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Salus Vocal Ensemble

Meet the Singers of the 2024-2025 auditioned Adult Ensemble

Sopranos

Terra Falkena, Hospers
Nikki Fenton, Sioux City
Kalli Lund, Rock Valley
Amber Mikkelson, Jefferson, SD
Katie Pottebaum, Sioux City
Tracie Ritz, Le Mars
Victoria Vaske, Le Mars
Adrienne Zenk, Alton
Jean Zenk, Alton

Altos

Emily Cunningham, Sioux City
Josie Krook-Brunette, Le Mars
Selena Munson, Sioux Center
Erin Ohrlund, Le Mars
Kjersten Rathke, Le Mars
Shannon VanderKooi, Sioux Center

Tenors

Chris Hanson, Sioux City
Jim Kistenmacher, Holstein
Cam Mears, Sioux City
Chandler Todd, Sioux City
Noah Towns, Sioux City

Basses

Clay Ackerman, Rock Valley
Travis Balt, Orange City
Jeremy Hess, Sioux City
Thomas Medbourn, Sioux City
Ciarán Mulligan, Storm Lake
Mike Rathke, Le Mars
Dylan Root, Sioux City

Singer Bios

Get to know the members of Salus!

Travis Balt, Bass
Travis Balt is the current High School Choir Director for MOC-Floyd Valley High School in Orange City, IA. His responsibilities include conducting Freshmen Choir, Concert Choir, and Chamber Singers in addition to co-directing the Fall Musical and singing activities. He has taught all levels in music from Preschool to Seniors in High School as well as in the Sioux Falls Catholic Schools as well as Webster City Community School District. Mr. Balt is also the founder and director of The Northwest Iowa Singers based in Le Mars, IA. In addition, Mr. Balt has been involved with Sioux Center Arts and Le Mars Community Theatre in various musical theatre productions both as an actor and a music director. Mr. Balt enjoys spending time with family and friends.

Terra Falkena, Soprano
Terra Falkena holds a BA in Vocal Music Education from Augustana University and a MAT in Music Education from Morningside University. During her 14 years in the classroom Terra created courses in Songwriting and Music Technology, and ran a very successful choral program. Terra founded Earth Song Studio, LLC in 2023 and has transitioned to running a voice and piano studio, while working as a collaborative pianist for several choral programs in northwest Iowa. Terra also is an accompanist and music minister at All Saints Parish in Le Mars. She is the Grants/Awards chair for IMEA and is a member of the IHSMA/ICDA Liaison committee. Terra is a founding board member and General Manager for the Northwest Iowa Singers. She lives in Hospers, IA with her husband, Tim, and their three children. When she's not making music, you'll find her curled up with a book!

Victoria Vaske, Soprano
Victoria is thrilled to return to singing with a group after 10 years away.  Her two stunning daughters, ages 10 and 1, have been supportive of these new musical outbursts from their mother. 

Katie Pottebaum, Soprano
Katie is the middle school choir director at Le Mars Community Middle School where she teaches 6th, 7th, and 8th grade choir and 6th grade general music.  Katie is a 2022 graduate of Morningside University.  In her free time, she enjoys reading, baking, hanging out with friends and family, and traveling.  One of her favorite choir memories was being able to travel with the Morningside Choir to Germany, Austria, and the Czech Republic.

Cam Mears, Tenor
Cam Mears serves as the Director of Vocal Music at Sioux City North High School where they teach grades 9-12. There they direct Freshman Chorale, Varsity Treble Choir, Chamber Choir, and the varsity vocal jazz ensemble. Cam has also worked with Urbandale High School as Assistant Show Choir Director, served as the Handbell Choir Director at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Waterloo, and has taught private piano and voice lessons. Cam graduated from Wartburg College in 2022 with a Bachelor of Music Education. They have been featured as a soloist in the Wartburg Choir and through Opera Workshop productions at Wartburg. Today they sing tenor with NWIS. Outside of work, Cam enjoys playing piano, attending music festivals and concerts, and traveling with friends or family.

Tom Toel, Tenor
Tom lives in Orange City, Iowa with his wife Emily. He works as an Entertainment Department Manager at Walmart in Sioux Center, Iowa. I attended Le Mars High School and Wayne State College, constantly being involved being in music, including All State Choir, Concert/Chamber Choir in both high school and college. Not only choral music, but he was involved in numerous instrumental ensembles such as Concert Band, Jazz Band, Wind Ensemble, Community Band and Mariachi Negro y Oro. For fun, Tom likes to be involved with the Singers, performing in the Tulip Festival musical, summer community band, fishing, hanging out with friends/family, and play video games.

Michael Rathke, Bass & Accompanist
Michael Rathke is the accompanist for the Northwest Iowa Singers.  Michael holds Master of Music and Bachelor of Music degrees in Organ Performance from the University of South Dakota. As an undergraduate, he placed first in the 2005 SDMTA Collegiate Piano Competition. For the past six years, he has served as Organist/Minister of Music at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Le Mars, Iowa in addition to teaching piano and organ lessons. From 2010-2017, Mike served as the Music Director at South Canyon Lutheran Church in Rapid City, South Dakota. While in Rapid City, Mike was also the Artistic Director for Bells of the Hills, a community handbell choir serving the Black Hills region. His wife Kjersten is a music educator and they have three sons - Conor, Nathan, and Owen.