VANESSA E. BURNS –   

     Vanessa began studying voice privately at the age of fifteen while modeling and acting for Wilhemina Modeling Agency in New York. She studied opera and developed a love for jazz after performing in a Gershwin/Porter review in high school. She continued performing musical theater and jazz throughout high school and into college. Vanessa attended C. W. Post College, Long Island University on a music scholarship as a vocal performance major. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education and a Master’s degree in Music Education.
     During her college career, Vanessa sang with C.W. Post’s Vocal Jazz, Chamber Choir, and Jazz Band (featured vocalist), and toured eight countries in Europe. Her concert credits include; three European tours to cities in Iceland, Holland, Czechoslovakia, Austria, Germany, Spain, Portugal, and Morocco and one east coast tour to Maryland, Virginia, and Washington D. C. Vanessa has performed in the Manhattan choral Festival and several operas including Suor Angelica and Fidelio at Alice Tully Hall in Manhattan. Her cabaret and dinner theater credits include appearances at Eighty Eight’s, The Duplex, Rosalie’s, Don’t Tell Mama’s, Sonny’s, and Sweetwaters. Her stage credits include; Straight to the Ace (Ten of Hearts), The Cactus Flower (Toni Simmons), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Helena) [Irene Ryan Award nominee], Deathtrap (Myra Bruhl), and The Mystery of Edwin Drood (Rosa Bud), among others.
     Vanessa teaches elementary music, directs/teaches high school drama, private voice lessons and directs a church choir in Long Beach. Her directing credits include; Annie Get Your Gun, Rumors, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Night of January 16th, Anything Goes, Fools, Damn Yankees, and Come Blow Your Horn. Vanessa is thrilled to add New York’s Most Dangerous Big Band to her busy schedule.

  Joseph Cerutti -
Joseph Cerutti recently graduated with a Master of Music Degree in Choral Conducting from Boston University. During that time, he studied under Ann Howard Jones, David Hoose, James Marvin, and Joseph Flummerfelt. In addition to his studies, Joe teaches music at Monument High School, in South Boston, conducts the Women of Note, a Harmony Inc. women's a cappella chorus in Hudson, MA, and the Sounds of Concord, an a cappella men's barbershop chorus in Concord, MA. He also sings baritone in club 406.

While receiving his Bachelor's Degree in Music Education from Five Towns College on Long Island, NY, he was the music director for St. Lawrence of Canterbury Episcopal Church, the conductor for the Long Island Sound Men's Chorus, and he founded the David Johnson Singers, an auditioned mixed chorale. In 2004, Joe was selected to be a participant in the Carnegie Hall Choral Institute, founded by the late Robert Shaw, in a performance conducted by Charles Dutoit.

Joe often works as a coach and clinician for many barbershop functions and, during the summer, teaches theory and conducting at Missouri Western State University for the Barbershop Harmony Society's Harmony University. Joe is the lead male singer for New York's Most Dangerous Big Band, and has performed in the band in venues such as the Plaza Hotel for such celebrities as Bette Midler.

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