SongVault Artist Profile

Diane Severson received the degree of Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance (magna cum laude) from the University of Wisconsin, Madison. She furthered her studies in Germany with a specialization in early music from the Hochschule fuer Kuenste/the Academy for Early Music in Bremen.

She remained in Europe, spending many years in Frankfurt, Germany and a few in London before recently returning to Germany (Hanover). Diane has worked as a soloist and member of various ensembles (vocal ensembles as well as with instrumentalists), including the world reknowned ensemble for medieval music Sequentia (CD O Jerusalem, BMI 1997), her own vocal ensemble Elysium (CD - Auvergne Chants, Decca Records 2000) and Voices Found, Philadelphia (CD Magdalene and the other Mary, Church Publishing 2006). Her repertoire ranges from medieval music through the baroque era to music composed especially for her.

She is also a passionate teacher of singing, a proponent of Functional Voice Training based on the theories of Cornelius Reid (New York City). She has worked in conjunction with several voice and speech therapists in Germany.

Meinhard Gerlach studied music (guitar and piano) at the Musikhochschule in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. After his studies he attended master classes with Manuel Barrueco. Later he studied renaissance and baroque lute with Sigrun Richter at Dr. Hoch's Konservatorium in Frankfurt.

He deepened his understanding of historically informed performance of guitar and lute music in master classes with Toyohiko Satoh, Hopkinson Smith and others.

Meinhard Gerlach performs as a soloist and in chamber ensembles with guitar and lutes and is director of the guitar department at the city music school in Aschafenburg, Germany, where he lives with his wife and 2 children