Now You Can Meet and Greet
Red Harmony
Six Jazz/Pop Vocalists
Cali Zimmerman, Soprano I
Cali started singing as a second grader in the Seattle Girls' Choir. Throughout high school, she performed in productions such as Into the Woods and The Pirates of Penzance, placed first in the Shoreline regional Solo and Ensemble contest two years in a row, and represented the city of Seattle in the National Shakespeare Competition in New York. Eventually, she wound up at Emerson College in Boston as a musical theater major. While at Emerson, she explored other interests and finished with a double major in musical theater and writing.
Following college, Cali jumped the pond to attend graduate school at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland, where she majored in playwriting. She spent a couple of years working in publishing and journalism, and then she thought it was about time to bring a little music back into her life. She moved down to Los Angeles in 2008, met the other members of Red Harmony, and has been having a blast singing with them ever since. By day, Cali handles communications for People Assisting The Homeless, a nonprofit organization based in central L.A. By night, she tries to work on way too many screenplays and novels at once.
Laura McCorkle, Soprano II
Laura grew up in San Diego and then headed to the University of Redlands to pursue a Bachelor of Music in vocal performance. Over the years, she has participated in a number of vocal ensembles including Southern California Honor and California All-State choirs in high school, as well as Nate George's collegiate a cappella group Mixed Blend.
During her sophomore year at Redlands, Laura shifted her focus from voice to harp performance. She performed two solo recitals, played in the pit orchestra for Beauty and the Beast, and both played and sang in the university's annual Feast of Lights every December. Before studying classical harp, Laura developed a background of Irish folk harping, and she continues to be influenced by Irish language, literature, folklore, and music. She is a member of Sigma Alpha Iota, an international music fraternity.
Sarah Freed, Alto
Sarah Freed grew up around music of all genres. Because both of her parents area musicians, she has attended many classical concerts and musicals, has been the member of many different choirs, and has been known to play piano and clarinet on occasion. Though she is not getting a degree in music, one of Sarah's greatest passions in life is the art of music-making.
A student at Cal Poly Pomona, Sarah is currently pursuing a bachelors degree in Urban and Regional Planning. In addition to the stantard courses, Sarah has been a member of the Kellogg Chamber Singers for three years. This traditional choral group has kept her love of music alive through college. Now, as the newest member of Red Harmony, Sarah has the opportunity to take her love for music even farther as she ventures into the world of a cappella.
She's also a competitive roller skater!
David Anderson, Tenor
Having lived in 12 states (and visited all 50), David Anderson has spent a lot of time on the road. A seasoned performer with over 600 a cappella shows under his belt, he's been singing actively since he studied at Cornell University. Over the last decade he's enjoyed lengthy stints with professional a cappella bands, Blind Man's Bluff and Four Shadow. Now he makes T-shirts for a living.
David's an ex-violinist, an ex-saxophonist, and a pretty lousy guitar player, but that's okay, because none of those instruments will sing in harmony with him, which is what he loves most. He is influenced by Guster, Crowded House, and the Indigo Girls, along with a whole range of options ranging from modern musicals to Beethoven's symphonies. He thinks Elvis has the best Christmas album ever.
When he's not singing or printing T-shirts, David works as a PSIA certified ski instructor, speaks German to anyone who will listen, and hangs out with his wife and baby daughter.
Nate George, Baritone
Nate is a California native but only a relatively recent arrival to the Los Angeles area. He graduated from the University of Redlands in 2004 with a self-designed degree in "vocal jazz studies with an emphasis in maintaining a small vocal ensemble"—quite the mouthful. The degree program included leading a mixed vocal octet known as Mixed Blend throughout his four years at school. Later, while living in the Bay Area post graduation, Nate co-founded a vocal group called Note-Orious. The group served as the demonstration ensemble for a workshop led by Paul Pampinella of Vox One during the 2006 A Cappella Summit.
A die-hard fan of a cappella, Nate loves devising new vocal arrangements. He is a member of the national music fraternity Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, and he currently works for New Wave Entertainment. When he's not busy working with Red Harmony, you just might spot him cooking, working out, swimming, or enjoying one of his extensive collection of movie titles.
Christopher Thaxter, Bass
Over the years, Christopher Thaxter's pursuits have run the gamut from professional juggling to co-owning a Beverly Hills hair salon. But music is his first love and has been the focus of the majority of his energy. He has been composing classical music since junior high, wrote and conducted his first symphony while in high school, and has been trained on clarinet, piano, and voice. Also in high school, he conducted the pit orchestra for a full run of The Will Rogers Follies.
At the University of Redlands, he received a B.M. in music composition with an interdisciplinary minor covering Spanish, French, and German. While there, he sang with Those Guys!, a men's a cappella group on campus. He has spent time studying in both Austria and Germany. Christopher belongs to the music fraternity Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, and founded a local alumni association for its members. A native of Los Angeles who moved away at a very young age, he returned after college and has worked for investment companies.
You can read about former members of the group on our alumni page.