We are very grateful to our staff, Board of Directors, and volunteers for generously contributing their time and talents. Together, we are able to share extraordinary musical experiences with even more people as we work towards achieving the CMS vision. To chat with any member of our team, email us here.
Music Director
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John C. Hughes, D.M.A., is honored to serve as Music Director of Chicago Master Singers, a position he has held since 2020. His work is rooted in a love of text, sound, and the shared experience of singing. In addition to CMS, he is the Director of Choral Programs at the Green Lake Festival of Music in Wisconsin.
His programming spans major choral-orchestral works and intimate a cappella repertoire. Deeply committed to working with living composers, he has commissioned and premiered works by Francis Lynch, Shawn Okpebholo, Dale Trumbore, Reena Esmail, Elaine Hagenberg, and others. These collaborations—whether in concerts, festivals, or residencies—are a central part of his artistic life. Teaching and mentorship are equally important to him. He founded Chicago Master Singers’ NextGen and Choral Scholars programs and created the Choral Conducting Apprenticeship at the Green Lake Festival of Music. He also works with young singers and emerging conductors through guest conducting, clinics, presentations, and private study. Alongside his conducting, Hughes is active as a scholar and writer. He is the author of Letters to a Young Conductor: Thoughts on Music and Life and has contributed to Choral Repertoire by Women Composers. His work appears in journals including The Choral Journal, The Choral Scholar, and The Diapason, and he has prepared a scholarly edition of Leonhard Lechner’s 1593 Passion setting. He previously hosted the podcast Choir Chat. For more information, please visit his website. |
Rehearsal Pianist
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Lyudmila Lakisova graduated from the School of Music for Gifted Children, affiliated with the Belarusian State Conservatory of Music, receiving a Bachelor’s degree in 1988. She completed a Master’s degree in piano performance, pedagogy, and chamber music in 1993 and a Ph.D. in piano accompaniment in 1995, both from the Belarusian State Conservatory of Music in Minsk.
In 1989, she became a recital pianist and accompanist for the Belarusian State Philharmonic Chamber Choir and performed with the Belarusian State Symphony. Lyudmila has been a featured soloist and ensemble performer with many orchestras in the Chicago area, including the North Shore Chamber Orchestra, Wheaton Symphony, West Suburban Symphony, Camerata Chicago, and the Landolfi Piano Trio. In addition to her successful solo and chamber career, Lyudmila has become well known in Chicago music circles as a collaborative pianist, accompanist, and chamber coach. She has collaborated with conductors Drostan Hall and Alexander Platt, pianist Irina Lupines, singer Don Caasch, as well as violinists Yossif Ivanof, Olga Kaler, Julian Rachlin, and others. She is also a chamber music coach at Midwest Young Artists in Highwood, IL. She has been the rehearsal pianist for Chicago Master Singers since 2015. |
Managing Director
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Karen Commons is excited to celebrate how far CMS has come by becoming its first administrative staff member, and looks forward to seeing how far we can go together in pursuit of the CMS vision.
Karen has a degree in Physics and Mathematics from Northwestern University, is a pianist, and has sung in choral ensembles throughout her life, including her membership as a CMS soprano since 2011. After a couple of decades working as a property/casualty actuary in the insurance industry, she returned to her passion for sharing choral singing with as many people as possible and pursued a career change into arts administration. She became the CMS Managing Director in January 2025 and now has responsibilities for the operational, financial, development, and administrative work of the chorus, partnering closely with the Board of Directors and the numerous dedicated volunteers. She also assists Music Director John C. Hughes in strategizing and executing mission-aligned programs, including assessing the viability and financial requirements for both existing and new programs. |
Arts Management Intern
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CMS is excited to welcome Jamie Cruz as an Arts Management Intern during the 2026–2027 season, thanks to funding provided by the Illinois Arts Council's Youth Employment in the Arts initiative.
Jamie is a Music Business major at Elmhurst University pursuing minors in Music Production and Vocal Performance. Their experience spans music education, live sound engineering, event planning, and arts administration. Jamie currently teaches voice and piano lessons and has provided live sound support for musical theatre productions and vocal ensembles, while also helping lead large-scale music events at Elmhurst University. Jamie believes music has a unique ability to bring people together, build connections, and create lasting impact. They are proud to work alongside Chicago Master Singers to support community engagement and help share the joy and power of choral music with others. |
Board of Directors
Members of the CMS Board of Directors serve as ambassadors for the organization in the larger community, guide the organization in major policy decisions, and ensure the financial stability of the nearly 50-year-old nonprofit.
Interested in joining our Board of Directors? If you have a passion for music and share our commitment to creating a culture of inclusive, intergenerational ensemble singing, please email us at [email protected]. We look forward to hearing from you!
Interested in joining our Board of Directors? If you have a passion for music and share our commitment to creating a culture of inclusive, intergenerational ensemble singing, please email us at [email protected]. We look forward to hearing from you!
Charles Andersen, President
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Michelle Burke, Secretary
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John Salamone, Treasurer
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Rick Burdsall
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Sheila Duran
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Caryl Medsker
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Elisabeth Meyer
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Richard Olson
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Janet Raciti
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Dale Russell
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