Eric Avera is a founding member of CANTARE. He formerly sang with the Houston Chamber Choir, the Houston Symphony Chorus, Ensemble Sine Nomine (Ithaca, NY), the Cornell Chorale, the Rice Chorale, and the Houston Boychoir. He currently sings with the choir at Covenant Church, the community in which he grew up and continues his membership to this day. While he has no formal university training in music, he has been coached from a young age by his mother, Fran Avera, a voice teacher and choral director. He teaches physics at Episcopal High School, where he sometimes sings barbershop as one of the "Four Pillars." Eric also finds it interesting to explore musical expression as a mix deejay.

Michael Gregory Feris is a native Houstonian having gown up and attended high school in Kingwood, Texas. He has his Bachelors in Music Education from Texas Tech University and is a huge Red Raider football fan. After college Michael worked for a church in Klein for 2 years as the Youth Worship Pastor before starting his teaching career in Spring ISD. Michael taught in Spring ISD for 5 years at Twin Creeks Middle School before moving up and out to Clements High School in Sugarland, Texas where he is currently employed as the assistant choir director. At 29 years old Michael loves teaching, singing, fishing and cooking. 

Andrew Gray is thrilled to sing his first season with CANTARE. He recently began attending Baylor College of Medicine's Physician Assistant program. From 2001-'03, he was a member and soloist of the Estonian National Male Choir of Tallinn, Estonia. With that group he recorded three CDs, one of which won a Grammy®. He has sung with the Savonlinna Opera Festival in Finland, the Estonian National Opera, the Los Angeles Bach Festival, the Washington Master Chorale, and Austin's five-time Grammy® award nominated Conspirare.

David Lee is excited to join CANTARE for another season! David graduated from The University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelor's degree in music studies. While at UT, he studied voice with David Small and conducting with Dr. Suzanne Pence. David has performed with numerous choral ensembles in and around the Austin and Houston areas as a conductor, member and soloist. David also enjoyed his role with the Zach Scott theatre in their production of Jesus Christ Superstar. He will be serving his third year as an assistant choir director at Morton Ranch Junior High in Katy ISD. There he has had the pleasure of working as a private voice instructor and receiving Superior UIL ratings for his choirs with head director, Sara Proodian.

Michael Rowell, tenor, has been performing in the Houston area for ten years now. A seasoned performer, Michael can be seen around town performing with CANTARE Houston, the Houston Chamber Choir, and various other solo performances. Most recently Michael performed at the Lonestar College – Kingwood's production of Godspell, and Unhinged staged reading of Solome. He is proud to be returning for his 6th season with CANTARE.
 
Off-stage, Michael works as Marketing Coordinator for Bluware, Inc., an application development and support company, and serves as Chairman of the Board for CANTARE.

Sean Saunders is excited to be joining CANTARE Houston for the group's Eighth Season. This will be his third year to sing with CANTARE. Sean is the Head Choir Director for George Junior High School and Navarro Middle School in Lamar Consolidated ISD. He will be beginning his second year as director this school year. Under his direction, he has led the choirs to successful performances at UIL Concert and Sight Right reading and other festivals around the Houston Area. Sean is a Member of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, Texas Music Educators Association, and Texas Choral Directors Association. He is looking forward to a great Season with CANTARE!

As a tenor, Tracy Jacob Shirk has sung operatic and musical theater roles, solos in major works, oratorio and recital throughout the Southwest with such organizations as Da Camera, the Amarillo Opera, Houston Masterworks Chorus, the Victoria Bach Festival, Cantare Houston and five-time Grammy® award nominee Conspirare. A resident and native of Houston, Mr. Shirk is currently on the faculty of Lone Star College-North Harris, serves as Director of Music Ministries for First Congregational United Church of Christ, and tenor soloist at Temple Beth Israel. He has directed three barbershop choruses including the Houston Tidelanders and has sung lead in several championship barbershop quartets. Mr. Shirk is a graduate of West Texas (State) A&M University in Canyon where he earned a Bachelor of Music Education in choral conducting and a Master of Music in vocal performance working with Royal Brantley, Cloyce Kuhnert, Robert Hansen, Hugh Sanders and René Clausen.