Our Board

Dr. Joseph Amante y Zapata is chair of the Performing Arts Department at CCRI, where, as director of choral activities, he conducts both the CCRI Chamber Singers and Chorus. Amante's choirs have participated in choral competitions and festivals at McGill University in Montreal, Canada, with the Boston Pro Musica in Boston, MA, and at New York’s Carnegie Hall. His choral interests include music of the Viceroyalty of New Spain, of which he has transcribed several Salve Reginas and Magnificats, and other Spanish works. A current project involves the co-editing of Handel's Messiah into a Spanish performance score.

He is the recipient of a scholarship from the Herb Alpert Foundation, an Administrative Fellow of Harvard University and received a grant from the David Rockefeller Center for Latin American Studies.

He is a violist and assistant music director of the Ocean State Pops Orchestra (OSPO), mandolist and assistant conductor of L'Esperance Mandolin Ensemble.

Fun fact, Dr. Amante is the great grand-nephew of the Mexican revolutionary, Emiliano Zapata.

Angelica Alvarez (Soprano) has been singing since she can remember! She has appeared in many operas with the Virginia Opera,

as a soloist with Virginia Symphony under JoAnn Falletta, Virginia Chorale, Chicago Lyric Light Opera, The Opera Factory

& Colorado Symphony. She has toured Poland and Japan singing folk, opera and jazz music, with a penchant for torch

songs! Angelica has a BM in Vocal Performance from Northwestern University and is the RI District Governor of the

National Association of Teachers of Singing. She currently teaches private voice lessons and applied lessons at CCRI.

Matthew Marion Originally from Cranston RI, Matthew Marion had the fortune to grow up in a highly diverse and musical community. Beginning violin at 9 and piano at 11; the exposure to the works of Bach, Beethoven and Liszt would lead him into a beloved career in music. He is an alumni of Rhode Island College, graduating with a Bachelors of Music (Piano Performance), and holder of an Expert Residency certification in Music Education. Matthew is thankful to have studied under Dr. Judith Stillman, Stephen Martorella, Dr. Edward Markward, and Greg Wardson.

Up until our recent pandemic you would have found Matthew onboard Norwegian and Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines as an Orchestra Pianist. Four and a half years of production shows, and guest entertainers and jazz sets in over two dozen countries around the world. Now back on land, Matthew Marion currently resides at Atlantis Charter school of Fall River, MA teaching Grades 7-12. He also serves as Minister of Music of the Congregational Church of Barrington.

I am very pleased to be a part of Coffee Milk Opera and look forward to a great season!