Gerlanda Cipolla is a Lecturer at the Royal Conservatory of Brussels since 2001 and an academic assistant at Saint-Louis University - Brussels since 2009. She holds a Master's in French-English-Italian Translation from ULB and a teaching diploma from 1994. Her expertise spans classical and contemporary music theater, early music, jazz education, and rhythm studies. She integrates historical and socio-cultural context into her teaching of Italian for singers and vocal group coaching. Education: Master's in Translation (ISTI/ULB, 1990) Teaching Diploma (1994) Research & Performance: Specializes in ethno-musicology and Italian oral tradition singing. Collaborated with Giovanna Marini on works like Théorème and performed with groups such as Les Voix des Garennes in festivals like KVS, Voix-sur-Meuse, and Montmartre Arenas. Labs/Teams: Active in vocal ensembles and interdisciplinary projects, including HarMa+ initiatives and Teatri Migranti.
Roderick Earle is a Professor in the Vocal Studies department at the Royal College of Music (RCM), where he has established himself as a distinguished educator and performer. With a career spanning decades in both teaching and professional performance, he brings substantial practical experience to his academic role. Professor Earle's educational background includes: Graduation from Cambridge University with a Music degree, where he was a Choral Scholar in St. John's College Choir Awarded a Foundation Scholarship to the Royal College of Music for Opera Studies Additional studies with renowned vocal coach Otakar Kraus Specializing in vocal performance across multiple vocal ranges, Earle made a notable transition from bass to baritone during his extensive operatic career. His teaching encompasses vocal technique, historical performance practice, and the practical demands of professional singing careers. He emphasizes the connection between historical context and contemporary performance standards, drawing from his vast stage experience. Professor Earle has received significant recognition including the Greater London Arts Association Musician of the Year Award and a Foundation Scholarship to the Royal College of Music. With over 25 years of teaching experience across Cambridge, Colchester, and London institutions, he has mentored numerous vocal students. In 2010, he founded The Colchester Chamber Choir, comprising 28 auditioned voices specializing in pre-baroque and 19th-20th century choral repertoire. His professional affiliations include membership in the British Voice Association and the Association of Teachers of Singing, reflecting his commitment to vocal pedagogy standards.
Rick Rowley is an Associate Professor at the University of Texas at Austin's Butler School of Music (BSOM), specializing in Vocal Coaching, Collaborative Piano, and Opera Performance. His roles include teaching German/French/American art song, musical theater, and diction for collaborative pianists. He performs extensively as a soloist, chamber musician, and accompanist, with recordings on the UT Longhorn label and collaborations with artists like Marianne Gedigian and Prof. Darlene Wiley. His work spans over 50 theater productions as actor, director, and musical director, including roles in opera (e.g., Die Fledermaus) and children’s theater (The Firebird). Rowley’s expertise extends to piano mechanics through his prior experience in a piano rebuilding shop, enhancing his technical understanding of the instrument. He actively participates in UT Symphony Orchestra performances and broadcasts, and has pioneered video performances integrating technology with live music. His interdisciplinary approach blends performance, education, and historical context, reflected in courses on musical theater history and vocal collaboration. While no specific grants or awards are listed, his contributions to pedagogy and performance innovation are central to his profile. He advises students in vocal and collaborative piano studies, though specific advisee names are not mentioned.
Shannon Hiebert is a Sessional Instructor at the University of Alberta's Department of Music, specializing in Opera Workshop Music Direction, Lyric Diction, and Vocal Coaching. She holds a Bachelor of Music from the University of Manitoba and completed graduate studies in Collaborative Piano, Vocal Coaching, and Chamber Music at the University of Michigan. Her career spans prestigious institutions like the Banff Centre and the Centre for Opera Studies in Italy (COSI). Education: Bachelor of Music (University of Manitoba), Graduate Studies (University of Michigan) Roles: Collaborative Pianist, Vocal Coach, Conductor, Music Director Her research and teaching focus on lyric diction techniques, vocal coaching methodologies, and music direction in operatic and musical theatre contexts. Notable achievements include nominations for the Sterling Award and Western Canada Music Award, alongside awards for commissioned work performances. Shannon has served as Music Director for productions such as Suor Angelica in Italy, Spring Awakening , and A Little Night Music . She has collaborated with renowned artists like Tracy Dahl and Measha Brueggergosman, and toured with Broadway productions including Jersey Boys and Wicked . Awards: Sterling Award Nomination (Outstanding Music Direction) Western Canada Music Award Nomination Unit Teaching Award (University of Alberta) Her teaching spans institutions such as the University of Manitoba, University of Toronto, and Calgary Opera's Artist Program. Her students have advanced to prestigious programs like the Canadian Opera Company and Tanglewood.
Esther Gonthier is a Course Instructor (Vocal Coaching) at the Schulich School of Music, McGill University. She specializes in vocal performance and opera, with over 80 operas in her repertoire. Her affiliations include collaborations with the Opéra de Montréal, Orchestre symphonique de Montréal, and other major institutions. She assists renowned conductors and mentors young singers at McGill, Université de Montréal, and the Atelier lyrique de l’Opéra de Montréal. Her expertise spans vocal coaching, orchestral performance, and opera production. She has worked extensively in classical vocal repertoire and supports emerging artists through teaching and mentorship. Her professional network includes key figures in North American and European music institutions.
Linda Hutchison is a Principal Studies Professor in Vocal Studies and Singing Tutor in Drama at Guildhall School of Music & Drama. She has held visiting roles at institutions such as the Royal Academy of Music and Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (formerly Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama). Her career includes performances with D’Oyly Carte Opera Company and extensive work in vocal rehabilitation through clinics like the Sidcup Voice Clinic and Bart’s Hospital. She co-authored If in Doubt, Breathe Out on breathing techniques for singing. Education: Studied at Guildhall School of Music & Drama, winning the Sydney de Vries Opera Prize. Research focuses on voice anatomy, breathing methods, and artistic performance. She organizes professional development courses blending science and artistry in vocal training. Awards: Recipient of the Sydney de Vries Opera Prize and recognized in the Kathleen Ferrier Scholarship Competition. Leadership roles include President of the British Voice Association and membership in the Association of Teachers of Singing. Clinical work spans over two decades, including roles at Medway Voice Clinic and current position as Vocal Rehabilitation Coach at Lewisham Voice Clinics. Specializes in workshops on voice care, accent breathing, and physiological aspects of singing.
Katherine Ciesinski is the Martin E. and Corazon D. Sanders Professor of Voice and ECMS Collegiate Instructor in Voice at the Eastman School of Music, University of Rochester. She also serves as Voice Area Coordinator. Previously, she was Professor of Music and Chair of Voice Studies at the Moores School of Music, University of Houston, before joining Eastman in 2008. Her career spans major operatic roles with institutions like the Metropolitan Opera, Covent Garden, San Francisco Opera, and Houston Grand Opera. Notable performances include Judith (Bluebeard’s Castle), Cassandre (Les Troyens), and world premieres such as Jake Heggie’s The End of the Affair. She is celebrated for her interpretations of both classical and contemporary repertoire. A dedicated educator, Ciesinski’s teaching emphasizes collaboration with composers and vocal chamber music. She founded workshops like the Vocal Workshop at Royaumont Foundation and Close Encounters at the Texas Music Festival. Her students hold positions at institutions including Michigan State, Oklahoma State, and San Jose State, and perform in leading opera festivals globally. Her Grammy-nominated recordings include roles in Ariane et Barbe-Bleue, Regina, and War and Peace. She has collaborated with orchestras like the Berlin Philharmonic and Vienna Philharmonic, and her discography spans works by Ravel, Dvořák, and contemporary composers like Brian Ferneyhough. Ciesinski remains active in music cognition research, lecturing at Eastman/Cornell symposia, and serves as a judge for the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions. Her work bridges performance, education, and innovation in vocal arts.
Allison Sanders serves as an Instructor of Voice in the Division of Music within Samford University's School of the Arts and concurrently holds an adjunct professor position at Miles College teaching voice. Her career bridges academic instruction with an active professional performance schedule across major opera companies and symphony orchestras. She earned both Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Music from the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, where she performed principal roles including Dido in Dido and Aeneas , Elettra in Idomeneo , and Cleopatra in Antony and Cleopatra . Her research and performance interests focus on Voice Performance, Opera, and Music Education, with specialization in dramatic soprano repertoire spanning baroque to contemporary works. Notable performances include the title role in Joplin's Treemonisha (New York City Opera), Ruth in Pirates of Penzance (Opera Birmingham), and orchestral collaborations with the Alabama Symphony, Buffalo Symphony Orchestra, and Chautauqua Orchestra. She actively explores works by diverse composers, recently starring in Opera Birmingham's one-woman production Driving While Black . As an educator, Ms. Sanders mentors voice students at both institutions, emphasizing technical mastery and interpretive artistry through private instruction and coaching. Her teaching integrates professional performance experience with vocal pedagogy principles.
South African-born pianist Jeanne-Minette Cilliers serves as Assistant Professor of Vocal Coaching and Accompanying at the Crane School of Music, State University of New York at Potsdam. An acclaimed collaborative pianist hailed as "a pianistic poet," she performs at prestigious venues including Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and European theaters like Munich's Cuvilliés Theater and St. Petersburg's Yusupov Palace. Her educational background features piano performance degrees from the University of Michigan and Indiana University, complemented by an Artist Diploma in collaborative piano from the Manhattan School of Music. Professor Cilliers specializes in collaborative piano and vocal coaching with deep engagement in opera production and contemporary repertoire. She champions underrepresented female composers like Florence Price and Margaret Bonds through her Songs of Comfort YouTube series, while actively premiering new works including Chaya Czernowin's "Infinite Now" and Héctor Parra's operas. Her innovative approach extends to co-founding Kudu Productions for genre-bending multimedia projects. Prior to joining SUNY Potsdam, she led the Collaborative Piano program and served as Head of Music for the voice department at The Royal Conservatoire Antwerp, and held the position of Associate Head of Collaborative Pianists at the Manhattan School of Music. She maintains extensive opera credentials through music staff roles at Glimmerglass Opera Festival, Santa Fe Opera, LA Opera, and major European houses including Bayerische Staatsoper and Gran Teatre del Liceu. As an educator, she mentors students in vocal coaching and collaborative piano techniques, integrating her real-world experience from collaborations with conductors like Antonino Fogliani and directors including Peter Sellars. Her 2024 season features productions at Barcelona's Gran Teatre del Liceu and LA Opera, demonstrating ongoing professional vitality.
César Ulloa serves as Chair of Voice and Opera Studies at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music (SFCM), where he leads the Voice Department with significant influence in the opera world. His teaching has shaped numerous successful opera careers across major international stages. Born in Cuba and raised in Garland, Texas, Ulloa earned his BM from the University of Tampa and pursued professional studies at Southern Methodist University. His formative training occurred during what he describes as a 'golden era of operatic singing,' learning from legendary artists including Thomas Hayward, Franco Corelli, and Boris Goldovsky. Ulloa's expertise focuses on vocal technique, breath support, and authentic artistic expression. He is particularly renowned for his 'inhale the voice' methodology derived from bel canto tradition, emphasizing natural vocal production over forced projection. His teaching philosophy centers on developing each singer's unique voice rather than imposing a standardized sound. His studio has produced exceptional talent including Amina Edris, Julie Adams, Nadine Sierra, Angel Blue, Pene Pati, and numerous other artists who regularly perform at the Metropolitan Opera, Covent Garden, Paris Opera, and leading European venues. These students have consistently won major competitions including the Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition, Operalia, George London Foundation Awards, and Richard Tucker Foundation Awards. Sarlo Foundation Award for Excellence in Teaching, San Francisco Conservatory of Music, 2014 First Prize, American Opera Auditions Winner, William Matheus Sullivan Musical Foundation Award Prior to his teaching career, Ulloa performed for fifteen years with over fifty operatic roles at prestigious venues including the Metropolitan Opera, New York City Opera, Canadian Opera Company, and L'Opera de Monte-Carlo. His transition from performer to educator has made him one of opera's most respected pedagogues, with Dolora Zajick noting that 'a significant number' of successful opera singers credit Ulloa with providing 'the skills a singer needs to have a career.' Ulloa maintains an active teaching schedule with a studio recital scheduled for April 17, 2026, and continues to serve as Master Teacher for San Francisco Opera's Merola and Adler programs, LA Opera's Domingo-Colburn-Stein program, and several other prestigious young artist training initiatives worldwide.
Christopher Zemliauskas serves as Associate Professor of Music Performance and Director of Opera and Musical Theatre at Ithaca College's School of Music, Theatre, and Dance, with a career spanning major U.S. and European opera institutions including San Francisco Opera, Minnesota Opera, and Central City Opera. His educational foundation includes: Bachelor of Music in Piano with secondary Theatre Arts focus from Ithaca College Master of Music in Accompanying and Coaching from University of Minnesota under Margo Garrett Advanced training at Music Academy of the West and San Francisco Opera's Merola Program with Warren Jones, Marilyn Horne, and Martin Katz Zemliauskas specializes in opera performance and conducting with deep expertise in Benjamin Britten's Church Parables, contemporary works, and musical theatre. His research integrates art song repertoire, vocal coaching techniques, and innovative production approaches evidenced by co-founding Boulder's FusionChamber ensemble for avant-garde works like Pierrot Lunaire. As an educator, he prepares singers for recitals and mainstage productions while teaching diction and directing opera workshops. His artistic leadership includes conducting La Clemenza di Tito and Ragtime at Ithaca College, developing art song series at Minnesota Opera, and serving as Chorus Master across multiple institutions. He co-founded FusionChamber in Boulder, producing boundary-pushing works including Schoenberg's Pierrot Lunaire and Davies' Eight Songs for a Mad King, demonstrating commitment to expanding classical performance paradigms through collaborative new music initiatives.
Christopher Koelzer is a Lecturer at Stanford University , San Francisco Conservatory of Music , and San José State University . A collaborative pianist specializing in Collaborative Piano , Opera , and Vocal Coaching , he has performed and recorded internationally with notable artists and institutions. Opus Affiliations : San Francisco Conservatory of Music, Stanford University, San José State University Performance Highlights : Carnegie Hall recitals (2022–2023), Wolf Trap Opera Coaching Fellow (2017), Merola Opera Program Apprentice Coach (2019) Koelzer holds a Doctor of Musical Arts and Master of Music in Collaborative Piano from the University of Maryland, College Park , where he studied under Professor Rita Sloan. His career spans opera, musical theater, and chamber music collaboration, with a focus on music direction , coaching , and world premieres . Scientific Awards & Recognitions : Oscarson Grant (2009) Aspen Music Festival and School full scholarship (2011–2012) Outstanding Collaborative Pianist Award and Grand Prize Art Song at Metropolitan International Music Festival Competition (2016) Nominated for 2019 Grammy® Award His work intersects music performance , operatic coaching , and interdisciplinary collaboration with institutions like Halcyon’s By The People Festival, Hong Kong Ballet, and Terra Firma Dance Company.
Jeanine York-Garesche is a clarinetist and pianist affiliated with the University of Missouri-St. Louis (UMSL), Webster University, and the Community Music School of Webster University. She is a member of professional organizations such as the Ladies Friday Musical Club and ACME (Mu Phi Epsilon branch). Education : Bachelor’s from University of Nebraska-Lincoln; Master of Music in performance from St. Louis Conservatory. Performance Roles : Plays professionally with Union Avenue Opera, Metropolitan Orchestra of St. Louis, Fox Theatre Orchestra, Equinox Chamber Players, Trio Bella, and serves as a replacement player with the St. Louis Symphony and Opera Theatre of St. Louis. Research & Artistic Focus : Specializes in Music Performance , Chamber Music , and Clarinet Studies , with experience in Jazz Performance and Contemporary Chamber Music . Awards : Owen Miller Award, Musician’s Association of St. Louis (2014) Teaching : A sought-after private instructor and chamber music coach, her students have excelled in Missouri’s District and State competitions. She also serves as a substitute keyboard player at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church of Ferguson. Former Engagements : Fort Wayne Philharmonic, Illinois Symphony, Quintessence Woodwind Quintet, Synchronia contemporary chamber music ensemble. Residency & Collaborations : Clarinetist in residence at Kneisel Hall Chamber Music Festival; participant at the 2008 International Clarinet Convention.
Hye-Young Kim is an active collaborative pianist and coach affiliated with the Conservatory of Music at Chapman University. Known for her work across diverse repertoire and ensembles, she maintains strong ties with institutions like Pacific Symphony and USC Thornton School of Music. Education: Master of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts in Keyboard Collaborative Arts from USC, tutored by Dr. Alan L. Smith. Her career spans international performances in South Korea, Taiwan, Japan, Austria, Italy, Cuba, and the U.S., with appearances on radio and television. She has collaborated with renowned conductors like Carl St. Clair and contributed to opera productions at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts. Awards: Gwendolyn Koldofsky Scholarship Award (4 consecutive years) As an adjunct faculty member, Dr. Kim provides instrumental and vocal coaching while continuing her collaborative work with Pacific Symphony.
Tommy Novak (Carthage College alumnus, Class Year ’11, M.M. ’20) is a multifaceted theatre professional with a double major in Theatre Performance and Directing, followed by a Master’s in Music Theater Vocal Pedagogy. They currently hold pivotal non-academic roles at Lyric Opera of Chicago, including Super Captain and Third Assistant Stage Manager, while occasionally teaching part-time or guest lecturing at their alma mater.
