Deb Abberton

Deb is new to The Afternotes but no stranger to a cappella audiences! Deb has performed with MA based a cappella group None of the Above (NOTA) for the last 20 years.  Although Deb has sung in a variety of musical situations (pop bands, barbershop group and music theater) a cappella is her true love.    Primarily an Alto 1, she’s taken on Soprano 2 and other parts as needed.

Joining The Afternotes has been a desire of Deb’s for a while, so with a daughter headed to college and a husband who golfs, it was the perfect time to jump into more a cappella singing with the added bonus of connecting with long time friends.  

Sonja Ahlberg

Sonja primarily sings Alto 2 but has an unbelievable range that allows her to sing almost any part, while also providing percussion on occasion. Her magnificent talent is showcased when her sultry tones grace our group on sexy solos.

Sonja is married to James, stepparent to two great young men and Mom to the very best doggo and the sweetest orange kitty. Speaking of animals, Sonja works at UNH, researching the sounds animals make in order to learn about their populations and behavior. Outside of work, Sonja loves hanging out with her hubby, singing with the South Berwick Community Chorus, walking her dog and bird watching.

Sonja notes that the greatest things about an Afternotes rehearsal are singing, chatting, and eating birthday cake. In other words, pretty much all of it!

Michelle Berke

Michelle is a huge part of the glue that holds our group together. In addition to singing Soprano 2, Michelle is our concert coordinator.  She is a retired math teacher, a voting official for the Town of Exeter, an advocate at Haven NH and Co-Owner of River City Software.

Michelle says her coolest a capella gig was The Hampton Seafood Festival. In addition to delicious food, performing in the Hatch Shell was an incredible experience!  When not working or rehearsing, Michelle loves to cook, knit and travel. She loves to hang out with her husband (and sound guy) Tony.  They are huge fans of their two grown daughters.

The best part about being an Afternote? Michelle says it’s learning and performing new music.

Lee Anne Dodge

Lee Anne is our biggest cheerleader! She is our best emcee! She is the life of the party, and we love having her in the group! She mostly sings Alto 1 and is a lively soloist who always wants to share the spotlight.

Lee Anne’s other passion is her work. She is the Coalition Director for SoPo Unite (South Portland, Maine) where she works, tirelessly, to prevent substance use among our youth and has earned numerous accolades in her field.

She is married to Andy and Mom to yellow lab, Minnie Pearl. When not working or singing, Lee Anne travels the country visiting friends and family, and creates copious amounts of delectable baked goods to share with loved ones and coworkers.

Jean Dumais

Jean is our second in command. She steps in to direct when necessary and we sing a bunch of her wonderful arrangements. She is also our webmaster – her occupation as an IT Analyst prepared her well for this.

Jean’s primary voice part is Alto 1, but she is always willing and able to fill in where needed. She says the coolest experience singing a capella was when she performed, with the NH Notables, at the Citadel Military College of South Carolina to a gymnasium full of appreciative cadets.

Married to Rob and mother to an incredible daughter, she is a recent empty nester. She loves to fill her time with travel (often in the camper van), hiking, reading, watching movies, and enjoying the local restaurant scene.

Erica Hoar

Erica is our incredibly talented founding member! Married to Jon and mother of two absolutely adorable girls, with whom she loves to dance in her kitchen, Erica came up with the idea to reunite NH Notables singers in this multi-generational group. She mainly sings Soprano 2, but she also graces our group with passionate and powerful percussion! She cites her coolest experience singing acapella was performing the National Anthem at a Red Sox game. Her favorite movie musical (and movie in general) is “Moulin Rouge”.

Not only can Erica sing, but she is also a versatile dancer, with a mean time step (that’s tap dancing for those not in the know) and the ability to learn trending TikTok dances. Erica says that her favorite time with the Afternotes is when we are singing a new song and it gels for the first time coming together in beautiful harmony!

Addy Kennamer

Addy is one of our newest members! A recent UNH graduate, Addy was a member of the NH Notables for all four years of college and served as business manager her sophomore, junior, and senior year. Addy’s nickname of “Lady Bass” is evident as she joins fellow Alto 2’s on laying down the low notes!

Addy received her undergraduate degree in English Teaching and Women’s and Gender Studies. After receiving a Master’s in the Arts of Teaching, Addy is starting a teaching career at Spaulding High School in Rochester, NH.

Addy’s hobbies include swimming in any body of water, reading, and cuddling her cats! Her favorite artists are Taylor Swift, Sammy Rae and The Friends, and Harry Styles. Her favorite book is Every Summer After by Carly Fortune.

Lauren Mazurka

Lauren is our lovely, lyrical Soprano.  An original member of The Afternotes, she took a hiatus to juggle her lively daughter and her amazing triplets.  We are so glad she could not stay away.

Lauren enjoys singing many different styles of music – contemporary Christian, folk, classical and the multiple musical stylings of The Afternotes. She is a cantor/soloist at St. Mary Church in Newmarket where she also delights in playing the electric bass. She is also a member of Portsmouth Pro Musica classical choir.

In addition to her musical pursuits, Lauren works in Life Engagement at Riverwoods in Exeter.

Having performed with several a cappella groups, Lauren is hard pressed to pick a favorite gig. She does look back in fondness to singing with the NH Notables at a retirement ceremony on board the USS Constitution.

When not making music she enjoys yoga, reading, watching “Psych”, and spending time with her family. Lauren lives in Newmarket with her children, and cats Edgar and Elsa.

Hannah O’Connor

Hannah is our newest member and we are thrilled to have her! A recent UNH graduate, Hannah was a member of the NH Notables for 4 years and mesmerized audiences with her impressive vocal range. She also served as their Public Relations Manager for 3 years. 

Hannah graduated with her Bachelor’s in Social Work and is currently studying for her Master’s in Social Work while interning at RiverWoods Durham, a continuing care retirement community in Durham, NH. She also enjoys her side gig at Jimmy’s Jazz and Blues in the heart of Portsmouth, NH, where she does box office sales for some incredible musicians.

While not singing or working, Hannah enjoys discovering new music for her playlist collection, playing some mean poker with her family, and traveling with her 2 best friends, Sophia and Addy, who also happens to be an Afternote 😉

Martha Levesque Pepek

Martha is one of our Alto 2’s so you’ll hear her keeping those bass lines going, and her vocal versatility lends itself well to harmonies and solos alike.

A singer from a very young age, Martha gravitated to the NH Notables during her tenure at UNH. After graduating, she missed the joys of a capella and formed a group that evolved into The Digressions, reuniting with former Notables Jean, Lauren, and Michelle. Martha turned to classical music and sang with the Manchester Choral Society for several years until finally auditioning and being welcomed into The Afternotes!

Martha plays several key roles in the group. From communications and social media to taking detailed rehearsal notes, she does her very best to keep us all on track!

A teacher and writer, Martha is married and a mom to an active teenage son. She enjoys reading, getting out in nature, and streaming all manner of entertainment. She adores everything about being in The Afternotes, especially the camaraderie and support we all provide for each other.

Samantha Torrice

Sam is our extraordinary music director and one of our amazing arrangers. Her typical voice part is Soprano 1, and she also provides vocal percussion!

When she’s not singing, Sam works as a Practice Manager. She counts singing the Star-Spangled Banner at a Red Sox game as one of her favorite college a cappella gigs, as it was her first directing gig with the NH Notables. Her favorite gig with the Afternotes was definitely the sold-out show at the Stone Church in 2023! Her favorite thing about being an Afternote is getting to make music with her friends.

Sam’s musical influences vary, as she is a trained pianist, and favorite artists include The Beatles, Taylor Swift, and Lord Huron. For favorite movie musical, it’s a four-way tie between “Grease”, “Moulin Rouge”, “Little Shop of Horrors”, and “A Star is Born”.

When not working, spending time with her husband or rehearsing, Sam loves to travel and attend concerts.