The Lutheran Chorale of the Niagara Frontier

Music Director

MS. JULIA ANNE CORDANI is a conductor, private voice instructor, and professional soprano working in the greater Western New York region. Originally from Lewiston, New York, she holds two bachelor’s degrees from the University at Buffalo in Voice Performance and Linguistics and a master’s degree from UB in Voice Performance. She has studied with Claudia Brown, Dr. Jessie Downs, and Dr. Tiffany Du Mouchelle. Julia has extensive experience in the performance and interpretation of contemporary solo and choral repertoire as well as standard works. At UB, Julia sang with and guest conducted the Contemporary Ensemble, Polyglot Opera Studio, Choir, and Chamber Singers. In the greater Buffalo community, she sings in the Buffalo Women’s Choir, QED Vocal Ensemble, the Women of Vivaldi, Sotto Voce Vocal Collective, and Harmonia Chamber Chamber Singers. An accomplished soloist, she has performed locally and nationally with the Freudig Singers of Western New York, Ensemble Signal, Slee Sinfonietta, University at Delaware Chorale, the Syndicate for the New Arts, Buffalo Opera Unlimited, and the UB Symphony Orchestra. She co-founded and serves as Artistic Director for new Buffalo-based semi-professional choir INCIPIO, and serves as the Director of Choirs at Chesterton Academy in Cheektowaga. She is thrilled to be joining the Lutheran Chorale as its new conductor! 

Upcoming engagements include premiering a piece by Evan Courtin with the Liminal Space Ensemble in fall 2022 and singing the role of Oscar in Verdi’s Un ballo in maschera with Buffalo Opera Unlimited in December 2022. She cannot wait to lead the Lutheran Chorale into its 36th season and share her love of choral music with more local voices. 

Accompanist/Assistant Music Director

Ms. Teresa Leone holds the position of accompanist for the Lutheran Chorale of the Niagara Frontier. Ms. Leone earned a bachelor’s degree in music education from SUNY: Buffalo State College (dual concentrations in piano and trombone) and a master’s degree in music performance from SUNY: University at Buffalo (primary studies in trombone; secondary studies in organ). She remains active as a musician in the Western New York area, also serving as lead trombonist in the Ladies First Jazz Big Band. Ms. Leone currently teaches band and classroom music within the Lackawanna City School District.