Staff
Susanna Villano
Executive Director of the Sacred Music Academy and director of the Cantabile Choir
Contact: skimvill@nd.edu
Susanna Villano joined NDCC in 2015 as the administrator of the growing program and established the Lyric Choir for children with special needs. Mrs. Villano has taught elementary and middle school in Boulder, Colorado and at St. Pius X Catholic School in Granger. As a musician, she studied voice in New York City while earning a degree in Political Science at Columbia University. She has sung for decades in choirs across the country and currently performs with Collegium Musicum at Notre Dame. Mrs. Villano also serves as a Cantor at her church in Granger. She earned a MA in Elementary Education from the University of Colorado at Boulder and a certificate for instruction of mild to moderate disabilities through the Alliance for Catholic Education at the University of Notre Dame. She directs the Cantabile Choir for 7-8 year olds and is working towards a Masters in Nonprofit Administration at the Mendoza College of Business at the University of Notre Dame.
Cindy Berryman
Education Mentor and Director of Cherub Choir
Cynthia Berryman has been teaching vocal and instrumental music from preschool through university for nearly three decades. She is certified in Orff-Schulwerk music and has additional training in Kodaly and Dalcroze techniques. She is currently teaching music at Elm Road Elementary School. Her previous teaching includes high school choir, swing choir, and band; K-8 Orff-Schulwerk music and band at St. Joseph Grade School, South Bend; and music education adjunct teaching at St. Mary's College, Notre Dame. She has a B.S. in All Area Music Education from Ball State University; additional training from VanderCook College of Music, Chicago, and Westminster College, Oxford. Berryman earned a Masters' degree in Music Education, with an emphasis on fine arts integration and literacy, through Anderson University. She directs the Cherub Choirs for 5-6 year olds and is the Education Mentor for our directors.
Tara Vesprini
Early Childhood Music Specialist Instructor of the Prelude Choir
Tara Vesprini holds degrees in cello performance and music education from the University of Michigan. She directed school orchestra programs (4th-12th grade) in Michigan and New Jersey for nine years before finding her true vocation: early childhood music education. Now in her 17th year as a Preschool Music Specialist, Tara receives high praise from the children and adults who make music with her. She currently teaches music classes for children and their parents at the Women’s Care Center (2018-present) and formerly spent 9 years as a registered Music Together® instructor for children from birth to five years old in Chelsea, MI. She has presented workshops on the importance and practice of music education in early childhood and is an expert resource for parents, who desire to help their children develop into life-long music makers. Making music with children and parents is her passion and her energy and enthusiasm are contagious!
Tara and her husband raised four musical children and have been NDCC parents for the last 8 years!
Marcella Cloud Forslund
Communication and Production Manager
Marcella sang in our program as a chorister for 7 years and another 4 years served as a choir assistant while completing her degree in Studio Art at Holy Cross College. Prior to joining our team, she was the Director of Communications for St. Anthony de Padua parish and school. Marcella will serve as the primary point of contact between families and the NDCC at rehearsals and through email and choir genius.
Molly Burnham Cobler
Professional Educator and Co-Director of Descant Choir
Molly was a chorister in the NDCC for a decade and graduated from Ball State University with a degree in music education. She will work with the Descant Choir and support the graduate student directors. Prior to joining our team, Molly was a long-term music teacher substitute at St. Jude School and maintains her own piano and voice studio.