Shari graduated from the University of Rhode Island with a Bachelor of Music Performance Degree. She is a member of the faculty of The Community Music School in Centerbrook, where she teaches piano and voice. As a mezzo-soprano, Shari has appeared in opera, musical theater, and as a guest soloist with regional orchestras. She has performed in a variety of roles including The Mother in "Amahl and the Night Visitors", Sharon McLonergan in" Finian’s Rainbow", Lady Thiang in "The King and I", Ensign Nellie Forbush in "South Pacific", Mme. Ernestine von Liebedich in "Little Mary Sunshine", Pitty-Sing in "The Mikado" and the Queen of the Fairies in Gilbert and Sullivan’s "Iolanthe" for which she received a Eugene O’Neill Award. Ms. Wilcox has performed in many opera scenes programs including Carmen in "Carmen", Madame Flora in "The Medium", Miss Todd in "The Old Maid and the Thief", Suzuki in "Madama Butterfly" and Marcellina in "The Marriage of Figaro."

Cheryl Harger has been directing handbells at FCC Essex since 1999 and also has been ringing in the community handbell choir, Shoreline Ringers, since 2008. Her degree is in Accounting and she works as a Financial Analyst at Infiltrator Systems in Old Saybrook, but music has always been a part of her life. Her mother taught piano, so Cheryl began playing at an early age and then took up the clarinet in elementary school. This background proved to be most helpful as she began directing handbells with no formal music education at all. She’s proud of the three choirs she directs at church: the Grace Notes, the Rainbow Ringers and the Cheerful Chimers.  She lives in Ivoryton with her husband, Scott and their two daughters, Sierra and Leah.