 with a handful of eager participants. An accomplished singer, violinist, pianist, composer, arranger, and educator, Annabelle received the 2008 Jefferson Award for Community Service and has built such a sterling reputation for excellence that even Grammy Award-winning composers and conductors such as Eric Whitacre contact her directly when they need to recruit young singers for projects. Since 1994, she has led VOENA to prestigious heights, building performances that have been admired at the White House, Carnegie Hall, and abroad. She is the driver behind all VOENA programs, supported in this work by the Board and VOENA contractors.
Macayla Sedeno
Macayla Sedeno, brings twelve years of VOENA performance experience to VOENA. During her years with VOENA she was a member of both the Creavo ensemble and the VOENA BEATS drumming and percussion group under the leadership of Jeff Campitelli. Macayla has been fortunate to travel the world with VOENA. She has performed at Carnegie Hall (2018, 2022, and 2024), Abu Dhabi for the Crown Prince, The Grand Ole Opry, and the 2024 Croatia tour.
Macayla is currently the VOENA Redwood City instructor as well as the VOENA Beats instructor in both Benicia and Redwood City. She is passionate about motivating her students to fully embody the VOENA "Big Three". Instilling leadership and mentorship skills that translate beyond VOENA. With her ability to connect with children and anticipate each of their unique needs, she creates a fun, hard-working, and respectful learning environment, also teaching as a private tutor for members.
Richard Sherwood
Richard Sherwood, a native of Los Angeles, began his percussion career playing on the family kitchen sink as a child and later received a degree in Jazz performance from Sonoma State University. Richard has been touring the world with a wide variety of eclectic artists including Grammy winner Hamid Saeidi and The Earth Harp Collective, as well as teaching drummers of all ages for the past 25 years. Innovation has always been an important part of Richard’s approach to music. In 2018, Richard began the creation of a giant electro-acoustic percussion instrument called the Drumdala.
“I am honored to be able to collaborate and perform with VOENA. They are a unique and visionary group that empowers young people and educates audiences through their culturally varied repertoire. In my continued instruction and assistance, I intend to broaden their skills with independence of their limbs, to be able to hear and perform complex polyrhythms.”
Carl Kittrell
Musical nomad Carl Kittrell, received a Bachelors of Music Education degree from Henderson State University in 1979 studying orchestral percussion and a Masters degree in Curriculum and Instruction. Carl has taught instrumental and vocal music in Arkansas, Missouri, Alaska, and California. Carl retired from Benicia Unified School District in 2017, finishing a 34 year teaching career. Since 2003, he has performed as an associate percussionist with the Diablo Symphony Orchestra and principal timpanist with the Contra Costa Chamber Orchestra, including musicals playing drums/percussion, bass, and guitar, and served twice as conductor for musicals at Benicia High School. Carl met Annabelle Marie in Sicily, as part of World Music Retreats as he continues pursuing his interest in bluegrass flatpicking guitar with Bryan Sutton and Chris Eldridge, nine time zones from their hometown of Benicia! A longtime admirer of VOENA, he is pleased to add his musical expertise to their already accomplished musical leadership.
Maximilian Burgess-Shannon
Maximilian started singing in the VOENA choir in 2011. He loves to sing and has a passion for drumming. In the choir, he studied drumming under Jeff Campitelli and Gabby Campitelli.
An accomplished percussionist with a specialty in African djembe and Irish Bodhran, Max is a private drumming tutor. He is currently section leader for our young male singers as they move through their vocal register changes and he teaches in VOENA's Music in the Schools program.
Max is known for his special way of encouraging and connecting with young audiences, making singing and drumming fun while encouraging learning vocal technique, rhythm and beat rudiments, multilingual songs, as well as harmony.
Gabby Campitelli
Gabby Campitelli was in VOENA for eight years. She was section leader in the choir’s Creavo ensemble, consisting of only the best singers in VOENA, and leader in the top percussion group, Voices of Rhythm II. She attends Pacific University as she works towards her degree in Music Therapy. Her father is a professional drummer and she has grown up around music her whole life. Performing in small groups, and as a solo musician playing percussion, singing, piano, and guitar, she has become an amazing artist and teacher.
Gabby has performed with the choir around the globe including the 2012 London Olympics, the Amalfi coast, Sicily, 2018 Carnegie Hall, Abu Dhabi for the Crown Prince, and featured soloist for the Split International Music Festival in Croatia. Being in VOENA has helped her with public speaking and realizing the importance of music and the arts for children.
