Lisa Koehler
Solving jigsaw puzzles involves dumping the pieces onto a table, surveying, flipping and sorting each by shape and color, and embracing the process of creating a final picture, hopefully complete.
Creating ensemble sound holds similarities to solving puzzles. But what happens when you reach concert time with a missing piece; a mute soprano or errant tenor, for example? Before the internet, we would panic and make tons of phone calls. Once email became a household utility, Lisa Koehler was in her third year networking singers to help fill church and other job vacancies and create pick up ensembles for weddings and recording projects. Singer Source LLC was officially registered as a business in 2002 and exists today as a website to list jobs, services, and concerts of interest to singers, music directors, keyboard artists and teachers.
Lisa holds a MMEd from Catholic University and a BA in Music Theory and Composition from William Smith College. She completed her Orff-Schulwerk Level III certification at George Mason University and received grants from then employer St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes Schools to study conducting with Alan Crowell at Westminster Choir College and Orff-Schulwerk with Wolfgang Hartmann of the Orff Institute.
Having held a steady church job since 1976, Lisa just completed her twentieth year with the St. John's Choir of St. John’s Church, Lafayette Square; The Church of the Presidents (currently Michael Lodico and Brent Erstadt and formerly Benjamin Hutto, The Rev. William Bradley Roberts, and Samuel Carabetta). Before St. John’s, Lisa sang for fourteen years with The Choir of the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception (Dr. Leo Nestor) and before that, with St. John’s Church, Norwood (Edwin Godshall), St. Paul’s Lutheran Church (David Hearn) and the St. John’s Chapel Choir of Hobart and William Smith Colleges (Dr. Lindsay Lafford) where Presiding Bishop Michael Curry received his undergraduate degree.
Lisa is currently a member of the Board of Trustees of The Thirteen, a professional vocal chamber group, Matthew Robertson, Artistic Director. She also serves on the course committee for the DC Chapter of The Royal School of Church Music.
Lisa was Department Chair and Music Specialist during her fourteen years with St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes School in Alexandria and three years prior, Vocal Music Teacher with Fairfax Country Public Schools. She also served as Co-Chair and member of the Advisory Counsel on instruction of the Arts for Arlington Country Public Schools for several years.
Lisa has sung numerous concerts with Chantry Early Music Ensemble (Dr. David Taylor), The Choral Arts Society of Washington (Norman Scribner), The Woodley Ensemble (Nicholas White), The Palestrina Choir (Michael Harrison), The Norman Scribner Choir (Norman Scribner), The Washington Symphony Chamber Chorus (Stephen Simon), Collegium Cantorum (Timothy Kendall), Jubilate Chamber Singers (Carleen Dixon - Webb), Continuum Chamber Singers (Joan Reinthaler) and Cathedral Choral Society (Paul Calloway and Douglas Major). She was a member The American Repertory Singers (Dr. Leo Nestor) who throughout most of the 90’s to early 21st century was the primary new issue recording ensemble for ECS Schirmer Music Publishers in Boston. Several of their recordings remain available on ARSIS Audio.
Lisa’s met her husband, Ted Faris, a bass, while both were singing in Choral Arts Society. Until parenthood became a priority, they sang together in several ensembles. Ted is a career professional for the U.S. Department of State. They live in Arlington with two insightful teenage daughters and one very sweet cat.