Joe Barone graduated from The Crane School of Music at SUNY-Potsdam in June 1986. He has served as choral director for the West Babylon High School for the past 22 years, and was recently appointed Music Department Chairperson and Performing Arts Center Coordinator. Joe has conducted the SCMEA All County Division III choir and is a NYSSMA solo certified vocal adjudicator. In addition to his talents as a musician, Joe has also been treasurer of the Long Island Pride Sports Association for the past five years. He has helped coordinate the Tuesday Night Tease Bowling league in Patchogue as well as the LIPSA Lavender softball league. In his spare time, Joe owns a small real estate company with his brother, called Horizon Realty Group, which serves all of Long Island. Joe returns as Artistic Director after serving as the LIGMC's Artistic Director for its first two seasons.

Mary Ann Cafiero is honored to be Assistant Conductor of the Long Island Gay Men’s Chorus, alongside lifelong friend Joseph Barone. Mary Ann received her BM in Music Education from Westminster Choir College in Princeton, NJ. While attending, she was able to perform at some of the most magnificent music halls in the world — Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, and under the direction of Ricardo Muti and the New York Philharmonic at Lincoln Center. She was also featured on PBS’ "Great Performances," singing a September 11th memorial requiem. She received her MALS with a concentration in 18th Century English Literature from Dowling College. Mary Ann has been Choral Director at West Babylon High School for the past seven years, also taking on the Select Jazz Choir, the Drama Club and staging the annual musical production. Under her direction, WBHS has won several Teen Tony Awards, including two Best Dance Performance awards, Best Ensemble in a Dramatic Play, Best Props, Best Set Crew, and awards for several of her students. Mary Ann also enjoys performing herself — she is an active member of the James Street Players and performs in benefit concerts, “Making Music Matter” with the other music teachers in her district, and “A Night to Remember,” which raises money for the American Heart Association and the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America. She is proud to be adding the LIGMC to her list of accomplishments.
 

Michael is a born-and-bred Long Islander.  He graduated from SUNY-New Paltz in May 2007 with a Bachelor's degree in Sociology and currently works as a leasing consultant on Long Island.  His musical background began with high school musical performances, choir ensembles, variety shows, and benefit concerts.  He has performed with The Wesleyan Singers (a 12- person chamber choir) based in Virginia Beach at Virginia Wesleyan College, Absolut A Cappella of SUNY-New Paltz (where he was also Musical Director/Choreographer), and now the LIGMC.  Michael's dance background began in 2001 at Vic D'Amore Dance Studio.  He continued to dance throughout his college career with Culture Shock Dance Troupe, and choreographed as well as danced in Fresh Dance, a student-run dance show at SUNY-New Paltz.  Dancing and singing are his passions in life and nothing makes him happier than to be able to combine the two to help progress this amazing group of men to higher and higher levels of achievement.  LIGMC is more than a performing ensemble . . . it is a brotherhood, a family, and most importantly a group of outstanding individuals with a collective dream of bettering the lives, rights, and perceptions of the Gay and Lesbian community.
 

Brett Pontecorvo is proud to be playing piano for the LIGMC. Brett began playing the piano at age 8 at the Performing Arts Studio of New York. Soon after, he also began playing the upright bass as well as the bass guitar. Past experience includes working as musical director of "Urinetown: The Musical" and as director of "The Wedding Singer" at Comsewogue High School. He is also featured on select tracks of Deerheart’s "No Legitimate Purpose," as well as on all of the bass and piano tracks of Derek and the Wonderdogs' "At Least That Wasn’t The Real One." Having graduated high school in June 2010, Brett plans to continue pursuing his musical career through higher education. On the other side of the piano, Brett has performed on the stages of Creative Ministries, Broadhollow Theatre and TTG. He has also spent a great deal of time in the martial arts community of Long Island.
 

Kristin Connolly is a nationally certified interpreter who has been interpreting for more than five years. Kristin has her Bachelor's degree in ASL Interpreting and Transliteration and couldn't imagine having any other profession. Kristin spends her spare time reading, playing with her dog, and traveling with her husband. If you are interesting in contacting Kristin for interpreting services she can be reached at Signer9308@aol.com.
 

SEAN ARTHURS
Chorus Librarian

STEPHEN DOONE
Webmaster

WALTER FISHON
Public  Relations/Outreach Director

JIM COLLIER
President