Meet The ProMusica Arizona Management Team
Patti Graetz
Artistic Director/Principal Conductor
With a music career spanning more than 30 years, Patti Graetz, has been with ProMusica Arizona since 2015, first as Assistant Conductor and Conductor of the Women in Song vocal ensemble, and now as the newly-appointed Artistic Director and Principal Conductor. Not only is she a skilled conductor, but she is an award-winning soprano having sung leading roles with major opera companies including Houston Grand Opera and Arizona Opera.
A Valley resident since 1989, she was head of vocal departments at the Arizona Conservatory for Arts and Academics in 2003 and at the Arizona School for the Arts from 1998-2002. She was Director of Music at Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church in Phoenix from 1995-2004. Before that, she was Director of Music at Scottsdale Presbyterian Church. Patti attended Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota where she was a soloist in the world-renowned Concordia Choir under the direction of Paul J. Christiansen.
Patti lived in Australia from 2004 to 2012 where she was a featured soloist with Australian Music Events, sang numerous recitals and concerts, was vocal teacher for the Opera Scholars Australia young-artist program, and was the Conductor of the Murray Conservatorium Choir and the Murray Conservatorium Youth Choir.
She was principal soprano for professional ensembles “Opera-tunity” and the Royal Renaissance Singers starting in 1990 and sang in hundreds of performances during her 12-year tenure. Upon her return to the US, she began singing again with the Royal Renaissance Singers during the holiday season.
She is married to Australian husband, Trevor, and has three children and three grandchildren. She teaches private voice and piano at home and recently sold her successful mobile teaching studio, The Music Bus.
You might spot Patti getting some “wind-therapy” on her Can-Am Spyder three-wheeled motorcycle, riding to rehearsals and even cross-country. In the summer of 2018, she and her husband rode – on separate bikes – almost 5,000 miles to Colorado, the Black Hills, Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons before returning home.
Zack Wells
Executive Director
Zack Wells is a passionate advocate for Arizona’s vibrant music and arts community. With a wealth of experience in project management, strategic planning, and team leadership, he is wholeheartedly devoted to enriching lives through the profound impact of art and music in the greater Phoenix area.
Zack’s area of expertise lies in financial management, budgeting, and forecasting, particularly within the realm of non-profit organizations. By skillfully optimizing budgets, managing donor databases, and creating meaningful giving programs, he ensures the growth and long-term viability of artistic endeavors.
Since 2019, Zack has actively contributed his musical and leadership talents to the ProMusica Arizona Chorale and Orchestra, serving as a chorale member, tenor section leader, and member of the Board of Directors.
Zack Wells stands at the intersection of non-profit leadership, an unwavering dedication to the arts, and proficiency in project management. His visionary outlook and unwavering commitment to nurturing the growth and appreciation of art and music in Arizona make him a genuine advocate for the transformative power of creative expression.
Ramon “Chino” Soberano
Concertmaster
Filipino violinist and music educator Ramon “Chino” Soberano is known for his thoughtful and emotional interpretations of both classical and new music as well as his personable engagements with audiences. Born in Manila, Philippines, Chino fell in love at first sight with classical music when he saw his grandaunts play the piano. At age seven, he started his journey with the violin with a simple and tiny rental violin and never looked back.
As an enthusiastic performer, Chino is no stranger on the concert stage. He performed the Sibelius Violin Concerto with the Manila Symphony Orchestra and the Western Illinois University (WIU) Symphony Orchestra where he was one of the concerto competition winners. He also is an enthusiastic chamber musician; he was a member of the Julstrom String Quartet and the Herberger String Quartet. He also was coached and performed alongside renowned quartets such as the Shanghai String Quartet, St. Lawrence String Quartet, Brooklyn Rider, Arianna String Quartet, Enso String Quartet, and Brentano String Quartet. Chino also a participated in solo and chamber masterclasses and lessons with renowned musicians, such as David Halen, Gerardo Ribeiro, Andres Cardenes, Jorja Fleezanis, Shmuel Ashkenasi, David Ehrlich, and Sergiu Schwartz, among others.
As the teaching assistant for Dr. Julieta Mihai at WIU and Prof. Danwen Jiang at Arizona State University (ASU), Chino has taught undergraduate violinists, violin technique classes, and orchestra sectionals. In 2021, he conducted pro bono virtual masterclasses and lectures to his past alma maters in the Philippines—the St. Scholastica’s College’s (SSC) School of Music and the University of the Philippines’ (UP) College of Music—as a way of honoring and giving back to his musical roots.
Beyond performing and teaching, Chino is invested in finding ways to combine his advocacy for social justice and his love of music. In the years 2018-2020, he served as member and co-president in the school’s Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accountability Student Committee, which was highly regarded by both faculty and students. He spearheaded impactful projects for the school community that included “Mosaic,” a virtual performance showcase featuring faculty, staff, and students performing works created by BIPOC artists. Additionally, Chino organized an LGBTQIA+ Faculty Panel Discussion that allowed students and faculty to connect by sharing their experiences as both performing artists and members of the greater Queer community.
Chino received his doctoral degree in violin performance at ASU in 2021 where he received the Outstanding Graduate Award from the School of Music, Dance and Theater in recognition of his community engagement efforts during his studies. In addition, Wish FM 107.5, a leading broadcasting institution in the Philippines, awarded him the “KDR Icon of Music and Philanthropy” prize, recognizing his service to the Filipino public through pro bono masterclasses and lectures in 2021. Chino is currently on faculty both at SSC School of Music in Manila as their chamber orchestra coach and at the Phoenix Conservatory of Music as a teaching artist of violin and viola.
Jeffrey Yoder
Collaborative Pianist
Jeffrey Yoder received his Bachelor of Science degree from Grand Canyon College and his Master of Music degree from Arizona State University. After 27 years, he retired from the Glendale Union High School District where he taught piano, guitar, and choirs. He has also worked at the collegiate level as choir director and student teacher supervisor.
Mr. Yoder is an active accompanist and clinician in the Phoenix area. He has traveled as co-director of the Arizona Ambassadors of Music to Europe, and in 2004, he received the Achievement Above All Award from Greenway High School and the O.M. Hartsell Award from the Arizona Music Teachers Association. In 2016, he had the honor of receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award from the AMEA. He has served as the SW Regional Choir Chair and the Choral Directors’ Association’s Vice-President for High School Activities.
While Mr. Yoder served as director of Greenway High School’s vocal ensemble, their performances included Suns, Roadrunners, Diamondbacks and Coyotes games; Glendale Glitters; Peoria Old Town Festival; Disneyland; AZ State Capitol Building; Symphony of the West Valley Concerts; AMEA State Convention; and the Fox 10 studios for a Christmas morning airing. His vocal ensembles have received superior ratings at festivals and personal invitations from foreign governments to sing abroad.