Dedicated to the study and performance of classical and contemporary choral music
Seth Velez / Director • Carol Walker / Accompanist
About Choral Art Society of New Jersey
Choral Art Society of New Jersey is a group of avocational singers dedicated to the study and performance of great choral masterpieces, performing works spanning many centuries and styles. Most of the major oratorios, cantatas, and masses of the master composers have been presented during its first 60 years. The group’s diverse repertoire includes Mozart's Requiem, Beethoven's Ode to Joy, John Rutter's Requiem and Mass of the Children, Bob Chilcott's Circlesong, and most recently, Martines' Dixit Dominus.
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The chorus is a nonprofit, dues-paying organization. Rehearsals are held on Tuesdays at 7:30-10 pm from September to May in the Chapel of The Presbyterian Church in Westfield. Prospective singers are welcome to join us as we pursue our mission of learning and presenting the finest choral music. ​

Our Rehearsal Space
We meet in the Chapel of the Presbyterian Church in Westfield, located at 140 Mountain Avenue.
History
Originally known as The Suburban Symphony Chorus, CAS of NJ began in 1962 under the direction of Peter Sozio. The following year, Evelyn Bleeke became director, serving the organization in that role for a remarkable 32 years until her retirement in 1995. It was early in her tenure that the chorus formed as an independent organization under its present name.
Evelyn Bleeke was followed by Thomas Booth, Kathleen Healy-Wedsworth, and then James S. Little. In 2012, as the group entered its second half-century of singing, Dr. Martin Sędek was appointed music director. Dr. John Wilson directed the society for our 2025 winter concert, and now, Choral Art Society of New Jersey is thrilled to welcome Seth Velez as its new music director, starting in February 2025.
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Since its formation in the 1960s, the group has earned the accolades of the public and critics alike. It continues to grow in membership, fostering an intergenerational creative community for musicians of all backgrounds.
Director
Seth Velez is an accomplished conductor, bass-baritone, and music educator with over a decade of industry experience in Los Angeles and New York.
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Seth’s conducting portfolio includes a wealth of podium experience in front of collegiate, community, and professional ensembles. Alongside his position with the Choral Art Society of New Jersey, Seth currently serves as assistant conductor to Dr. Malcolm J. Merriweather with the Dessoff Choirs and as faculty assistant conductor to Dr. Heather Buchanan with the Montclair State University Chorale. Previously, Seth has served as assistant conductor to Drs. John Warren, José “Peppie” Calvar, and Wendy Moy at Syracuse University and has conducted and assisted rehearsals for the Sterling Ensemble, Ensoma Creative, and the California Children’s Choir. Additionally, he works frequently as a freelance conductor in the New York City and New Jersey areas, most recently serving as the assistant conductor for MET LiveArts' production of Terrance McKnight's Handel: Made in America.​

As a chorister and soloist, Seth has performed extensively with choirs touring in the United States and abroad. He has competed on international stages in Wales, France, and Germany and has sung mass by invitation at St. Peter’s Basilica, Rome, and Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris. In the US, Seth has performed at National Collegiate Choir Organization and American Choral Directors Association conferences. Seth’s solo background encompasses both Classical and Musical Theatre styles, and he has been a featured soloist at the 2015 NCCO Conference, tours of the western U.S., and a tour to South Korea. Most recently, Seth performed as a finalist in the 2023 “Voice of Musical Theatre” competition in Llangollen, Wales.
Seth has over a decade of experience as a music educator of high school, collegiate, and private students, with current teaching positions at Montclair State University and Brooklyn Youth Chorus, and previous roles at the Los Angeles Children’s Chorus, Syracuse University, and Azusa Pacific University teaching sight-singing, aural skills, music theory, and conducting. Seth also has a flourishing private voice studio in which he serves clients of all ages and ability levels. As a researcher, Seth primarily studies the flexibility and versatility of the human voice, with recent presentations on the differences in vocal production and technique necessary to seamlessly move between solo classical, choral, and musical theatre vocal styles. Seth holds both a Master of Music in Choral Conducting and a Master of Music in Voice Pedagogy from Syracuse University and holds a Bachelor of Music Performance from Azusa Pacific University. He is an inducted member of Pi Kappa Lambda and holds active memberships with the American Choral Directors Association, the National Association of Teachers of Singing, and the College Music Society.
Accompanist
Carol Walker enjoyed a busy career as a high school choral teacher for 32 years before retiring in 2008. During her teaching career, she was the accompanist and conductor of several New Jersey county, regional, and all-state choruses. Carol brought high school choral groups to perform at Radio City Music Hall as well as in venues around Europe. In 2003 she received the Passaic County Governor’s Award as Teacher of the Year.
While teaching, Carol was also an active participant in state organizations. She was the choral division chairperson for the North Jersey School Music Association for 10 years, and she served on the NJ All-State Choral Procedures Executive Board for three years.
Since her retirement as a public school teacher, Carol has continued her active association with various high schools and related organizations in

northern New Jersey, serving as accompanist, music director, and choral director. She has also been in demand as music director for dozens of amateur and professional theater groups, including summer stock and dinner theaters in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York, and Connecticut. In 2007, she joined the staff of the NJ-based Masterwork Chorus, where she has served as pianist and was more recently appointed as assistant director. For many years she has served as choir director and organist for churches in New Jersey and New York.
Carol graduated summa cum laude from Montclair State with a degree in music education, majoring in piano, voice, and harp. In the past 25 years, Carol has branched out from her classical training, pursuing folk music interests with her Appalachian mountain dulcimer and Celtic harp. To date, she has written and published 12 dulcimer instructional books, recorded five CDs, and produced one DVD with Homespun Music.
As a dulcimer teacher and performer, Carol is in demand at annual music festivals across the United States. She is a three-time recipient of the Top Five Finalists Award at the National Mountain Dulcimer Championship. Carol is founder and director of the New York Dulcimer Orchestra, based in the lower Hudson Valley.
For more about Carol, her published works, and recordings, please visit her website: Music Lady Carol website.