PERSONNEL

Cyril Deaconoff

American composer, conductor, and organist Cyril Deaconoff was born in Moscow, Russia. He attended Gnesine State Music College and is a graduate of the Moscow State Tchaikovsky Conservatory (Composition and Conducting). In December 2006, Deaconoff completed his Doctoral degree in Conducting at Indiana University Bloomington, where he also studied composition with Sven-David Sandström. A number of his works, including the choral ballade “A Northern Tale,” have been performed at the Great Hall of the Moscow Conservatory.

An active choral and orchestral conductor, Dr. Deaconoff was one of sixteen conductors chosen by Chorus America to participate in the 2006 Beethoven Conducting Master Class with the Philadelphia Singers and the Music Director of the Philadelphia Orchestra, Christoff Eschenbach. Several of his recent works — including “A Northern Tale,” the cantata Canticles of Love, Despair, and Hope, and the orchestral overture “Symphonic Parallels” — have been recently published by E.C. Schirmer. In November 2011, West Bay Opera in the San Francisco Bay area presented a workshop performance of Deaconoff's new opera, The Last Tycoon, based on the novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald; In February of 2018 West Edge Opera included The Last Tycoon in their Snapshot presentation.

Cyril Deaconoff is also a well-known organist who was one of seven selected from all over the world to perform at the 14th Cesar Franck International Competition and Masterclass in the Netherlands (2013), the only American organist to be given such an honor. He is in demand as a concert organist and has performed on the symphonic organ at the Legion of Honor in San Francisco on several occasions.

Audio tracks for Cyril's works and more information about him can be found at cyrildeaconoff.com.

Board of Directors

Andy Liu, President

His leadership of Voices of Silicon Valley blends his passion for technology and law. With a BS in Computer Science & Information Engineering from National Taiwan University and a JD from Golden Gate University School of Law, he has navigated both areas. Andy’s legal expertise as a California attorney complements his background as a sourcing manager for tech giants. Beyond his professional experience, Andy expresses his singing as a tenor with VoSV. He has previously sung for the National Taiwan University Singers and Stanford University Singers.

Barbara Dutra, Secretary

Starting at a young age in the Midwest, Barbara has built a background in classical piano, teaching, choral singing, and dancing. She joined VoSV in 2014 and shortly thereafter became a board member, active in all aspects of creating and producing a wonderful choral experience for audiences and performers alike. Her work with VoSV has been a labor of love and learning and led to several peak musical moments for Barbara for which she is very grateful. Barbara enjoys time with friends and family, reading, gardening, accompanying the Mountain View Los Altos Adult School orchestra, and pickleball.

Crista Berryessa, Member-at-Large

Crista has a Bachelor of Music (Vocal Performance) from SJSU. She has studied with Erie Mills, Joseph Frank, Charlene Archibeque, Veljo Tormis, and Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir vocal coach Kaia Urb. She has a Master of Music in Choral Conducting from Cal State Los Angeles. Crista has worked as a vocalist and choral conductor for over a decade in the Bay Area. She sings with VoSV and the Santa Cruz Chorale, directs the Redwood Chamber Choir, and teaches choir and band at Scott’s Valley High School.