Ryne Cherry is the Vice-President/Secretary of Just Bach and serves as Vocal Director. Ryne is responsible for vocal activities, selecting singers, and often sings himself while working with Instrumental Director Charlie Rasmussen to organize and put on monthly concerts for Just Bach. In addition, Ryne manages email communications to the Just Bach subscriber list and submits grant applications to local funding agencies. Ryne was a finalist in the 2019 Handel Aria Competition and has sung multiple times on the Just Bach series. Ryne has had an extensive and varied career that ranges from opera and musical theater to new music, early music, oratorio and choral. Although Boston-based for many years, Ryne now lives in Madison, Wisconsin with his wife Britt, their dog Macy, and their two cats, Reese and Scallop.
Mary Engelke has spent most of her life in the Madison area, where she’s long embraced the vibrant artistic spirit of the community. A lifelong music enthusiast, Mary’s passion for singing emerged early—so much so that her parents had to create a “no singing at the dinner table” rule during her childhood. She was active in various musical groups throughout her youth and high school years. Although her college years and early sales career left little time for her passion for music and the performing arts, Mary’s love of music never faded. Now, as a small business owner, she has the flexibility to reconnect with her musical roots. She is proud to be part of a local organization that brings historically rich and unique performances to the community, helping to educate and inspire through music and instruments of past eras. Mary currently lives in Madison with her husband, Kyle, and their two spirited Australian Shepherds, Maggie and Tommy.
Sandy Erickson grew up in Albuquerque, NM, migrating north to complete graduate school and build a career in Madison. She is the Director of Community Impact Special Projects at United Way of Dane County. A trained classical organist and avocational recorder player, she has sung in choirs for most of her life. She is a member of the Luther Memorial Church Recorder Ensemble and active in Sigma Alpha Iota Music Fraternity. She is an avid Early Music fan and one of several participants in all 20 years of the Madison Early Music Festival. Sandy helped develop MEMF’s Advisory Board structure and served as its President for over fifteen years.
A retired chemist and technical writer, Alan Muirhead has long loved music, having sung in choirs all his life and been a member of the American Recorder Society since the 1970s. He currently serves on the board of Piffaro, the Renaissance Band, and had served for many years on the Advisory Board to the Madison Early Music Festival (MEMF). Alan is also co-host of Musica Antiqua on WORT, where he plays music from early chant up through J. S. Bach. Alan is the Treasurer of Just Bach and maintains the Just Bach website.
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Matthew O’Sullivan, organ, is the Assistant Director at Just Bach Concerts. He serves as Interim Music Director at Grace Episcopal Church in Madison. Prior to moving to Madison in 2024, he was based in Portland, Oregon, where he directed the music at St. Bartholomew Episcopal Church in Beaverton, and was organist in residence and tutor in organ at Lewis & Clark College, serving also as Dean of the Portland Chapter of the American Guild of Organists. As an organist, he has appeared as soloist with Bozeman Symphony and Helena Symphony in Montana, while presenting many solo recitals. Originally from the UK, he studied Music at Cambridge University, where he was Organ Scholar at Christ’s College.
Charlie Rasmussen is President and the Instrumental Director of Just Bach. His responsibilities include helping to finalize programming, contracting players, scheduling rehearsals and performances, and performing in concerts as needed. Charlie is no stranger to Madison audiences, performing frequently with Just Bach and the Wisconsin Baroque Ensemble. He is currently a cello faculty member and the Suzuki area chair at the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music in Milwaukee. He also teaches viol at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater and serves on the board of Early Music Now.
Just Bach Concerts 