By Julia Goldman
Photo caption: [Irvine, Calif:] Beside rows and rows of bookshelves that point toward her storied career as a German professor, department chair and dean of undergraduate education with the University of Irvine, Meredith Lee sits within her living room on Aug. 7 recounting a lifetime spent alongside Camerata Singers. Photo credit: Julia Goldman
In the life cycle of a koi fish, in the time it takes a maple tree to mature, within the span of 30 years, Meredith Lee and Ruth Sievert have sung alongside Camerata Singers.
The two, who share a pearl celebration this 2025, both joined in 1996 as altos and hold the title of longest active members in the ensemble, each experiencing the leadership of four different artistic directors. Despite their shared history, however, the two have walked their own individual journeys to arrive at Camerata, and carry their own meaning in reflection.
For 80-year-old Meredith Lee, music has always been part of the picture. Born and raised in the Lutheran religion, Lee recounts never “not knowing how to read music” and sang in church choirs and played clarinet throughout her childhood.
As Lee grew older and pursued higher education, her clarinet came with her – performing in the St. Olaf Concert Band throughout her bachelors and continuing in the Yale Wind Ensemble during her masters of philosophy and doctorate in German.
It was after graduating, when Lee got married and began to advance in her career that she stepped away from clarinet, citing her workload, time restraints and general inaccessibility as her inhibitions then. Despite seeing success in her career, Lee reflects feeling a loss and absence of music in her life at this time.
“ I always had rehearsals all the time in the afternoons,” Lee said, “Music has always been a part of my life and I was happy to reintroduce it, even if I didn’t know if I had the time.”
Photo Caption: Saved in a scrapbook alongside the word “family,” this 1986 photo captures Lee, her two cousins, her brother and her aunt performing in their own band for their grandmother’s 90th birthday. Taken nearly 10 years before Lee joined Camerata Singers, Lee can be seen on the far left playing clarinet. Photo credit: Meredith Lee
To combat this feeling, Lee returned to music and began singing again in her local church choir in the ‘80s. Then, 15 years later, she was introduced to Camerata Singers by former singer, member and late friend, Dee Abrahamse.
Though Lee was reluctant and declined Abrahamse’s encouragement several times, Lee was eventually sold when Abrahamse told her that the ‘96 season repertoire included Joseph Haydn’s “The Creation.”
“I said, ‘Ohhh, I’ve always wanted to sing The Creation,” Lee said, laughing. “So, I made time.”
From that point on, Lee joined Camerata and has never left. She recalls the 1999 International Dresden Tour, the Lux Aeterna and Bach’s B Minor Mass as some of her favorite memories, and said that her musical and professional vocation enriched each other – like in her own performance and studies of German poetry.
Lee even served as Camerata’s President for two years in the early 2000s, when former Artistic Director David Wilson retired and was replaced with Jonathan Talberg. She cites this as a “tough time for Camerata,” due to financial struggles and many singers retiring alongside Wilson. To help build it up again, Lee said she spent her time rebuilding the choir’s infrastructure, administration and budget.
More than anything, Lee reflects back on these 30 years with gratitude. Her time as a singer, board member and president is just a form of contribution, Lee said, because Camerata has given her so much.
“I would’ve been so much poorer if I hadn’t been in Camerata for these years,” Lee said. “It’s just such an enrichment.”
Photo Caption: Ruth Sievert, 71, smiles right within the doorways of the Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in Long Beach on Aug. 14 where she serves as a Lutheran minister. Photo credit: Julia Goldman
Like Lee, 71-year-old Ruth Sievert began playing music as a child – taking on flute, guitar and singing in ensembles every year. What led Sievert to Camerata, however, was her career as a Lutheran minister, working and singing at many churches across southern California during her 43 year career. Eventually, at a service Sievert attended as a member at the Trinity Lutheran Church in Manhattan beach in the ‘90s, she heard Camerata perform and said she instantly fell in love.
“I was like, ‘oh my god I want to join this choir,” Sievert said. “I cornered David Wilson and I said ‘how do I join?’ and he said ‘come to practice.”
Now looking back at 30 years of rehearsals, performances and even travels, Sievert recounts her time with fondness. Aside from singing, Sievert even adopted the role of “fashion police” for many years for Camerata.
“Why?,” Sievert said, laughing when asked. “Because people sometimes don’t have common sense.”
Despite the title implying policing and discipline, Sievert said she mostly just helped others in the chorus order their costumes and reminded them of the dress code, even sending written reminders in Camerata’s former newsletter, “Cameraterie.”
Though she feels sentimental towards the memories of friends she’s seen come and go, Sievert said more than anything, she’s witnessed growth throughout her three decades- from the ways she’s seen her voice grow stronger within herself to Camerata Singers as a whole.
“It all started out as a little community college,” Sievert said, smiling with wide eyes. “We’ve grown with each director… I’m just so proud to be part of this organization; it’s gone far beyond my wildest dreams of what I could do as a singer.”