Musician Biographies

Deborah Benner

Deborah Benner is a mezzo-soprano soloist, Voice professor, recording artist, and professional actress.

A member of the National Association of Teachers of Singing,  she has toured Europe as a classical soloist, singing in Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, Canterbury Cathedral in England, and in Munich, Austria, and Switzerland.  Deborah has served as mezzo soloist at the historic “All-Souls’ Church”. She has performed at the National Cathedral and the John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC. The Washington Post calls her ” … a beguiling soprano voice”. She was a Metropolitan Opera Young Artists Finalist. Deborah maintains an active vocal studio and served as voice faculty at the esteemed American University in Washington, D.C. 

Deborah toured Chile for the U.S. Department of State as a musical ambassador of education and goodwill with the “Coast to Coast” trio ( with Corey Whitehead and Michael Bard) and performed in Sanlucar, Spain, studying Flamenco with Gerardo Nunez’ Curso de Flamenco. 2010 included a diplomatic tour to the U.S. Embassy of El Salvador as performer /lecturer in “A Salute to Great Vocalists and Guitarists of American Jazz, co-sponsored by the Smithsonian Institution”.

Deborah is a member of the Screen Actors’ Guild, AFTRA, and Actors’ Equity, Her acting work encompasses TV, Off-Broadway stage, feature film, national voice-overs, and jingles.  You've seen her in 3 seasons of Netflix's House of Cards in the role of Secretary of Agriculture.  

She resides in Washington, DC, with her husband, guitarist, collaborator, and accompanist, Michael Bard. They perform internationally as the Latin band Trio Caliente.  Trio Caliente’s premier album, “Baile Me,” debuted with instant acclaim and was heard on both NBS’s hit TV show “Smash” and on E! Channel’s comedy show,” Chelsea Lately”. Performing in Spanish, Portuguese, and English, Deborah appears regularly at East Coast venues, nationally and internationally, with the popular Trio Caliente. For more information, go to: www.triocaliente.com

Michael Bard

Michael Bard is a classical guitarist, published composer, educator, and recording artist who has performed worldwide. He has toured as a musical ambassador for the US Department of State throughout the Middle East, Spain, and South America and performs regularly at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC. His original works (Trio Caliente) are heard on NBC's TV hit, "Smash", in the Naxos recording of Ariel Ramirez' Misa Criolla, on Higher Octave/ Virgin records' World Cafe w/ Shahin and Sepehr. Known for his work as a "medical musician" in Pain and Palliative Care at the NIH, Michael also works with military veterans suffering from PTSD, teaching guitar as a therapeutic tool.  He holds a Master's in Music from Arizona State University and studied at l'Accademia Ottocento in Vigevano, Italy.