Six of the Region’s Finest
ARS POPULI comprises six award-winning vocalists - all with their own formidable solo careers in opera, barbershop, folk, jazz, and more - embracing an equally wide range of repertoire.
Together the six singers offer not only the unique intimacy, tightness, and resonance that a traditional large choir cannot achieve, but also a refreshing range of styles, each presented with uncommon expertise.
We are extremely privileged to have one of the area's finest singers as our resident soprano. Originally from Bogor, Indonesia, Amanda has performed in prestigious venues around the US, including Carnegie Hall, Walt Disney Concert Hall, Marian Anderson Hall at the Kimmel Center, and The Music Center at Strathmore. As an opera singer, Amanda has sung roles throughout the US with companies such as Central City Opera, Annapolis Opera, Bel Cantanti Opera, Opera Steamboat, and Shakespeare Opera Theatre. Amanda is also an avid ensemble singer, performing with The Thirteen, Chantry, the Washington National Cathedral Choir and the Choir of the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.
Ariana Parks (Alto)
An accomplished classical pianist and singer, alto Ariana Parks joined the group in late 2024 for our Renaissance Christmas concerts and immediately fit right in. Her vocal range, tone, and musicianship - no doubt informed by many years of classical piano - have elevated the group's sound. Ariana is a sought-after piano teacher in the DC area with a studio of 15 students. She recently started Sombrus Ensemble, a trio of organ, electric guitar, and vocals blending a gothic aesthetic with rock and contemporary classical sounds. Not to be trifled with, Ariana is a former kickboxing instructor and expert rock climber! In her spare time she enjoys singing with Lux and moonlighting as a singer-songwriter.
It is impossible to find one audio clip which encapsulates the amazing range and vocal talents of our resident countertenor/baritone Dan O'Neill. A geographer at the Geospatial Research Laboratory by day, Dan has somehow also managed to hone considerable musical talents as a composer and singer, learn several languages, be a tabletop game designer, and churn out some top-quality memes in his spare time. When not geographizing, memeing, composing, or singing with AP, Dan can be heard on Sundays with the choir of Ascension & St Agnes Episcopal Church, or subbing with various other of the DC area's finest church choirs.
All-Ireland champion singer, choral tenor, multi-instrumentalist and all-round super nerd Kevin Elam is the founder and artistic director of Ars Populi. Although he boasts a strong background in classical piano and a degree in jazz studies, Kevin is seasoned veteran of choral music (specifically Renaissance polyphony) and Celtic traditional music. Kevin's desire to explore these two musical forms (and everything in between) in an acapella setting led him to found AP in 2023.
John Mullan (Tenor / Baritone)
Tenor John Mullan is a DC-based ensemble singer and concert soloist. He is a staff chorister at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. Apart from Ars Populi, he appears regularly with organizations such as Chantry, the DC Singer Collective, Lux, Mountainside Baroque, The Thirteen, and the Washington National Cathedral Choir. John holds degrees from the University of Pennsylvania and the University of Maryland, College Park. Having years of boy choir and keyboard training under his belt, as well as a degree in History and Near-Eastern Languages and Civilizations, John brings excellent musicianship and invaluable expertise to the group. He is currently a student of Elizabeth Daniels.
Informally known on occasion as "Dan Green" when silliness strikes, David Breen is our anchor, our harmonic foundation on bass. Known for his ability to lay down the bangin'est low notes this side of the Rio Grande, he can also whip out a beautiful lyric baritone solo when the occasion calls for it! David is an avid barbershop singer and arranger, whose quartet "Praxis" was ranked 20th in the world at the 2024 International Quartet Contest. Also a sought-after choral singer, David sings services and concerts at multiple churches, including the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception (DC), Emmanuel Episcopal Church (Baltimore), Church of the Ascension & St. Agnes (DC), St. Bernadette’s Catholic Church (Silver Spring MD) and many more.