The Church of St. Paul & the Redeemer Music Staff
Mark Bilyeu, Director of Music
Before joining the St. Paul & the Redeemer staff in 2022, Mark spent nearly fifteen years in Minneapolis, where he served as the Director of Music at Calvin Presbyterian Church, Artistic Director of the South Metro Chorale, Associate Conductor of the Calliope Women's Chorus, and was the founding Artistic Director of Source Song Festival. Trained as a pianist who specializes in working with singers, he holds degrees from the Chicago College of Performing Arts and the University of Minnesota. A specialist in American music, he has premiered dozens of works by composers including Libby Larsen, David Evan Thomas, Carol Barnett, Stacy Garrop, Matthew Recio, Rachel Fogarty, and many others. He is a member of the American Guild of Organists, and the Association of Anglican Musicians.
Mark lives in Hyde Park with his partners Rickey and Aaron, along with their dogs Cinnamon and Sugar. He has a deep love for joyful community music-making, the Muppets, and his many houseplants.
Contact Mark: bilyeu@sprchicago.org
Abi Smith, Children’s Music Assistant
Abi Smith is a musician, an educator, and a recent transplant to Hyde Park from Bloomington, IN. She has taught in both classroom and private music environments. In her classroom, she developed her own music curriculum for K-6th students and directed handbell ensembles for 7th-12th. Before moving to Chicago, she founded, owned, and operated her business, Indy Keys Music Studio, where she taught piano, voice, and ukulele lessons for students ages 3-70. Abi’s musical journey began at a young age. Her early years were supported by a musical family and singing with her cousins and grandparents. Her background inspired her to pursue music and education at Butler University where she earned a Piano Performance degree with an emphasis in Pedagogy. Abi has always been teaching, and her philosophy of pedagogy is continually changing and growing as she expands her knowledge of early childhood education.
Outside of the classroom and studio, she enjoys cooking, yoga, playing board games, going on walks with her dog Remi, and going to the lake.
Savannah Heygi
also staff singer
Savannah is originally from Michigan, and earned a degree in Vocal Performance from Michigan State University. While pursuing an undergraduate degree, Savannah participated in several performances with MSU Opera Theatre and served as an alto section leader at a local church. Following graduation Savannah continued their church work and teaching private voice lessons. Savannah has recently moved to Chicago to pursue a graduate degree in Vocal Performance at the Chicago College of Performing Arts.
Wesley Krist
tenor staff singer
Wesley grew up in Niceville, FL, and completed his undergraduate music studies at Stetson University in DeLand, FL. He has performed in choirs and as a tenor soloist at the 2022 Southern ACDA conference, the Florence International Choir Festival in Italy, and the FMEA conference. He moved to Chicago in 2022 to pursue his M.M. in Voice from the Chicago College of Performing Arts. When not singing, Wesley loves to read and hang out with his two cats, Nutmeg and Jason.
Solamada Pando Girard
bass/baritone staff singer
Solamada Pando Girard is a baritone from Michigan. This coming winter she will portray Donna in new opera “Green Room” by Cecilia Oszlewski at Northwestern University. Her recent roles include the Vicar/”Albert Herring” with Northwestern University, Marco/”Gianni Schicchi” with Cedar Rapids Opera, and Jupiter/“Orphée aux Enfers” at the University of Michigan. In concert she has performed solos in sacred works such as Beethoven’s “Mass in C, ”Fauré’s “Requiem,” and Mozart’s “Mass in C.” She is currently a master’s student of opera at the Northwestern University Bienen School of Music.
Ariana Strahl
soprano staff singer
Ariana is a soprano and arts advocate whose career has spanned opera, art song, and oratorio repertoire in the United States and Europe. Their work with arts communities seeks to foster a sense of belonging across creative endeavors. She is an avid runner, and fundraises for Chicago Women’s Health Center every year as a marathon participant. Ariana lives in Hyde Park with their wife and two cats, Rudy and Karl.