Amanda Brex-Castillo

Soprano

Amanda Brex-Castillo received her BME in choral/vocal music education from Northern Illinois University.  There she studied voice with soprano Diane Ragains and choral music with Dr. Eric Johnson.  While at NIU Amanda performed in Ravel’s opera L'enfant et les sortilèges and as Elisetta in Cimarosa’s Il Matrimonio Segreto.  She also worked with Simon Carrington, co-founder of the highly acclaimed British vocal ensemble The King’s Singers.  In 2007, Amanda was selected as a winner in NIU’s Concerto Competition where she performed Cancion para llorar y amar, a piece composed for her by alumnus Gary K. Schwartz, with the NIU Philharmonic.

Professional performances include those with New Classic Singers, Cor Cantiamo, St. Charles Singers,  the Elgin Symphony Orchestra and Voix de la femme.  Amanda has been privileged to work with the composer Morten Lauridsen on his Madrigali: Six "Firesongs" on Italian Renaissance Poem when he was in residence at NIU.  She has also worked with John Rutter when he visited the US to conduct the St. Charles Singers.   Amanda has performed as a soloist for St. Charles Singer during the Mozart Journey in Missa Brevis in G, Missa Brevis in B-flat, Vesperae solennes de Dominica, and Alma dei creatoris.  She has also performed Carmina Burana by Carl Orff and Handel’s Messiah at Streamwood High School.

Amanda enjoys sharing her passion for music with her many students.  She currently teaches private voice to 30 students at Dundee Crown High School in Carpentersville.   This is her second year teaching 7th & 8th grade choir at Carpentersville Middle School.  In her free time she enjoys vacations with her husband, spending time with her niece and nephew and shopping. 

This is her fourth season singing with St. Charles Singers and feels blessed to be sharing beautiful music with others who have the same passion. 

Amanda would like to thank her friends, family and parents for their continued support throughout her musical journey.  Most importantly, she would like to thank her husband for ALWAYS supporting her dreams! 

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