Artistic Staff

Eric Brown, Music Director
Eric Brown is the founding director of the Southeastern Massachusetts Festival Chorus. Under his direction, the group has grown to 100 singers and has performed in a variety of venues across the region, including the Tweeter Center for the Performing Arts, the Martha’s Vineyard Tabernacle, the Hynes Auditorium, and the Providence Performing Arts Center.

A native of East Freetown, Massachusetts, Mr. Brown began his musical career as organist for East Freetown Congregational Church. Since then, he has held similar positions at Union Congregational Church in Taunton, Memorial United Methodist Church, First Congregational Church in Raynham and now serves as Music Director of Union Congregational Church in East Bridgewater. Mr. Brown is in-demand regionally as a conductor and music director and has led such theatrical productions as The Wizard of Oz, The Sound of Music, and Godspell for Star Players of Bristol County, You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown for the Arts Collaborative of Taunton, and Disney’s Beauty and the Beast for Heart to Heart Productions. Mr. Brown was conductor for the Taunton Festival Orchestra, was senior band conductor for the New England Music Academy 2007 Band Festival, and serves as resident conductor for the Fairhaven High School Drama Club. He is the former director of the Christian Hill Singers, who were featured performers in the Society of Historically Informed Performers' Concert Series at Boston’s “First Night 2001.” Eric has performed vocally as a soloist with the Mansfield Choral Society and the Mayflower Chorale. He is also an avid recorder player and was a founding member of the Mill River Consort and Hockomock Recorder Consort.


Steven Sprague, Artistic Director
Steven Sprague joined the Southeastern Massachusetts Festival Chorus as a tenor vocalist in 1995. He became Production Coordinator for the chorus in 1996 and Artistic Director in 1997. He continues to serve in both capacities and is also responsible for the production of all promotional materials for the group.

Steve's other ventures include scenic design for the Star Players of Bristol County (SPBC) for productions of The Wizard of Oz, The Sound of Music, Godspell, Cinderella, The Pajama Game and more, as well as for the Arts Collaborative of Taunton's production of You're a Good Man Charlie Brown. His performance credits include musical theatre roles with the Star Players of Bristol County and the Arts Collaborative of Taunton, as well as vocalist with the Christian Hill Singers. Steve is an avid supporter of the arts in Taunton and has served as chairman and calendar editor for the Arts Collaborative and board member for SPBC as well as Taunton Family, Inc. Steve was the 2001 recipient of Taunton Little Theatre Group's President's Award in appreciation for his support of the arts in his community.


Corinne Varjabedian, Festival Youth Chorus Director
Corinne Varjabedian has directed the Festival Youth Chorus since 1998. A graduate of Westfield State College with a Bachelor of Arts in Music Education, Mrs. Varjabedian first began teaching music in 1976 and has taught in Nova Scotia, Canada and Kingston, Massachusetts. She is currently a music teacher and choral director in the Middleboro Public School system. She has studied voice with Mr. Steven Hurley, Ms. Elizabeth Sheldon and is currently studying with Ms. Martina Ferrante.

Corinne has performed with many local musical theatre companies including Priscilla Beach Theatre, the Duxbury Bay Players, and the Star Players of Bristol County. Corinne has been a member of the Southeastern Massachusetts Festival Chorus since 1997, has served as piano accompanist for the group, and is now Assistant Music Director in addition to her duties as director of the youth chorus. Corinne resides in Middleboro, Massachusetts with her husband and three children.


Gabrielle Heath, Accompanist
Gabrielle Heath found her love for music at a young age, and began formal piano study at the age of 9. Gabrielle was very active in the music programs at Walpole High School, studying piano, flute, and voice. She participated in summer music programs SMARTS (Southeastern Massachusetts Arts Collaborative), and the Boston University Tanglewood Institute. Heath began her collegiate studies in 1990 at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music in Ohio, as a double major in Piano Performance and Music Education. After two years, Heath took a long break from formal education, during which she performed on keyboards, flute, and vocals in country, rock, and function bands. She is now finishing her B.A. at Bridgewater State College, where she is majoring in Music. Gabrielle is currently the pianist/organist at Central Square Congregational Church in Bridgewater, and accompanies private voice lessons and several ensembles. She lives in Bridgewater with her husband, two sons, her piano, and several cats.



Board of Directors
Barb Wingate, President
Idelle Kehoe, Vice President
Linda Franz, Treasurer
Donna Charette, Clerk
Alison Wade, Clerk
Caitlin Dolan
Susan Harper
Mary Kay Natho
Sandra Sprague
Kevin B. Thompson
Laura Williams