Hello! I’m Maria Dessena, and I am so excited to join North River Sing this season.  I’ve been enjoying your concerts for many years and am truly happy for the opportunity to join in. I think singing and harmonizing with your fellow humans is one of the most incredible experiences a person can have.

 

I’m originally from Western New York, where I developed a deep love for all things musical from my family. I graduated from Indiana University in 2000 with a BM in performance, where I studied saxophone, piano, composition, arranging, and accompanying vocalists (and dabbling in the electronic music studio). I was truly a kid in a candy store. While at Indiana, I gained a love for Kurt Weill and a fondness for composers (and bands) who enjoyed blurring the line between classical and popular music. 

 

I moved to NYC the following fall and eventually landed in Jersey City in 2005. Over the years, I’ve been lucky to music direct various offbeat musical theater and cabaret productions, many of which have a historical angle (Cabaret in Captivity; Mad Jenny’s Weimar Girls; The Pig, or Václav Havel’s Hunt for a Pig; Lord Oxford Presents the American Revolution). I currently make my living as a composer and sound designer for games. I have a few obsessions – mainly 30 Rock, Korei Kitchen, and the music of Radiohead. I also really love long-distance walking – you’ll frequently find me wandering up and down either side of the Hudson River in my giant headphones, awkwardly singing to myself (sometimes with fellow NRS member Rachael).

 

Although I’ve had a lot of musical opportunities over the years, I don’t get to sing very often, so I’m really looking forward to harmonizing with this wonderful choir. Thank you so much for having me!