Catherine McDaniel, DMA, is an Associate Professor of Voice at the Bass School of Music, Oklahoma City University. She specializes in operatic performance and vocal pedagogy, with a focus on classical voice, oratorio, and new vocal works. Her teaching includes studio voice and lyric diction. Education: B.M. and M.M. in Voice from Stephen F. Austin State University; D.M.A. in Vocal Performance from the University of Oklahoma, with a dissertation analyzing Edward Knight's Tales Not Told . Professional affiliations include Pi Kappa Lambda, Mu Phi Epsilon, Phi Kappa Phi, and the National Association of Teachers of Singing. Research interests emphasize performance of major operatic roles, oratorio works (e.g., Verdi’s Requiem , Handel’s Messiah ), and championing new vocal compositions. She has performed with organizations such as the Oklahoma City Philharmonic, Fort Smith Symphony Orchestra, and Painted Sky Opera. Awards highlight her competitive success in Metropolitan Opera Auditions and NATA competitions. Students have pursued careers in national tours, major opera companies, and advanced degrees at institutions like New England Conservatory and the University of Missouri-Kansas City.
Professor Brian Ferneyhough is a Visiting Professorial Fellow at the Department of Music, Stanford University. His work focuses on contemporary music composition and theory, characterized by intricate notational practices and avant-garde aesthetics. He has been affiliated with major institutions, including the Institute of Musical Research in London, where he held the ST Lee Visiting Professorial Fellowship (2013-14). Education: ABSM degree, Birmingham School of Music Royal Academy of Music, London Research: Ferneyhough’s compositions, such as Shadowtime (opera) and string quartets, are performed globally. His work explores fragmented musical structures, dislocated events, and layered textures. He has received the Ernst von Siemens Musikpreis and an honorary doctorate from the University of London (2012). Grants & Fellowships: His 2013-14 fellowship at the Institute of Musical Research marked a pivotal period in his career, reflecting his influence in defining contemporary musical aesthetics.
Dr. Mark Marrington is an Associate Professor in Music Production at York St John University, Faculty of Arts. He is a composer, guitarist, and scholar with expertise in musicology of record production, music technology, and 20th-century British art music. His research explores classical guitar recording practices, digital audio workstations (DAW), and heavy metal music aesthetics. He previously taught at Leeds College of Music and the University of Leeds, and has contributed to academic publications on topics ranging from Denis ApIvor's compositional techniques to the role of technology in music production. Research interests include the evolution of classical guitar recording from the early 20th century to today, the impact of DAWs on creativity, and the intersection of technology and heavy metal music. His book *Recording the Classical Guitar* (2021) was a finalist for the ARSC Award. He also serves as a series editor for academic books on music production, including *Gender in Music Production*. Professional activities include roles as an external examiner for several UK universities and contributions to pedagogical guitar publications like *Guitar from Scratch*. His artistic output includes compositions such as *Cars* (2012, created from car sounds) and the *MadeinMIDI* project. He has curated archival materials for Denis ApIvor’s works and lectures widely on topics like metal music production and classical guitar history. Awards: Finalist in 2022 ARSC Award for *Recording the Classical Guitar*. Grants/Projects: Curated the Denis ApIvor archive at University of Leeds, contributed to multiple music technology research initiatives. Labs/Teams: Involved in music production and technology research groups at York St John and collaborating institutions.
Sophia Terazawa is a Visiting Assistant Professor at Virginia Tech's Department of English. A Vietnamese-Japanese poet and performer, she has authored the novel Tetra Nova (2025) and poetry collections Winter Phoenix (2021), Anon (2023), with Oracular Maladies forthcoming (2026). Her work explores ghosts, cultural hybridity, and linguistic experimentation. MFA, University of Arizona BA, Ithaca College Her research focuses on multilingual poetry , hybrid forms , and performance art , blending Vietnamese-Japanese heritage with contemporary poetics. Creative works include cross-disciplinary collaborations like the poetry-ballet crossover Deixis (2025) and editorship of the Wilding Our Damage project. Recent publications span poetry journals ( Mantis , DREGINALD ), critical essays on mistranslation, and her novel Tetra Nova which interrogates border ethics through operatic structure. Themes of trauma, identity, and cultural synthesis recur across her work. Eric Hoffer Book Award Finalist (2024) Sturm Award for Creative Arts (2023) Tomaž Šalamun Prize (2018) She teaches courses in poetry , hybrid forms , and creative writing , and has led community workshops on tarot-poetry and Halloween-themed writing. Professional activities include co-organizing the Mahmoud Darwish marathon reading and judging the MAYDAY Micro-Chapbook Prize.
Dr. Litha Efthymiou is a Senior Lecturer in Composition at the University of West London's London College of Music. Her research focuses on gesture-based modes of expression in contemporary composition and the reinterpretation of medieval music traditions, particularly the Old Hispanic Liturgy. She received her PhD through an ERC-funded project at the University of Bristol and currently contributes to a Dutch Research Council-funded initiative on Iberian Saints at Radboud University. Her work has been supported by prestigious patrons including the Wellcome Trust and Arts Council England. Litha's compositions have premiered at venues like Kings Place, Queen Elizabeth Hall, and The Sage Gateshead, with upcoming works commissioned by the London Symphony Orchestra. She publishes through Edition HH and contributes academic texts to journals such as Contemporary Music Review. Key research themes include: Embodied cognition in musical performance Interdisciplinary approaches to music theatre Historical recontextualization in composition Collaborative creative processes Her recent publications explore: Gesture-driven compositional frameworks Audience perception in immersive environments Medieval chant adaptation techniques Spatial-temporal composition methods Notable collaborations include projects with Martin Scheuregger (music theatre) and Emma Hornby (chant analysis). Litha teaches musical analysis, contemporary composition, and music theatre at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels, serving as module leader for Stylistic Composition and Undergraduate Dissertation.
Benedikte Sofie Ribe is an Assistant Professor (50% position) at the Department of Classical Music and Music Education, University of Agder. Her primary role involves vocal pedagogy and fostering artistic autonomy in students. She holds degrees from the University of Agder, Franz Liszt Academy of Music (Budapest), and Barratt Due, and has trained under renowned vocalists like Leah Frey Rabine. Her artistic career spans operatic performances (e.g., Tosca, Carmen) and collaborations with composers like Helge Iberg on contemporary works. Ribe actively engages in interdisciplinary projects, including the chamber opera Det Lille Livet and the performance Sceneinflammation , emphasizing experiential learning for students. Research & Collaborations Her work bridges classical and contemporary music, focusing on vocal technique, artistic development, and performance psychology. Collaborations include projects with the Oslo Academy of Arts and the Norwegian Academy of Music. Notable publications (2022–2025) explore topics like opera history, AI in music preparation, and artistic self-agency. Awards: Amalienborg Prize, Kristiansand Cultural Prize for Young Artists, and Young Talents Soloist Prize Key Projects: Development of Det Lille Livet with Helge Iberg; Sceneinflammation performance series Grants: Supported by UiA and external arts partnerships Labs/Teams: Leads singing pedagogy initiatives and contributes to UiA’s performance-based research clusters.
David Chaillou is a French composer and Lecturer at the University of Lille (Inspe, Arras site) since 2006. He teaches music education and history of the arts to future primary school teachers, and co-leads doctoral seminars in the Praxis and Aesthetics of the Arts team. His research-creation practice bridges composition, historical analysis, and cultural mediation. Doctorate in Contemporary History (Paris IV-Sorbonne, 2001) Graduate of Conservatoire de Paris (musical acoustics, piano, composition) His research focuses on three axes: (1) contemporary hybrid musical forms intersecting theater and concert; (2) opera for young audiences and educational mediation; (3) 19th-century French opera in political contexts (censorship, propaganda). His compositions have been performed internationally at venues like Mozarteum Salzburg , Moscow Conservatory , and Rome’s Trinità dei Monti Church . Recent projects include the nomination for ICMA 2025 for his monographic CD Natures , the world premiere of Un détour par l'Orient (2022) at Opéra Bastille, and collaborative research-creation initiatives with institutions in Austria, USA, and Taiwan. He directs the artistic association Inimaginaires and has received grants from Fondation Napoléon and Fondation Beaumarchais . Key Awards : Grand Prix de la Fondation Napoléon (2004), SACD/SACEM grants Chaillou’s scientific expertise spans editorial work for Revue de Musicologie , jury roles (e.g., SACEM film music prize), and international conference organization. His publications include a monograph Napoléon et l’Opéra (Fayard, 2004) and edited musical books for children’s opera projects.
Jörg Rothkamm is a Professor at the University of Tübingen's Musicological Institute, with a focus on music-choreography relationships, 20th-century composers, and post-war musicological reconstruction. His roles include Deputy Director (2013–2017), member of editorial boards, and organizer of international symposia. Key Research Areas: Ballet music history, Mahler studies, post-war musicology, film music dramaturgy, gender in composition, genre-specific composition techniques Academic Collaborations: Co-edited Mahler-Gropius correspondence, led DFG projects on academic continuity, and VolkswagenStiftung ballet-choreography research Recent publications analyze Parsifal staging (2023), Russian ballet (2016), and Ligeti's polyrhythmic innovations. Articles emphasize interdisciplinary approaches, historical continuity, and genre-specific compositional strategies in ballet and opera. Notable Awards: Nominations for 'Best Book of the Year' (2024), Hermann-Abert-Preis (2012), Karl H. Ditze-Preis (2002) Students: Supervises/has supervised 12 PhD/Master's candidates, including Fabian Kurze and Angelo Pinto Current projects include the DFG-funded Alma Mahler-Walter Gropius annotated edition and digital teaching material development (BMBF). He leads a team of 6 postdocs, 7 doctoral candidates, and 4 research assistants.
R. Larry Todd is the Arts and Sciences Distinguished Professor of Music at Duke University, affiliated with the Trinity College of Arts & Sciences. His academic career spans over four decades, from his appointment as an Instructor in 1978 to his current role since 1989. He has held leadership positions including Department Chair (1996–2002) and Director of Graduate Studies (2019–2020). Education: Todd earned his B.A., M.Phil., and Ph.D. in Music from Yale University between 1974 and 1979. His scholarly expertise focuses on 19th-century music, particularly Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy and his sister Fanny Hensel. He has written extensively on Mendelssohn’s life, compositions, and historical context, including the acclaimed biography Mendelssohn: A Life in Music (2003). Research interests include Romantic-era composition techniques, performance practice, and the intersection of music with cultural and religious contexts. His work often bridges scholarship and performance, as evidenced by his artistic collaborations in chamber music and piano recitals. Awards: Todd has been honored with prestigious accolades such as the Guggenheim Fellowship (2007), the Deutscher Musikeditions Preis (2008), and the Nicholas Slonimsky Award (2011). His editions of Mendelssohn’s works have been widely praised for scholarly rigor. Teaching: He instructs courses on music history (e.g., Music History III: Beethoven through WWI ), performance studies, and specialized topics like Music in the Classic Era . His mentorship has shaped generations of music scholars. Artistic Performances: Todd actively performs in chamber music recitals, including works by Mendelssohn, Brahms, and Schumann. Notable performances include his 2011 series of Brahms violin sonatas and Mendelssohn cello sonatas across North Carolina venues.
Ian Woodfield is a Professor in the School of Arts, English and Languages at Queen's University Belfast, specializing in Musicology & Composition. He holds a prominent role in the field of classical music history with a particular focus on Mozart's operas and their reception. His research explores topics such as the autograph scores of Mozart's operas, 18th-century musical contexts, and the social history of music in Anglo-Indian societies. Woodfield has conducted significant research on Mozart's comic operas, including Così fan tutte and Don Giovanni , analyzing their structure, libretto-score interactions, and historical performance practices. His projects include studies of early manuscript copies and sources, such as the Prague Conservatory Don Giovanni score and the genesis of Così fan tutte at the King's Theatre in 1789. Key Projects: R1152MUS : The sources of Figaro (2009-2012) R1876MUS : A Study of the Early Manuscript Copies of Mozart's Don Giovanni (2007) R1809SON : A Study of the Early Manuscript Copies of Mozart's Don Giovanni (2006-2008) His publications and invited lectures span over three decades, focusing on topics such as Mozart's reception in London, the role of women amateur musicians in Anglo-Indian society, and the methodology of page-break analysis in operatic manuscripts. Woodfield has advised three supervised works, though specific student names are not listed. His research has been recognized through international collaborations and presentations at institutions like the Internationale Stiftung Mozarteum in Salzburg and King's College London.
Dr. Tamsin Alexander is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Music at Goldsmiths, University of London, and Director of the Centre for Russian Music. Her research focuses on intersections of music, politics, and technology in 19th- and 20th-century Europe, with special attention to Russian musical culture's transnational dissemination. She has published widely on Russian opera's global reach, Soviet audiovisual culture, and the sensory histories of lighting in 19th-century performance spaces. Education: PhD (Musicology) from the University of Cambridge (2015), MPhil (Music) from Selwyn College, Cambridge (2009), and BMus (hons) from King's College London (2008). Research interests include sensory history, opera's cultural politics, and the technological evolution of musical performance. Notable works include Cosmopolitan Connections: Yevgeny Onegin in Nice (2023) and co-editing Tsarist Russia and the Musical World (2023). She has contributed to BBC Radio 3 and curated exhibits at the Barbican Music Library. Grants: 2024 Early Career Research Fund Award from Goldsmiths. Recent articles explore topics like electric lighting's impact on London concerts and collaborative processes behind Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring . PhD supervision focuses on Soviet musicology, transnational opera history, and 20th-century compositional practices. Current advisees research Prokofiev's Fiery Angel and Dutch Jewish composers under Nazi occupation. She leads the Centre for Russian Music, fostering interdisciplinary projects on Russian musical heritage and its global influence.
Dr. Alexis Bennett is a Lecturer in Music at Goldsmiths, University of London and a visiting supervisor at the University of Cambridge. She holds a PhD from Goldsmiths, following studies at the University of Edinburgh, Royal College of Music, and Guildhall School. Her research focuses on audiovisual media, folk music, early music, and British film music of the 1930s. She was the 2016–17 Edison Fellow at the British Library Sound Archive and has published extensively on film music history and cultural studies. Her work spans academic writing, composition, and performance, including collaborations with poets and filmmakers. Notable publications include Cultural Crossroads: British Film Music in the 1930s (2019 thesis) and articles in Popular Music , Journal of Film Music , and Music, Sound, and the Moving Image . She serves as Reviews Editor for Music, Sound, and the Moving Image and on the editorial board of Facta Universitatis: Visual Arts and Music . As a composer, Bennett has created scores for films and operas, such as The Electrictionary (2015). She performs with early music ensembles and is active in the folk scene. Teaching roles include courses on music in film, composition, and media studies at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Her research explores intersections between music, film, and cultural history, with a focus on British cinematic practices and their historical contexts.
Professor Alexandra Wilson is a musicologist and cultural historian at Oxford Brookes University's School of Arts, specializing in Italian opera and British operatic culture from 1900 to the present. She has received prestigious awards including the American Musicological Society's Lewis Lockwood Award and a Leverhulme Major Research Fellowship. Co-Director of OBERTO opera research unit Research Coordinator for Music at Oxford Brookes Teaches music history modules with focus on opera Her research explores opera's cultural-political dimensions, reception history, and intersections between high/low culture. Current projects examine British opera elitism stereotypes and modernity in 20th-century opera. She actively engages public audiences through BBC broadcasts, opera company collaborations, and media writing. Recent publications analyze Italian opera's role in British cultural identity and opera's representation in film/literature. Awards include Brookes Research Excellence Award and British Academy funding. She contributes to opera program essays, pre-performance talks, and media commentary for leading UK companies.
Micaela Baranello is an Assistant Professor in Music Studies at Temple University's Boyer College of Music and Dance. Her research focuses on 19th-to-21st-century opera and musical theater staging, particularly intersections with social justice and identity. She holds a PhD from Princeton University, supported by a Mellon/ACLS fellowship and Fulbright grant. Her book The Operetta Empire: Music Theater in Early Twentieth-Century Vienna (UC Press, 2021) explores Austro-Hungarian operetta's role in national identity formation and was honored as a CHOICE Outstanding Academic Title in 2022. Baranello's academic journey includes prior faculty positions at the University of Arkansas and Swarthmore College. She has produced operas through Opera Fayetteville, including Arkansas premieres of Dark Sisters and Glory Denied . Her teaching spans Western art music, opera history, and musical theater, with advising focus on topics like Mahler's translation studies and gender diversity in clarinet repertoire. Education: PhD/MA (Princeton University, Musicology), BA (Swarthmore College, Music) Professional Roles: Reviews Editor for Opera Quarterly , Council Member of the American Musicological Society Research Interests: Weimar Berlin culture, Richard Strauss's operas, emigré composers in America Her scholarly work appears in Journal of the American Musicological Society , Cambridge Opera Journal , and Financial Times , alongside popular writings in New York Times covering major festivals like Bayreuth and Aix-en-Provence. She actively engages in cultural critique addressing contemporary opera's ethical and social dimensions.
Chiwei Hui is an Associate Professor and Director of Choral Activities at the University of Wisconsin-Stout, affiliated with the College of Arts & Human Sciences and the School of Art & Design’s Visual & Performing Arts Department. He is a composer, conductor, and performer whose work bridges contemporary and early music traditions. D.M.A. in Music Composition/Choral Conducting, University of Wisconsin-Madison M.M. in Music Composition and Choral Conducting, University of Oregon B.A. in Music Composition and Computer Science, University of Wisconsin-Madison Dr. Hui's research and artistic interests focus on contemporary choral music , early music , historically informed performance practices , and arts entrepreneurship . His work emphasizes interdisciplinary creativity, audience engagement, and innovative presentation of music. He blends humor and serious artistry, described as “seriously fun” with “accomplished contrapuntal texture.” His compositions span orchestral, chamber, choral, and operatic forms, often exploring cultural and technological themes. His recent compositions reflect a strong trend in contemporary choral music with interdisciplinary and global influences. Works like Hands , Stars , and Wired For Love demonstrate engagement with modern social themes, technology, and cross-cultural narratives. The repertoire includes sacred texts, folk adaptations, and original satirical operas, indicating a broad creative scope. His music has been performed internationally and featured in festivals such as the World Saxophone Congress and Society of Composers conferences. Dr. Hui has received notable recognition including: Robert Helps Prize (2008) for Of Water & Love Commission featured at the World Saxophone Congress As a conductor and mentor, he directs the UW-Stout Choirs, Schola Cantorum of Eau Claire, and Chippewa Valley Festival Choir. He has premiered works by emerging composers and fostered student-led projects, such as the moon landing-themed concert script developed by a student team. He has also secured support from the Baldrige Cross-Disciplinary Collaboration Committee, highlighting his success in obtaining academic and artistic grants. Dr. Hui leads several ensembles including the Schola Cantorum of Eau Claire , the first early music chamber choir in northern Wisconsin, UW-Stout Choirs , Chippewa Valley Festival Choir , and collaborates with the Madison Early Music Festival and Eliza’s Toyes . These groups emphasize historically informed performance and community engagement, bridging academic and public audiences.
