Vocalists

Kathryn Kinjo Duncan

Vocalist

Cameo Humes

Vocalist

Keanon Kyles

Vocalist

Viki Rill

Vocalist

Kathryn Kinjo Duncan

Vocalist

I'm not exaggerating when I say that music is pretty much my entire life. Years ago, I read an article about finding one's "ikigai" - and as a Japanese-American, I was fascinated. "Ikigai" can be loosely described as someone's reason for getting up in the morning. It encompasses 1) what you love, 2) what you're good at, 3) what the world needs, 4) what you can be paid for. I have come to understand that music is very much my ikigai.

I've been a musician my whole life - I grew up Mormon, so one of my earliest memories is going to hear the Mormon Tabernacle Choir sing live. I knew from that moment that I wanted to sing in a choir, and that shaped most of my schooling and extracurricular choices from grade school through college, and eventually became my career. Even though I'm not Mormon anymore, sacred music is part of my DNA - and I've come to appreciate how important it is in both weekly communal worship and in building a personal relationship with God. While music is, for me, the medium through which I find spiritual connection, I also truly believe it is one of the most restorative and empowering forces for good in the world. It is my honor to serve at StGs as Music Minister, a capacity in which I take no greater joy than encouraging people of all ages and all skill levels to experience the transformative power of music.

In addition to serving as the StGs Music Minister, I also am the Engagement Minister - which means I am somewhat of a jack-of-all-trades! I craft liturgy, organize the liturgical ministers for Sunday worship, create the bulletins, coordinate worship and social activities with our Better Together partners, and am responsible for all the technical aspects of our worship (the Zoom meeting, live-streaming, camera and audio equipment, etc).

When I'm not at StGs I work as a professional chorister, singing with many organizations including the Chicago Symphony Chorus, the Grant Park Festival Chorus, the Fort Wayne Philharmonic, the Florentine Opera of Milwaukee, the High Holy Days Choir of Temple Sholom, the studio recording choir for World Library Publications, and many freelance singing gigs all over the city.

In my blink-and-you'll-miss-it spare time, I love doing hands-on projects around the house and playing with my dog Charlie and cat Bella. I have a strange love of mowing lawns, reading anatomy textbooks for fun, embroidering silly things, and changing my hair color frequently (so if you come to StGs I'm easily spotted as the one with some unspeakably unnatural shade of hair!).

Cameo Humes

Vocalist

Keanon Kyles

Vocalist

Keanon Kyles, praised by CNN for his “incredible bass-baritone voice” and by Scottish Magazine, Opera Scotland for his “beautiful technique”. Kyles was raised in Chicago where his musical journey started and where he received his bachelor’s degree in music from Chicago’s Columbia College. Keanon made his opera debut as Colline in Puccini's “La Boheme”. Conducted by Metropolitan Opera’s Maestro David Jackson, he made his Italy debut in Trento, Italy as Betto in Gianni Schicchi and Peter in Hansel and Gretel. Keanon was featured as Billy Evans in the world premiere of Floating Opera Company’s production of “War and Peace”. Kyles made his Chicago Opera Theater debut as Daggoo in "Moby Dick", shortly after he was asked to return perform the role of Tommie in the opera, "Freedom Ride" with Chicago Opera Theater. He has ranked one of the top 5 singers in the National Association of Negro Musicians competition. He made his Lyric Opera debut by way of Lyric Unlimited’s production of “Earth to Kenzie” and soon after made his Chicago Symphony Orchestra debut as a featured soloist in their “Purpose Over Pain” concert.

Keanon was invited to Carnegie Hall to make his solo debut where he sung a plethora of genres on Perelman Stage. Kyles’s versatile voice has gained him notoriety and has allowed him to share the stage with some of music’s greatest artist- Samuel Ramey, Andrea Bocelli, Kathleen Battle, Celine Dion and more. Aside from his growing Opera career, he has performed concerts across the globe at popular venues such as Allstate Arena, United Center, Chicago Theater and internationally at the Edinburgh Festival and Japan World Music Festival. He made his South America debut doing the title role in Benjamin Britten’s Opera “Noye’s Fludde” under the baton of Maestro Guerrasim Voronkov in Bogotá, Colombia.
After making his U.K. debut as Colline, Keanon returned to Scotland in the role of Rigoletto in Clyde Opera Group's production. His career has been highlighted by CNN, Good Morning America and the headline of The Chicago Sun-Times. In addition to his performance career, Keanon teaches voice performance in jazz, gospel and musical theatre out of his studio in downtown Chicago, as well as, at Lyriq Music School in Northcenter. Kyles is a 2 time award recipient of the Reva and David Logan Foundation award and Resident Music Artist of the private club -The Cliff Dwellers

Okay, okay enough of the “text bookie” talk lol outside of singing I’m deeply rooted in fashion and interior design. For years I would co-host fashion shows in downtown Chicago for Columbia College’s Fashion Department all while being an Assistant Manager/Visual Merchandiser for department store, Tuesday Morning. So, if you went into their Lakeview, Lincoln Park or Niles store and said, “Oh my what wonderful displays—it was I! *Shameless plug* so feel free to call on me when you get into your spring cleaning! Life is full of surprises, good and bad, I live each day accepting everyone as they are, sharing God’s love, sharing the gift God gave me, speaking life into people trials and tribulations and making sure I smile through it all. Smile—because a smile heals and nourishes the soul with positivity!

Viki Rill

Vocalist

I was born and raised in the Chicago area, starting in Jefferson Park, then moving to Des Plaines at the beginning of 7th grade. Since then I've lived in Wisconsin, Ohio, Italy, then back to Palatine, IL, and finally back to Chicago proper. I'm a city girl at heart, and have found my perfect spot in Lincoln Square where I live with my adorable cats. My current day job is as the Associate Director of Total Rewards at the Illinois Institute of Technology - I've always joked that human resources is great for the right half of my brain, while musical endeavors are for the left half!

Music has always been a huge part of my life. I sang at every opportunity as a child (and have ever since), dabbled in piano early on, and started playing flute in the 4th grade. In 7th grade all I wanted for Christmas was a piccolo - I got my wish Christmas Eve, immediately resulting in a hilarious piccolo-accordian Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, partly in response to my grandmother's complaint that the annual Christmas Eve talent show didn't have any duets that year. In high school I continued singing, picked up oboe in symphonic band and orchestra, and ended up being marching band drum major junior and senior year, a position I desperately wanted only because I hated playing and marching at the same time! By the time college came around I decided to major in music therapy, which I realized wasn't the career for me by the middle of sophomore year. Still, I stuck with the degree because at that point it was the only way my diploma was going to say "Bachelor of Music" rather than "Bachelor of Arts."

My first job after college was coordinating the education programs at the Florentine Opera in Milwaukee, WI. It was a great first job, perfect for my skill set, and really gave me the opportunity to make an impact in many different ways. The chorus master even wrote me my own little song to sing as an introduction for our in-school programs, and for that I'll be forever grateful. After a few years I met a guy and followed him to Naples, Italy, which was quite the adventure (no more guy, but it was a good experience nonetheless!.). The food is fantastic and the people are incredibly friendly, but driving in southern Italy can be a harrowing experience! After a year and half it was back to the states, to the Chicago area, where I got right back into the musical scene. That fall I started singing with Chicago Chamber Choir, and then the brand new Wicker Park Choral Singers a couple of years later. I still sing with WPCS and it's been an incredible experience being a part of a group that's not only continued to raise the bar musically but has become more involved with the community at large.

Many people know that I'm a huge Cubs fan - I finally got my season tickets in 2019 after 13 years on the waiting list! In the summer there's nothing better than a warm, sunny day at Wrigley Field with the Cubs in the lead. It's also one of the avenues I use as an excuse to spend time with my fantastic nephews and niece, who are some of the brightest spots in my life and who I enjoy spoiling rotten. When I'm not at Wrigley I love traveling to see the Cubs in other cities - I'm on a mission to visit all 30 MLB parks, to see the Cubs play in as many of them as I can. I also love just traveling and new experiences in general - my other mission is to do my favorite Bodypump workout in all 50 states. When in Chicago, I love playing tour guide for family, friends, and the aforementioned nephews and niece.

For several years now St. Gregory's has been another musical home of sorts, as well as a spiritual one. I'm eternally grateful for the opportunity to sing with such incredible musicians, and to be part of such a vibrant and welcoming community. It is my sincere hope that I can give back to St. G's as much as it's given me.

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