Cary Burns, Director
Cary Burns has been the director of the Tempe Community Chorus since August 1998, sharing his wealth of music knowledge, enthusiasm and love of music.
Cary has been involved with music since childhood. He was an instrumentalist and singer throughout grade school, high school and college. Cary's experience includes directing and coaching jazz choirs, barbershop quartets and choruses, pop choirs, a cappella ensembles, and he gives voice lessons to all ages and abilities. He is also an accomplished music arranger.
Currently Cary is a music judge in the Barbershop Harmony Society and in Harmony, Inc., a women's barbershop organization. He judges and coaches vocal groups all over the United States and Canada. As well as the Tempe Community Chorus, Cary also directs a women's a cappella chorus named Wicked Pitch of the West.
Raquel Medina Suarez, Accompanist
Raquel is a collaborative pianist originally from the Chicago area. Residing in Mesa, Arizona with her husband, she loves drawing, reading, cooking, being outside, and hosting a nice board game night every now and then
Raquel has been involved in music-making since childhood, studying guitar, piano, and percussion with a great sense of awe and fervor. She is a proud recipient of the Special Talent Award, received upon her audition to the ASU School of Music. Throughout her college years, she participated in Concert Choir, Gospel Choir, and Vocal Jazz Ensemble as a soprano, as well as playing guitar in Mariachi Ensemble and vibraphone/marimba in Percussion Ensemble. As a pianist, she accompanied her classmates, played in Jazz Combo, and performed Bloch’s Concerto Grosso with Chandler Gilbert Community College’s orchestra. In addition to playing for the Tempe Community Chorus, she has played for Resurrection Catholic Church, Benjamin Franklin Charter School Choirs, and various other organizations and schools. For Raquel, playing the piano is the highest form of artistry that she knows, and she delights in using the instrument’s range of sound as a dynamic medium for expression and immersive story-telling. Ever a lifelong learner, she relishes the opportunity to continue to grow her musical knowledge and skill set for as long as her time on this Earth allows her to.
Board of Directors
The all-volunteer, Board of Directors of Tempe Community Chorus, is elected from chorus members and manages daily operations of the Choir.
