Music for Funerals

Rochelle Bard is a pianist, accompanist, choral director, and a professional soprano. With over 20 years of experience in liturgical music, she is the Music Director at St. Timothy's in West Hartford, CT, where she accompanies on piano and organ, sings, and directs the choirs. She earned a Masters in Music from the New England Conservatory of Music and received an honorary Doctorate in Music from her alma mater, The College of the Holy Cross.

 

Trained as a pianist first, she eventually found her own voice and learned to accompany herself. Classically, Rochelle has been a soloist on stages across the U.S., including Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Tanglewood, Mormon Tabernacle Choir, and the Bushnell, as well as many opera companies. She is known as a bel canto soprano, with title roles such as Norma, Lucia, Aida, Traviata, and Tosca. Interestingly, you will rarely hear her classical voice in the liturgical setting. It is her belief that spiritual music should have clear diction and a simple vocal production that adds to the prayer of the celebration, and does not come across as a performance. However, once a year or two, alongside her choirs and voice students, she presents a fundraiser concert with a mix of styles including broadway, classical, and american standards. 

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The funeral ministry is near and dear to her heart, and her goal is to make the planning process as easy as possible. She is in the process of recording an album, which will be available soon for download. Please visit the Contact page to send her a note with song requests or questions. Rochelle lives in central MA, works in West Hartford, CT, and can occasionally travel for funerals within driving distance.