Performer Biographies

Hanan Alattar Lowell, soprano

Hanan Alattar, has lived a life embracing two worlds that converge on a shared canvas of elegance and refinement - the operatic stage and the luxury real estate market. Hanan's professional journey is a testament to her dedication, passion, and resilience.

Born in Texas, Hanan’s early life was marked by a profound love for music, a passion she pursued under the training of Darlene Wiley at the University of Texas at Austin and then for two more degrees at the Juilliard School of Music in New York. Honing her skills under the tutelage of distinguished music faculty, she quickly stood out for her powerful voice, compelling stage presence, and keen musical intelligence. Her dedication culminated in her recognition as an international opera singer, performing on stages across the world from the New York City Opera and Los Angeles Opera to the Staatsoper Berlin and Spoleto Music Festival in Italy.

After an illustrious career in opera, Hanan never lost sight of her affinity for artistic elegance, intelligent creativity, and grandeur. Always in search of new challenges, she turned her sights to another passion: real estate. Combining her cosmopolitan experience and family background in real estate development, Hanan has quickly carved out a niche for herself as a luxury real estate agent in Austin. Leveraging her extensive global network, profound understanding of marketing luxury aesthetics, and exceptional negotiation skills, she navigated her clients through the world of high-end properties with the same grace she once displayed on the stage.

Now under the professional name Hanan Lowell, she is rapidly rising through the ranks in the world of luxury real estate, demonstrating a unique flair for matching clients with their dream homes. Her dual background offers her clients an unparalleled perspective - her performances at the world's most esteemed opera houses and stages lend her an acute understanding of what inspires us, while her rigorous academic background ensures her clients receive a strategic, informed approach to property selection and negotiation.

Whether you are captivated by her stunning performances or entrust her with your real estate aspirations, Hanan Alattar, now known as Hanan Lowell, proves that with dedication, passion, and a desire for constant self-improvement, it is possible to successfully navigate and conquer two seemingly divergent career paths. She is beyond grateful for the opportunity to sing at the Barn at Oak Branch and would like to thank Darlene Wiley for her unwavering support of the arts and artists in Austin and around the globe.

Eunjin Bang, piano

Since moving to the United States in 2007, South Korean pianist Eunjin Bang has established herself as an award-winning performer, enthusiastic collaborator, chamber musician, and pedagogue. She has appeared in performances globally, including in the United States, South Korea, Germany, Spain, and Canada. Her engagements include a broadcast in WCLV radio (Cleveland), a performance of Schnittke’s Piano Quartet with Sibbi Bernhardsson of the Pacifica String Quartet, and appearance as a soloist with the IU Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of Maestro David Effron as an Indiana University Concerto Competition winner.

She has also participated in master classes given by internationally renowned pianists, such as Malcolm Bilson, Enrique Graf, Lambert Orkis, Sean Duggan, and Xiang Zou. She received a Bachelor of Music from Oberlin College and Conservatory, where she was awarded the Dean's Talent Scholarship during her studies. She earned her Master of Music, Performer Diploma, and Artist Diploma at the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University, where she is currently a candidate for the Doctor of Music Degree with minors in music theory and collaborative piano. In 2023, she joined Stephen F. Austin State University as a full-time staff pianist.

Cory Blais, cello

Cellist Cory Blais is a performer, studio musician, and cello teacher based in Austin, Texas. Cory moved to Austin in 2016 and soon after became a founding member of Austin Camerata. This chamber music organization is known for performance augmenting artistic collaborations. Performing with Austin Camerata has led to regular featured appearances with Austin's contemporary ballet company, Ventana Ballet. Collaborations with Ventana Ballet often pair choreography with music for solo cello, chamber ensemble, to small string orchestras. With Cory as soloist, Ventana Ballet has choreographed dance to his live performances of the Kodaly Cello Sonata, Cassado Cello Suite, Bach Cello Suites, and most recently, Andrea Casarrubios' piece for solo cello, SEVEN. Cory serves as principal cellist for the Temple Symphony Orchestra and Temple Symphony String Quartet. Cory has also performed with the Austin Symphony Orchestra, Austin Chamber Music Center, Waco Symphony Orchestra, and the Central Texas Philharmonic.

Cory holds a Master’s degree in music from The University of Texas at Austin where he studied with Bion Tsang. He earned his Bachelor’s degree from The Ohio State University, studying under Mark Rudoff.

C. J. Brandt, singer-songwriter

CJ has been writing and singing his songs in and out of the public eye for more than 50 years. He got his first guitar on Christmas Day 1964, less than a year after the Beatles first appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show. He soon began playing Beatles songs by ear. He also discovered a passion for vocal harmonies, learning and singing different vocal parts of songs not only by the Beatles, but also by The Beach Boys, Mamas and the Papas, Crosby Stills Nash and Young, and so many others.

A self-taught multi-instrumentalist, he played in clubs around Austin in the late 1970s, as well as the Kerrville Folk Festival in 1976 and 1978. He enrolled in law school in 1981 and earned a law degree from the University of Texas in 1984. He practiced law for 37 years until his retirement in 2022. All along the way he continued to write and sing his songs. He has written well over 1000 songs in a variety of styles.

These days, CJ continues to write and record his songs, and has recently returned to live performance in selected venues. He is particularly interested in collaborating with other artists on vocal arrangements and production.

Steven Brennfleck, tenor

Praised by Opera News for his “sensitive” tenor and by the New York Times as a “standout” performer, Steven Brennfleck has been consistently acknowledged for his consummate artistry, vocal flexibility, and moving interpretations on the operatic stage in the United States and abroad. During the 2023-24 season, he made his international debut as Ernesto in Don Pasquale at the Ópera Nacional de Chile. His recent operatic credits include performances with American Opera Projects, Glimmerglass Opera, OrpheusPDX, Portland Opera, Spoleto Festival USA, The Tanglewood Festival and others in roles such as Roderick Usher in Philip Glass’ The Fall of the House of Usher, Don Ramiro | Cenerentola, Tamino | Die Zauberflöte, Laurie in Adamo’s Little Women, Madwoman in Britten’s Curlew River, Gonsalve in Ravel’s L’Heure Espagnol, Henrik | A Little Night Music, and Tobias Ragg | Sweeney Todd.

On the concert stage, Mr. Brennfleck has been hailed for his “Outstanding presence and clear, lyric voice” (Texas Classical Review) and “elegant” musicianship (The Baltimore Sun). He is a passionate interpreter of early music and regularly appears with some of the country’s top Baroque musical organizations in works by Bach, Handel, Monteverdi, the French hautre-contre repertory and others. He made his Carnegie Hall debut in 2012 and finds himself equally at home with art song as well as new and contemporary works. Mr. Brennfleck is a featured artist on recordings of Philip Glass’ Orphée with the Portland Opera and Charles Wuorinen’s cantata It Happens Like This. Recent collaborations include appearances with the Alabama Symphony Orchestra, American Bach Soloists, Ars Lyrica Houston, Austin Symphony Orchestra, Colorado Bach Ensemble, LA International New Music Festival, Philadelphia’s Lyric Fest, the MET Chamber Ensemble and the Victoria Bach Festival. In addition to his performance schedule, Mr. Brennfleck is a certified teacher of the Alexander Technique, presenting masterclasses for musicians throughout the United States and abroad.

Patrice Calixte, violin

Canadian violinist Patrice Calixte began playing the violin at the age of eight and went on to participate in a highly competitive high school music program in Montreal, Quebec, where he studied with Francine Pépin. He then earned his undergraduate degree and his master’s degree in music performance from the Université de Montréal, studying under Claude Richard. An experienced orchestral musician, Calixte has worked with many orchestras in Québec and Ontario, including the Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal, Orchestre Symphonique de Québec, and Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony Orchestra. More recently, he was hired to the first violin section of the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra, where he stayed for two years. Leaving Calgary in search for more personal development, Calixte moved to Austin where he just obtained an artist diploma from The University of Texas at Austin in the studio of Daniel Ching. He has played in numerous masterclasses from luminaries such as Maxim Vengerov and Regis Pasquier. Calixte has also performed as a concertist with various orchestras in Montreal and recently won The University of Texas Symphony Orchestra Concerto Competition. He is the newest addition to the Austin based Artisan Quartet.

Patrice Calixte performs on a violin made in 1910 in Florence by Valentino de Zorzi, kindly on loan from Lorraine and John Wang.

Joseph Choi, piano

Korean-American pianist Joseph Choi is a multi-faceted artist of the 21st century. He has been praised for his sensitive, sincere, and scintillating performances.

As a performer, Joey has competed on the international stage and has garnered awards such as the Second Prize in the 2014 NTD International Piano Competition, Finalist in the 2016 San Antonio International Piano Competition, where he was awarded the prize for Best Performance of a Baroque Composer, Second Prize in the 2012 Tuesday Musical Club Competition in San Antonio, and winner of the 2012 concerto competition at the University of Texas at Austin. He has performed in venues such as Zankel Hall in Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, and the Benedict Music Tent at the Aspen Music Festival. Joey has also performed with groups such as the Austin Symphony Orchestra, Honolulu Symphony Orchestra, University of Texas Symphony Orchestra, Aeolus Quartet, and Inversion Ensemble.

As a music educator, Joey currently serves on the faculty of Concordia University Texas where he teaches piano and music theory. Furthermore, he continues to maintain a private studio in Austin where his students have gone on to win prizes in many competitions and have been featured on programs such as NPR’s “From the Top”.

As an advocate for the arts, Joey is the Artistic Director of the Classical Artists Concert Series where he works in conjunction with the Pflugerville Arts Council to bring international artists to the Central Texas region. Recently featured artists include the Cordova String Quartet, Miro String Quartet, Alexander Malikov, Michael Schneider, and Francesco Mastromatteo. He also currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Austin-based choral collective Panoramic Voices.

After initial studies with Ellen Masaki, Joey continued his education with Anton Nel where he received both his Doctorate of Musical Arts and Bachelor of Music degrees at the University of Texas at Austin. His Master of Music degree was obtained at the Juilliard School working under Jerome Lowenthal and Matti Raekallio. Masterclass and further studies include Yoheved Kaplinsky, Robert McDonald, Julian Martin, John O’Conor, Dominique Weber, Robert Roux, Zenon Fishbein, and Orli Shaham.

In his free time, Joey loves to compose music and ride his bicycle.

https://www.josephchoipiano.com/

Benjamin Dia, piano

Benjamin Dia is a pianist, arranger and conductor. He made his debut as a collaborative pianist with the principal players of the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra at the 1992 Asian Composers League Festival in the Cultural Center of the Philippines, premiering new works by emerging Asian composers. After graduating with a Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance from the University of the Philippines, he went to the United States to pursue his graduate studies at the Westminster Choir College in Princeton, New Jersey. Since then he has performed in music festivals and in venues such as The Asia Society of New York, Carnegie Hall, Merkin Concert Hall, Kaye Playhouse at Hunter College, The John F. Kennedy Center for the Arts, Oslo Konzerthus and in the Aberdeen International Youth Festival.

Don't Messa With Vanessa

“Don’t Messa With Vanessa “ is an old Time band with Tim Keogh (guitar), Vanessa Gordon (fiddle) and Jerry Hagins (banjo).

Tim Keough is an amazing Engraving artist. His work can be seen on Instagram.com @timkeo.art Tim is a multi instrumentalist who has been playing music in Austin since the late 1980’s.

Vanessa Gordon was born in the South where she grew up playing the piano and violin. She is passionate about American Roots music.

Jerry Hagins has been playing clawhammer banjo since slightly before he was born. He is a member of “ Up Around the Sun” with artist Tim Kerr and they recently enjoyed a tour of Japan. Jerry is in great demand as a traditional clawhammer banjo player in Austin.

Tim, Jerry and Vanessa are active members of Austin Friends of Traditional Music (AFTM). They have recently played at several Refugee Artisan Markets at Austin area YMCA’s, hosted by the Global Impact Initiative (GII).

William Fedkenheuer, violin

William Fedkenheuer is widely respected as a performer, teacher, and consultant. Uniquely drawing on over two decades of experience onstage and off as a member of three internationally renowned string quartets (The Miró, Fry Street, Borromeo Quartets), he dedicates his life to serving others through performance, teaching, personal and professional development.

Drawing on his past twenty-five years of experience developing highly effective strategies, principles and tools for how to thrive as a classical musician, ensemble, and organization, his mission is to empower each individual to give permission to be their most impactful, creative, and alive self. William works with individuals, ensembles, and organizations in individual and group sessions, public workshops and public speaking to expose and sharpen weaknesses, strengths and opportunities that are specifically unique to their lives and values, altering perceptions and mindsets so they can move forward with the impact and life they are seeking with clarity and authenticity.

His clients and network range from world-class artists to Fortune 500 executives to political, educational and community leaders. William has played major roles in successful multi-million dollar development campaigns and acted as a consultant and mentor for countless individuals and ensembles who have gone on to have significant international performing, teaching, development, management, and executive careers as well as small business owners, community teachers and leaders.

Growing up in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, William became the youngest member of The Calgary Fiddlers in 1983 and was named a Canadian national fiddle champion in 1989 before making his solo debut with the Calgary Philharmonic in 1994. His continued his studies at Rice and Indiana University and spent influential summers at the Music Academy of the West, Tanglewood Music Center, and the Ravinia Festival’s Steans Music Institute.

As a soloist and chamber musician, William performs on the world’s most prestigious stages including Carnegie Hall, Esterhazy Castle, Suntory Hall, and the Taipei National University of the Arts and appearances in the media include NPR, PBS, NHK, and the Discovery Channel as well as Strings and Strad magazines. He is currently the second violinist of the Miró Quartet since 2011 and has appeared on numerous recordings, and is the recipient of Lincoln Center’s prestigious Martin E. Segal Award. Collaboration highlights include commissions and premiere’s of major new works by Kevin Puts, Osvaldo Golijov, and Gunther Schuller and performances with Leon Fleisher, Sasha Cooke, Colin Currie, Wu Han, Jeffrey Kahane, Audra McDonald, Midori, David Shifrin, and Dawn Upshaw. William serves as an Associate Professor of Instruction at the University of Texas at Austin’s Butler School of Music and oversees its Young Professional String Quartet Program. He was previously on the faculty at the Caine College of the Arts at Utah State University and the New England Conservatory of Music.

An active hiker, fly-fisherman, and burger connoisseur, William has two sons, Max and Olli who share his love of curiosity, discovery, innovation and chocolate. William performs on a violin by Peter and Wendy Moes, and bows by Charles Espey and Ole Kanestrom.

Cheryl Gallagher, harp and artist

Cheryl Gallagher, (known in the world of music as Madhavi Devi), is an accomplished artist and musician renowned for her mesmerizing and soul-stirring compositions. With a career spanning several decades, Madhavi Devi has created a unique musical experience that transcends boundaries and touches the hearts of audiences worldwide.

Born with an innate talent for music, Cheryl has honed her skills in various musical disciplines, including ambient, electronic, and world music. Her music reflects a deep connection to the spiritual and mystical, infusing her compositions with a sense of ethereal beauty and profound emotion. Her main acoustic instrument is harp and at this holiday event she will be playing a 19 string electric lyre.

Over the years, Cheryl Gallagher as Madhavi Devi has released a series of critically acclaimed albums that have garnered a dedicated following. Her evocative soundscapes invite listeners on a journey of self-discovery, relaxation, and reflection, making her a sought-after artist in the world of ambient and new age music.

As a visual artist, Cheryl Gallagher's work is equally enchanting. Her imagery often mirrors the ethereal yet intense quality of her music, creating a harmonious synergy between the two art forms. Some of her colorful and fascinating post symbolist and abstract paintings will exhibit in the barn concert space for the month of December. Don't miss the opportunity to witness Cheryl Gallagher’s traditional uplifting holiday themed live performance.

Robert Hatten

Robert S. Hatten is Professor Emeritus and Emeritus Holder of the Marlene and Morton Meyerson Professorship in Music at the Butler School of Music, The University of Texas at Austin, where he taught music theory from 2011 to 2022. He has served as President of Society for Music Theory (2017-19) and President of the Semiotic Society of America (2008). Dr. Hatten’s first book, Musical Meaning in Beethoven: Markedness, Correlation, and Interpretation (1994) was co-recipient in 1997 of the Wallace Berry Award from the Society for Music Theory. His second book, Interpreting Musical Gestures, Topics, and Tropes: Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert (2004) helped launch the book series “Musical Meaning and Interpretation” (Indiana University Press), for which he served as general editor until 2020, shepherding the publication of over 35 books by musicologists as well as theorists. His third book, A Theory of Virtual Agency for Western Art Music, appeared in the series in 2018. He is currently working on a book exploring textural innovations and their expressive roles in selected solo keyboard works of Bach, Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Chopin, Schumann, and Brahms.

Irida Herri, soprano

Praised as “an exquisite soloist with a wonderful voice full of warmth and expression” (Rhein Neckar Zeitung), soprano Irida Herri has performed actively as a soloist and chamber musician in the United States, Germany, and Japan. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Vocal Performance from Augusta State University in Georgia and a master’s degree in Opera Performance from SUNY Purchase Conservatory of Music in New York. Irida was a prize winner of the Sun Coast Opera Guild Competition in Florida, and she has participated in masterclasses by Mary Dibbern, William McIver, and Barbara Hahn. Her operatic roles include Blanche from Poulenc’s Dialogues of the Carmelites, Damon from Handel’s Acis and Galatea, Micaela from Bizet’s Carmen, Pamina from Mozart’s Magic Flute, Rosalinde from Strauss’ Die Feldermaus, Queen Tye from Glass’ Akhnaten and many others.

In addition to opera, Irida has performed as the soprano soloist in major choral works, various cantatas, oratorios, and masses with Baltimore Symphony, Columbia Pro Cantare, Concert Artists of Baltimore, Heidelberg Bachchor, and Central Texas Philharmonic. Her soloist orchestral works include Brahms’ Requiem, Mozart’s Exsultate Jubilate, Mozart’s Grand Mass in C Minor and Coronation Mass, Faure’s Requiem, Honneger’s King David, Bach’s St. Matthew’s Passion and Magnificat, Poulenc’s Gloria, Haydn’s Missa cellensis, etc. Irida was also a member of Theater der Stadt Heidelberg in Germany for many years.

Currently, Irida is a third year DMA student in Vocal Pedagogy at BSoM.

Daniel Hopkins, baritone

Daniel Hopkins is originally from Gallatin, TN and comes from a musical family. He began singing and playing guitar at young age and found that writing songs was his passion. Daniel is a senior at the University of Texas where he studies music. He loves to make music with friends and has a desire to write songs that move and encourage others.

Jeanne Hourez, piano

Since her debut as a soloist at the age of 12, French pianist JEANNE HOUREZ has appeared with various orchestras, including the Orchestre Symphonique de Cannes, the Orchestre Symphonique Azuréen, and the Orchestre Philharmonique des Musiciens de Montréal. She has performed numerous recitals in Europe, North America, and Asia and has participated in seasonal music festivals such as Jeunes Talents in Paris, Orford Musique in Quebec, the Festival International de Mandoline de Castellar, Candlelights Concerts in the Portuguese Synagogue in Amsterdam, and the Trinity Alps Chamber Music Festival. Jeanne Hourez has received numerous awards, including three Gold Prizes at the London Young Musician Competition (2021, United Kingdom), the Grand Prize, and the Public Prize at the International Piano Competition Alain Marinaro (2015, France), among others. An active chamber musician, Jeanne co-founded the Ensemble Benzaiten, whose repertoire uniquely blends mandolin and piano. She also forms a duo with French violinist Katya Darisio and serves as the pianist of SoundMap Ensemble.

Sun Huh, violin

Native Korean violinist Sun Huh has risen to acclaim around the world for her musicianship and extraordinary performances. She has played concerts as a soloist in Asia, Europe, and the Americas, and is a prize winner of many national competitions in South Korea and of international competitions including New York International Music Concours and National Artist Competition. Huh quickly established her European career while studying in Germany, and she debuted as a concert soloist with Neue Kammerorchester Düsseldorf' in the Mozart Festival under the baton of Rüdiger Bohn. She has had significant performance engagements as a soloist with German notable orchestras such as Collegium Musicum Jülich under the baton of Raymond Janssen and Neue Philharmonia Westfalen. She also appeared in several international music festivals to collaborate with renowned musicians including the Heine Quartet and Hariolf Schlichtig.

Her devoted passion to learning led her to the United States where she continued her professional career while a graduate student at the Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music, where she was a recipient of the prestigious Barbara and David Jacobs scholarship to pursue her Performer Diploma. As an active soloist and chamber musician, she collaborated with contemporary leading musicians such as Mark Kaplan, Atar Arad, Peter Stumpf, Emilio Colon, Edward Gazouleas, Lawrence Hurst, Kurt Muroki, Sarah Kapustin, Marcus Thompson, and Godfried Hoogeven. She has performed as a chamber musician at the Edward Auer Summer Piano Workshop, and the Opening Ceremony Institute for Korean Studies, and for the Asian Culture Center 20th Anniversary Symposium at Indiana University. With her piano trio Zima Trio, she was invited to perform at the Mineral Point Chamber Music Festival in 2018. She is also a founding member of Cercis String Quartet since 2021 and has won the 1st prize in the Manhattan International Music Competition in 2022. She has performed with the ensemble across the Midwest. After having established her professional career in the U.S., she still continues her performance engagements in Europe. One of the highlights was a solo performance at the ceremony of the UNHCR World Refugee Day in Switzerland. She has been a regular member of the International Chamber Orchestra of Puerto Rico which provides dynamic concerts and masterclasses on violin to Puerto Rican communities and to young talents as a musical representative for the D’Addario, the Titin Foundations, and Fundacion Puertoriquena de las Humanidades since 2019.

Huh is a graduate of the Hanns Eisler Hochschule für Musik in Berlin and the Robert Schumann Hochschule in Düsseldorf, where she obtained her Bachelor of Music and Konzert-Examen degree with the highest distinction under the tutelage of Stephan Picard and Ida Bieler. Huh then completed her Performer Diploma and Master of Music with the late Ik-Hwan Bae at the Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music, where she most recently earned her Doctorate of Music in Literature and Performance as a student of Mark Kaplan. She has been regularly invited to perform in faculty chamber recitals and to give lectures to the college students at IU. Recently, she gave lectures on Rehearsal Techniques with an Accompanist, and Instrumental Studies at IU. As an educator, she has distinguished herself as a cultivator of young talent. She has been on the faculty of the Stafford Music Academy and a regular instructor of the Fairview Project in Bloomington. She has been annually invited to the Violonissimo School and the Bougy Music Camp in Switzerland as a guest professor and music instructor since 2016. Ms. Huh has sat on the jury of international music competitions, including the St. Louis District Audition Missouri Music Teachers Association and the East Coast International Competition.

Zoe Chunghui Kim, soprano

Soprano Zoe Chunghui Kim has been celebrated as an artist with special voice color and ample expressivity. While her broad performance experience spans a variety of styles from Baroque to Contemporary music, her passion and signature roles are from the works of Verdi and Puccini. In 2021 May, Dr. Kim presented her research on Puccini’s Edgar and its heroine Fidelia. She successfully performed Fidelia’s main arias and scenes.

Ms. Kim sang at well-known venues around the world including the Carnegie Hall, National Opera America Center, and Seoul Arts Center. In 2021, she has been selected as the first prize winner of the MAP International Music Competition and also awarded first place in the 2021 Forte International Competition. She was also given the Distinction Award of the Metropolitan International Vocal Competition in 2018. Dr. Kim attended various programs such as the IVAI New York, Martina Arroyo Foundation Program, and Manhattan Opera Studio Summer Program where she sang as Fiordiligi (Così fan Tutte), Musetta (La bohème), Mimi (La bohème), and Countess (Le nozze di Figaro). As a young artist scholarship recipient at the Butler Opera Center for three years, she made several main role debuts. Her 2018-2019 season began as Vitellia (La Clemenza di Tito, cover) and she also portrayed Tatiana (Eugene Onegin) with the baton of James Conlon. Her other credits with the BOC include Donna Elvira (Don Giovanni), Governess (The Turn of the Screw), and Countess (Le nozze di Figaro, Cancelled for COVID-19). She also performed critical roles in Guilio Cesare, Die Fledermaus, Hansel and Gretel, and Suor Angelica.

She recently earned the Doctorate of Musical Arts at UT Austin studying under the tutelage of Darlene Wiley. She holds her Master’s degree at Manhattan School of Music where she studied with Mignon Dunn.

She is currently singing based in Austin, Texas.

https://www.zoechunghuikim.com/

Dan Kurland

Dan K. Kurland is currently Studienleiter und Solorepetitor mit Dirigierverpflichtung at Die Oper of Bühnen Halle. Previously, he was Solorepetitor mit Dirgierverpflichtung at Theater Hagen where he also served in the newly-created position of Stellv. Studienleiter until 2021.

Prior to moving to Germany, he maintained an active vocal coaching studio in New York where clients included prominent singers on rosters the likes of The Metropolitan Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Santa Fe Opera, and Deutsche Oper Berlin. Former engagements include those at Wolf Trap Opera, The Glimmerglass Festival, and Music Academy of the West. As a pianist active in almost all facets of vocal, instrumental, and orchestral repertoires, he has appeared in concert throughout New York (Steinway Hall, The DiMenna Center, The Guggenheim Museum, Caramoor, Lincoln Center's Alice Tully Hall and David Rubinstein Atrium) the United States (Aspen Music Festival and School, Chicago, Texas), Germany (Staatskapelle Halle, Dortmunder Philharmoniker, Philharmonische Orchester Hagen), Austria (AlpenKammerMusik), France (extensive concert tours throughout Nouvelle-Aquitaine), and England (Finalist Prize, 2015 Wigmore Hall/Kohn Foundation International Song Competition).

Collaborations include those with soprano Julia Bullock, tenors Miles Mykkanen and Spencer Lang, violinists Francisco García Fullana, Eric Silberger and Charles Yang, cellist Julian Schwarz, the critically acclaimed string quintet SYBARITE5, and actors Shalita Grant, Ernestine Jackson, Michael Kostroff. Joining the 2010 Broadway production of Master Class (Manny Weinstock, u/s) with Tyne Daly led to successive performances with the renowned EMMY and TONY Award-Winning actress, including a special performance for the opening of FOCUS on The Arts.

While at Theater Hagen, Mr Kurland combined the disciplines of music and acting in new productions of Schubert's Winterreise (Co-Concept with Francis Hüsers; Musikalische Leitung/Pianist), Shakespeare's play Ein Sommernachstraum (Squenz/Musikalische Leitung/Pianist), Donizetti’s L’Elisir d’amore (on-stage recitative cembalist) and the world premiere of Molly Bloom (after James Joyce's Ulysses; Musikalische Leitung/Pianist/Poldy Bloom). He also served as coach and pianist for main-stage productions of Tristan und Isolde, Tosca, Aida, Simon Boccanegra, Tosca, Il turco in Italia, Evererst, Dido and Aeneas, Les contes d’Hoffmann, Der Graf von Luxemburg, Frau Luna, as assistant conductor and pianist for performances of Vaughan Williams’s Dona Nobis Pacem and Schumann’s Das Paradies und die Peri, and numerous performances with the Philharmonische Orchester Hagen as orchestral keyboardist and chamber musician.

A published writer, his articles have appeared in Opera News (2021), Singing: The Timeless Muse (2018), PLAYBILL Lincoln Center's program notes (2014) and numerous pieces in The Juilliard Journal and The Chicago Tribune. As a dedicated teacher, he has been an annual guest coach and clinician at Chicago Summer Opera, a member of the faculty at AlpenKammerMusik (Austria), The Martina Arroyo Foundation’s Prelude to Performance program (New York City), and the Franco-American Vocal Academy (FAVA) in Périgueux, France. He has performed with mezzo-soprano Amanda Bottoms at the United Nations International School in New York City and given master classes at Juilliard in Aiken, Columbia University’s Opera Untapped, and at Highland Park High School’s FOCUS On The Arts.

Born in Chicago, he studied at The Juilliard School (Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) and Master of Music (MM)) and The University of Texas at Honors (Bachelor of Music (BM), with honors). A native of suburban Chicago his first teachers included Svetlana Budilovsky and Kay Kim. In his leisure time, Mr. Kurland enjoys hosting dinner parties inspired by Ina Garten, running, and surveying gin and French wines.

https://www.dankkurland.com/

James Maverick, piano

Pianist James Maverick joined the University of Texas at Austin’s Butler School of Music in 2021, where he teaches vocal repertoire and accompanying. He has worked as music staff at Cincinnati Opera, where he was pianist and assistant chorus master for Rossini's Il barbiere di Siviglia, Bizet's Carmen, and Puccini's Tosca, and Opera Philadelphia, where he prepared a workshop for the upcoming premiere of Jennifer Higdon's Woman with Eyes Closed. He was a Resident Artist at the Lyric Opera of Kansas City, where he assisted in the preparation of nine opera productions, including serving as chorus master for Bizet's Les pêcheurs de perles. He has been a coach on the faculty of the University of Missouri-Kansas City, and has also served as the official accompanist for the Kansas City district of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions. He has been a fellow at the Tanglewood Music Center and an apprentice coach at the Merola Opera Program and Wolf Trap Opera. A native of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, he received a B.A.in Economics and B.M. in Piano Performance from Lawrence University, where he studied with Michael Mizrahi, and he received an M.M. in Piano and Choral Conducting and Performer Diploma in Collaborative Piano from Indiana University, where his teachers included Emile Naoumoff, Kevin Murphy, Anne Epperson, Walter Huff, Betsy Burleigh, and Dominick DiOrio.

The Mixolydians

“The Mixolydians” are a local instrumental duo who play traditional Irish and American fiddle tunes, along with a few originals. Jamie Stubblefield (guitar) also plays in a bluegrass band, “Out of the Blue.” Vanessa Gordon, (fiddle) teaches Suzuki piano and violin and works as a piano accompanist at the Austin Waldorf School. For Haam Day, they will be joined by special guest, Kenny Tweedy, on button accordion and tenor banjo. Jamie, Kenny and Vanessa have been involved in Irish traditional music for years and play on Tuesday evenings at a session at Suds Monkey Brewery.

Andrew Pearce

Cellist, Andrew Pearce, earned his degree at University of Southern California in the class of legendary cellist Lynn Harrell. He has performed solos with the Los Angeles and New York Philharmonics, Boston Pops, Utah Symphony, and Polish Chamber Orchestra, among many others. During his 20 years playing cello in orchestra, he performed in many of the great halls of Europe and Asia, and also played lots of trios with his group, the Boston Trio, as well as other groups performing across Canada and New England.

At the ripe age of 44, Andrew traded a tenured job in one of America's top five orchestras, the Boston Symphony, for the risk and thrill of a future in real estate in Austin, TX. And though building and developing is an adventure all its own, he never lost his passion for chamber music.

Nowadays, Andrew divides his time between family, real estate, and living life to the fullest while sharing his love for music as cellist and Artistic Director of the new Lakeway Masterpiece Concert Series.

Sari Pearce

Violinist, Sari Pearce, started her violin lessons at age 3, after being given a choice of either starting a preschool where her 2 older sisters came home crying everyday, or stay home and start taking violin lessons. From then on, violin playing became part of her life. After studying with a well-known pedagogue Gwen Thompson in Vancouver BC Canada who populated the city with exceptional violinists, she went on to study with Eudice Shaprio at University of Southern California earning her BM in Performance, and where she met her husband/partner Andrew. She went on to play with the Boston Pops, Pasadena Chamber Orchestra, CBC Radio Orchestra, and Vancouver Opera Orchestra, Currently she’s an award winning broker associate at @properties Christie’s International Real Estate as an inaugural agent to open its branch in Austin TX. When she’s not selling homes and playing her violin with her husband of 34+ years, she enjoys doing handstands and other high intensity training at Elitecore Pilates Studio several times a week, taking care of her flock of hens for fresh eggs, and volunteering at several different organizations. She’s excited to be back performing chamber music again.

Rick Rowley, pianist

Rick Rowley leads a diverse musical life. He gives concerts with many of the world’s finest instrumentalists and singers and his solo, concerto and collaborative performances have taken him throughout the United States, to Europe and Latin America.

Mr. Rowley has made several recordings of solo piano repertoire, chamber music and art songs. His second CD with flutist, Marianne Gedigian, was one of the first recordings issued on the UT Longhorn label. He has recorded piano music of Chopin, Liszt, Granados, Mompou and American composers David Guion, Richard Cumming, Aaron Copland and Samuel Barber. His recordings with sopranos Cheryl Parrish and Mela Dailey also feature music of American composers. He has begun making video performances as part of a series of concerts in partnership with Prof. Darlene Wiley of the BSOM voice faculty.

Mr. Rowley coaches singers and works with collaborative pianists, has taught classes in German, French and American art song, singing and acting for musical theater and a history of musical theater on Broadway. He has appeared three times as soloist with the UTSO and is heard frequently on broadcasts of live performances from the BSOM. 

Mr. Rowley has worked extensively in theater in over 50 productions as actor, director and musical director. As well as concerto soloist, he has appeared with the Austin Symphony as actor in two “Beyond the Score” presentations and a concert of music of Silvestre Revueltas. He played the role of Frosch in a production of “Die Fledermaus” at the Butler Opera Center and also wrote incidental music to a children’s theater production of “The Firebird”.

In the past Mr. Rowley was a partner in a piano rebuilding shop, where he gained knowledge and experience in the workings of the instrument.

Videos of Mr. Rowley's performances from Oak Branch and elsewhere can be seen  here.

Mikhail Smigelski, bass

Hailed as “phenomenal” (The Harvard Chrimson), “impressively epic” (schwäbische.de), and for his “wine-dark bass” (The Boston Globe), bass-baritone MIKHAIL SMIGELSKI enjoys a career of vast and various genres, including opera, oratorio, early music, musical theatre, and contemporary music. Born in St. Petersburg, Russia, Mikhail has performed on the world most prestigious stages including Carnegie Hall, Saint Petersburg’s and Moscow’s Philharmonias, Berliner Philharmonie, Kölner Philharmonie, and has collaborated with established European and American opera, musical theater and concert companies such as Saint Petersburg Chamber Opera, Theater Aachen, Theater Solingen, Theater Leverkusen, Cohen New Works Festival, New York Ferus Festival, East Coast Contemporary Ensemble, Austin Symphony, Opera Leggera, Opera in the Heights, Miami Lyric Opera, The Cleveland Opera, and others. Mikhail Smigelski's vast repertoire includes over 30 operatic roles and over 100 art songs in Russian, German, Italian, French, Polish, Czech, and Yiddish languages.

Leslie Spotz, piano

Leslie Spotz, an award-winning concert pianist and retired college piano professor, enjoys an international performing career that spans four continents and five decades, and has included solo performances in Moscow at Tchaikovsky Hall of Moscow University, South Bank Center of London, Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., the famed Academy of Music in Philadelphia, her highly acclaimed tours of Germany, concerts in Italy at the Lorenzo de’Medici Institute, solo recitals in Taiwan and Brazil, and her performance at the inaugural opening of Philadelphia’s magnificent performance venue, the Kimmel Center. She performed remotely throughout the pandemic of 2020-2021, including the MTNA Convention, receiving the Texas Music Teachers Association “Outstanding Collegiate Teaching Achievement” Award in 2017. Recent seasons include solo recitals throughout Texas, Rio de Janeiro and Il Encontro Internacional de Pianistas de Brazil and performances at the Music by Women Festival at Mississippi University for Women. She has performed solo recitals in New York City’s Tenri Cultural Institute, Indiana Wesleyan University, Dallas Public Library, and chamber music concerts in Dallas, TX, Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene, and Southern University in Baton Rouge, LA. She performed in New York and the Tenri Cultural Institute for the Leschetizky Association Annual Living Composers Concert May, 2016. She returned to Italy in June 2013 for performances at the Conservatorio di Milano and the Ambrosianeum Foundation. She performed in Buenes Aires, Argentina and returned to London in May 2011. February 2010 included an all-Chopin Bicentennial recital in New York City. December 2010 she performed in Germany in a solo recital at the Heilig–Kreuz–Kirche in Berlin. Hailed by the prestigious Süddeutsche Zeitung of Munich, Spotz’ Beethoven was described thus: “Stripped of veneer, revealing all the edges and corners, Spotz earnestly confronted Beethoven’s tempi and dynamic indications, leaving mediocrity and shallow beauty behind and bringing out truth. In all, a concert of the highest critical standard, further proof of the high carat quality of this series.” Spotz has performed extensively throughout the U.S. from coast to coast. Concert highlights include her 2007 performance as soloist with the Fort Worth Symphony, her performances of twenty Beethoven Sonatas at Rutgers University and recitals for the Bach Festival of Philadelphia.

Receiving a full scholarship to the Curtis Institute of Music, Spotz studied for five years with the legendary, Mieczyslaw Horszowski, part of a heritage that is only three musicians-students-teachers away from Beethoven. She completed her doctorate at Rutgers University in 2002. Her appearances as soloist include the Fort Worth Symphony, Mozart Society of Philadelphia, South Jersey Symphony, Curtis Symphony, Kinhaven Symphony in Vermont, the Piedmont Chamber Orchestra in North Carolina, the Old York Road Symphony in Abington, PA, and the Clear Lake Symphony in Texas. March 2013 she was soloist with the University of Texas – San Antonio Symphony. Spotz has been International Piano Performance Examination Committee (IPPEC) Artistic Coordinator of Piano Examiners since 2016.

Spotz has become an advocate for women musicians through her performances, collaborating with flutist Adeline Tomasone on the critically acclaimed CD Fantasias, and women composers are featured on her solo CD, issued by Leonore Records in 1999. Published recordings also include the three sets of 5 CDs each of solo piano literature, representing the repertoire for 13 graded levels, 2019-2021, 2016-2018 and 2010-2012 for the IPPEC based in Taiwan and Southeast Asia. She has collaborated with violinists: Ivo Ivanov, Sophia Jieun Park, Maria Bachmann, Joseph Genualdi, and Mark Steinberg; flutist Laurel Zucker; David Wetherill, former co-principal horn of the Philadelphia Orchestra; Frank Kaderabek, former principal trumpet of the Philadelphia Orchestra; and Joseph Depasquale, who was longtime principal viola of the Philadelphia Orchestra. Among the notable international singers for whom Spotz has accompanied are sopranos Amanda Squitieri, Julianne Baird, Heather Hawk, Gwendolyn Bradley and Donna Connolly, and tenors Martin Dillon and Robert Guarino. According to the The Philadelphia Inquirer, "Miss Spotz commands the resonant sound and the elegant gesture… playing of great color, boldness, and suavity… most engaging…"