Staff
Woodson E. Faulkner, II - artistic director
Founding conductor of the Triad Pride Men’s Chorus, Mr. Faulkner is a graduate of Greensboro College with a Bachelor of Music degree. Mr. Faulkner has also pursued advanced study in choral conducting and voice training at UNCG as well as 2 additional years of study in music education. Other professional training includes attending the Saratogo-Potsdam Choral Institute in Saratogo Springs, NY, and seminars at the Master Schola for church music in Orleans, MA. He is currently Choir Director/Organist at Wake Forest Baptist Church, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem. Mr. Faulkner is also Accompanist and Assistant Director for the Burlington Boys Choir with tours to New York, Atlanta, Toronto, Mexico, and most recently Vienna. He has been Music Director/Arranger for the Touring Theatre Ensemble of NC and has taught in the local public and private schools on the high school level. His professional credits include appearances conducting TPMC at the International Festival of Gay and Lesbian Choruses (GALA) in Miami (2008) and Montreal (2004), and also at the regional conference in Cincinnati, OH (2002). He has also sung professionally under the direction of Robert Shaw at Carnegie Hall and has performed as singer/assistant director of The Desert Chorale of Santa Fe, NM in four summer seasons. Mr. Faulkner has sung extensively and toured regionally and nationally with the Bel Canto Company of Greensboro and has appeared numerous times with the ensemble as a soloist. He also holds a Certificate in Non-Profit Management from Duke University.
Mario Capano - assistant director/accompanist
Mario Capano has served as pianist with the Triad Pride Men's Chorus since spring 2000 and has recently been appointed assistant conductor. He also directs NoteWorthy, the small vocal ensemble comprised of members of TPMC. He has performed extensively with both groups locally as well as in GALA choral festivals in Cincinnati and Montreal.
Mario holds music degrees from Carnegie Mellon and Yale and began his career as a vocal coach and collaborative pianist at Carnegie Mellon and Chatham College in Pittsburgh. In addition, he performed frequently in concert as well as in radio broadcasts with Dear Friends, ensemble-in-residence at the University of Pittsburgh. He also accompanied the Bach Choir of Pittsburgh in recordings and on radio as well.
He has traveled with the Robert Page Festival Singers on concert tours through Russia, Finland, Spain, France, Germany, and Switzerland. In 2003 he was invited to perform chamber music at Merkin Concert Hall in New York City. He is also known to audiences in France, where he has performed as piano soloist and chamber music artist, particularly in Normandy and Provence. He makes his home in Winston-Salem.
