Brentwood's Premiere Performing Ensemble
Founded in Spring 2024, the Brentwood Vocal Collective is an intimate group of professionally trained musicians, specializing in masterful performances, and musical artistry. We perform everything from Western-European classical music, to world folk music, to contemporary classical music, to Jazz, to Disney.
Since our inception we've been honored to sing for our community at a wide variety of local events, and are frequently asked back to perform at venues again. (For a full list of our prior engagements, please visit our "Concerts & Performances" page.) From inaugurations to fundraisers, from church services to celebrations of life, and from assisted living centers to high school cafeterias, we've sung it all. Our versatility allows us to customize our performances to suit any situation, and our training supports us in learning lots of music quickly. We are always looking for more people to share our love of music with, and if you're interested in booking us for a performance, please email us to discuss.
We are all local residents, Moms (most of us to littles), and (most of us) are, or were, music teachers. Our group is run collaboratively and we each bring our unique musical strengths and insights to our rehearsals and our performances. We learn most of our music at home prior to rehearsals, and prioritize our rehearsal time putting the pieces together and refining our artistry. We sing first and foremost for ourselves, and our time together is designed to refill our artistic buckets and recharge our musical hearts. If you're interested in singing with us, please email us to set up a conversation.
Meet The Musicians
Jazmine Harnishfeger-Brand
Founder | Alto 2
Originally trained as a classical and jazz pianist, Jazmine started singing in college where she fell in love with the art of choral music. She completed her BA and MA at the USC Thornton School of Music and has taught instrumental and choral music to kids from ages 4-18, both inside and outside the classroom. She is currently the President & CEO of Family Wellness & Success to her four kiddos, Dean (7.5yo), James (5yo), Eloise (3yo), and Dorothy (3yo). Jazmine is also the President and Founder of High Five, a non-profit supporting the BUSD Early Intervention Preschool, and the Co-Choir Director at the Brentwood Community United Methodist Church. She wishes to thank her Mom for never letting her quit piano, and her husband for believing in this dream come true. When not parenting kiddos, Jazmine enjoys baking, and occasionally taking a nap.
Kimberley Shanker
Soprano 1
Kim grew up in a musical household, playing flute, handbells, and singing with her mom. In high school choir became the central focus of her musical expressions. Kim studied Choral/Vocal Music Education at California State University of Long Beach and holds a bachelors and credential. She spent 10 years in the Orange County area, singing and directing in barbershop quartets and choruses including Harbolites Chorus, which earned third place internationally in 2014. After moving to the Bay Area, Kim began her teaching career and has taught elementary, middle, and high school music. She currently teaches choir and ukulele classes at Heritage High School.
Kaitlynne Saenz
Soprano 1
Born and raised in the Bay Area, Kait (Sop 1) developed a deep passion for music and singing at an early age. Immersed in the choir scene, she made music the focus of her high school years, a dedication that eventually led her to Houston, Texas. There, she studied music theory, sight singing and ear training, and piano at Lone Star College, with voice as her primary instrument.
Now back in California, Kait teaches private music lessons to children and adults and has found her true calling—sharing the beauty and joy of music with others. A free spirit at heart, she loves spending her time outdoors exploring nature with her husband, Kaemen, and their chihuahua, Pistachio.
Ayanna Blickham
Soprano 2
Ayanna, a native of the Midwest, has been singing since childhood. Her experiences as a soloist or in groups of various sizes have spanned multiple genres including gospel, a cappella, chamber, theater, and traditional choral music. While she initially studied music education in undergrad, she ultimately received a dual degree in Neuroscience and Philosophy from Augustana College in Illinois and a Ph.D. in Neuroscience from UC Davis. She now primarily enjoys music in her spare time between being a wife, mom of two young children (three including her not-so-young furry first born), and a leader of an Analytics, Machine Learning, and AI team for a Bay Area tech company. She is very appreciative of the love and support her family has for her, which helps her pursue the musical rigor this group provides. In her spare time she enjoys studying new languages, playing video games, and producing both edible and non-edible artwork/designs.
Diane Brand
Alto 1
My vocation and avocation are one in the same: to sing!
From Illinois, Michigan degrees and teaching credentials from four states I have a wealth of memories, experiences with students and colleagues.
I have a beautiful family and good health. It's my pleasure to perform with my very talented vocal collection members.
Astrid SmithBrenden
Alto 2
A life-long multi-instrumentalist, Astrid loves to sing and experiment with any musical instrument she can get her hands on. In addition to voice, her primary instruments are violin and viola, and she has contributed string arrangements and performances to a number of recording projects. She has participated in choirs, orchestras, and bands across genres (from indie-rock to black metal) since childhood. With an academic background in humanities and arts, she works in cultural heritage imaging, advising on the digitization of rare materials such as medieval manuscripts. She has also published a book proposing a new approach to analyzing archival objects, from a Victorian spirit photograph to an early modern book of wonders. Whether in the archive or ensemble, she is drawn to close listening and careful attention to the stories hidden in the details. She and her musical husband are passing on their love of music to their two little ones, which is already proving much louder than anticipated.
