Meet our talented Choir Section Leaders.
Olivia Tenhouten
Alto Section Leader
Olivia Tenhouten is a mezzo-soprano and choral educator based in Long Beach, California. She was raised in Santa Monica and is currently studying Choral-Vocal Music Education at Bob Cole Conservatory of Music. Olivia has performed operatic several roles including Gianetta in Donizetti’s L’Elisir D’amore, Cupidon in Offenbach’s Orphée aux Enfers, and Cherubino in Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro. Primarily, she is a working educator, and has been a teacher and director with several vocal ensembles across Los Angeles over the course of her studies.
Jake Asaro
Tenor Section Leader
A passionate and versatile musician, Jake studied Music Education at California State University, Long Beach’s Bob Cole Conservatory of Music. While there, he performed with the acclaimed Bob Cole Chamber Choir, including a memorable appearance at the Eisteddfod competition in Llangollen, Wales, where the group was awarded the prestigious title of Choir of the World.
As a freelance session singer, Jake has recorded for numerous film and video game soundtracks at world-renowned studios such as Jim Henson and East West. With over a decade of experience teaching private voice and piano, they are also the Associate Director with the South Bay Children’s Choir, where their ensembles have earned Superior ratings at SCVA adjudicated festivals.
Jake is a core member of Moira Smiley’s professional vocal quintet VOCO, touring nationally and internationally, including a featured headlining performance at the 2020 South Eastern ACDA Conference. They also enjoy performing in musical theatre and were nominated for a Broadway World Award for their role of Lumiere in Beauty and the Beast with the Torrance Theatre Company.
When not performing or teaching, Jake loves spending time with friends, cuddling with his two chiweenies, and playing video games.
Shannon Miller
Soprano Section Leader
Shannon Miller, soprano, is a classical artist who currently performs with Pacific Chorale, Vox Ardens, and other performing ensembles. After beginning her career on the east coast, she returned to California in 2014 to establish herself as a versatile choral and stage performer and joined the Bay Shore Church Chancel Choir as the soprano section leader in 2016. She has been seen in performances with Los Angeles Master Chorale, Pacific Chorale, Long Beach Camerata Singers, Vox Ardens, Repertory Opera Company, Center Stage Opera, and Redlands Opera, and has performed at the Hollywood Bowl and Carnegie Hall. When not performing, she likes to play ukulele and go whale watching. Ms. Miller holds a B.M. in Vocal Performance from Cal-State Fullerton and a M.M. in Voice Performance from Boston University.
Max Smith
Bass Section Leader
Max Smith is vocalist, arranger, and educator based in Long Beach. He is a second-year Masters student CSULB, studying jazz voice at the Bob Cole Conservatory of Music, where he also earned his Bachelors in jazz. While at CSULB he has sung with the world-renowned Bob Cole Chamber Choir and is currently the Tenor-Bass section leader of the DownBeat Magazine award-winning vocal jazz ensemble, Pacific Standard Time. He is also a Graduate Assistant in the Jazz department and assists with lectures in Jazz History and Music & Film. Outside of CSULB, Max has sung frequently as a soloist and with professional choral ensembles such as Choral Arts Initiative in Orange County, Voices for Social Justice in Long Beach, and has toured the country with LA’s Grammy award-winning choir, Tonality. Max enjoys cooking and spending time with friends, family, and his cat Monty.