Director: Mary Hamilton (2013-2026)
Mary Hamilton served as Assistant Director for the Sunnyvale Singers for a year before becoming our seventh director in the Fall of 2013. Mary has been singing all her life including in high school and college choirs, community choirs, and caroling groups. She has always loved music and discovered the exquisite beauty of choral music at a young age, but figured out that she wanted to make music her life work. Mary has a Bachelor’s degree in Earth Sciences from Stanford University and a Bachelor’s degree in Piano Performance, Music Education, and a Teaching Credential from San Jose State University.
Mary has accompanied choirs and toured in Europe with her children for 10 years with the Cantabile Youth Singers, founded by Signe Boyer. She also sang on tour in Germany, Austria, and the Czech Republic in 2010 with the SJSU singers directed by Dr. Amanda Quist.
Assistant Director: Margaux Millman ()
Margaux Millman is a native of Washington, D.C. She holds an undergraduate degree in music education from the University of Illinois, a masters degree in choral conducting from Northwestern University, and is finishing doctoral work in music education through the University of Illinois. For 7 years she taught middle and high school choir and ran a private voice and piano studio. She has worked as a musician, conductor, and teacher throughout the Bay and directed the treble choirs at San Jose State University. She currently directs the Fun Time Singers in San Jose. Ms. Millman lives in Mountain View with her husband and three children.
Hal Sundquist (2007-2013)
Hal “retired” from the singers in 1998, but returned in 2007 for a second run with the group before stepping down in Spring of 2013 after some sixteen years with Sunnyvale Singers. Hal has been involved with music for most of his life. After graduating with honors in voice and choral music at San Jose State University, he taught in San Mateo at Turnbull Middle School, San Mateo High School, Borel Middle School, and Abbott Middle School. He retired in 2005 after 38 years in the district. Hal has directed church choirs in Portola Valley, Los Gatos, San Jose, and most recently, St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in Saratoga.
Paul Zawilski (2006-2006)
Paul began as director in Fall of 2005 and concluded in Fall of 2006. A versatile musician, he has performed as pianist, singer, conductor, and music teacher. He has performed roles with and conducted Berkeley Opera, Oakland Opera, San Francisco Opera, The Lamplighters, Lyric Theatre of San Jose, Peninsula Center Stage, Stanford Savoyards, and other Bay Area companies. Paul holds B.M. and M.M. degrees from San Francisco State University, is a music teacher in the Portola Valley School District, and organist and choir director at St. Elizabeth’s Episcopal Church in South San Francisco.
D. Asa Stern (2003-05)
D. Asa Stern was director from Fall of 2003 to Spring of 2005, before heading to Florida for advanced studies in music. He received a BA in Music from the University of California at Davis in 1997. During his time at UCD, he studied the oboe, English Horn, and choral conducting. After playing the oboe and piano professionally for two years, he returned to the University of the Pacific were he graduated in 2002 with a Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction in Music Education. Asa taught at Herbert Hoover Middle and Pioneer High Schools in San Jose, CA. Asa was also musical director for theaters throughout the Sacramento Area including UC Davis, Tokay High School, and the Davis Musical Theater Company.
Teresa Baker (2002-2003)
Teresa Baker joined the Singers in the Fall of 2002 as our fourth director in almost 30 years. Teresa completed her master’s degree in the choral conducting program at San Jose State University during her one year as director of the Sunnyvale Singers. The Singers were happy to have Teresa share her enthusiasm for choral music prior to having to relocate to Boston in the Summer of 2003.
Amy Hunn (1998-2002)
Amy Stuart Hunn was director of the Sunnyvale Singers from 1998 to 2002. She earned a master’s degree in performance practice and choral conducting at Stanford University in 1999, and a bachelor’s degree in English and Music, with Music Departmental Honors, at Stanford in 1995. Amy served as director of Level I ensembles in the San Francisco Girl’s Chorus as well as assistant director of the Stanford Symphonic Chorus from 1995 to 1999. In 1999, she directed the Stanford Summer Chorus in a performance of the Fauré Requiem. Amy has served as a clinician for elementary, middle and high school ensembles.
Hal Sundquist (1988-98)
Former director Hal Sundquist “retired” from the Singers in 1998, after ten memorable years with the choir. Hal was particularly known for his astute musical guidance, his considerate leadership, his invaluable teaching skills, his corny sense of humor, and above all for his friendship. He is director of the choir at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in Saratoga and retired recently from teaching Jr. High music.
Cheryl Hasha (1976-88)
The Sunnyvale Singers was formed in 1976 by Cheryl Hasha and Betty Ketman-D’Angelo as a community choir of approximately 20 voices. The first performance was held in December of that year at the Sunnyvale Center for the Performing Arts. Cheryl Hasha led the group as music director until 1988.