Terron Brooks, guest vocalist

TERRON BROOKS is a singer-songwriter, recording artist, actor, motivational speaker, author and producer who has credits from the Broadway stage, Simba in Disney’s The Lion King and Seaweed in Hairspray, to the television screen’s Curb Your Enthusiasm, American Idol, The Voice, and The Ellen DeGenerous Show. Based in Los Angeles, Terron has had the great opportunity to perform at The Ahmanson(The Secret Garden), The Pantages (The Lion King, Hairspray) and The Hollywood Bowl(Kinky Boots). Mr. Brooks has traveled the country with Disney in Concert Symphony Orchestra. He’s best remembered for his critically acclaimed portrayal of Eddie Kendricks in the Emmy Award winning NBC miniseries The Temptations. He is a two time NAACP image award nominee for best supporting actor and an Ovation nominee for best featured actor. Terron has sung with world class artists Stevie Wonder, David Foster, Phil Collins, One Republic, and Smokey Robinson. He is the co-creator and star of The Soul of Broadway, reimagining classic Broadway favorites, and has produced, written and recorded his own records available digitally everywhere. Terron’s first book Something GoOD on the Table is featured on Amazon.com

---

Website: https://www.terronbrooksofficial.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/terronbrooks

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/terronbrooks/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/tempteddie

---

Upcoming Performances

Shayna Steele, guest vocalist

Dynamic vocalist Shayna Steele puts new meaning to musical diversity and grass-roots talent. With Shayna’s effortless execution of a multitude of genres from soul to blues and jazz and rock and roll, it’s no surprise that she is one of the most in-demand singers in the industry today!

In 2023 Shayna debuted her solo symphony show, American Diva, with the prestigious Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, featuring orchestral arrangements of her original music and favorite covers by Grammy-winning conductor and composer Jeff Tyzik. Shayna has performed as the guest soloist with over 40 North American symphony orchestras including Dallas, Nashville, Detroit, Oregon, St. Louis, Fort Worth, Utah, Omaha, Hawaii, Milwaukee, Grand Rapids, Pittsburgh, Reno, Buffalo, Vancouver, Florida, Tucson, Augusta, Long Beach, Louisville, Virginia, Sarasota, Santa Barbara, North Carolina and the list goes on and on.

Throughout her career, Shayna has lent her talent to leading artists such as Grammy-winning trumpeter, Chris Botti and Moby, whose tracks Raining Again, Disco Lies, and Extreme Ways, featured Shayna’s blockbuster vocals. Snarky Puppy’s Michael League handpicked Shayna’s original track, Gone Under, for inclusion in their huge hit, Family Dinner, Volume 1 album (Ropeadope Records) which has become a viral sensation with over 2 million views and countless covers from musicians globally. And no stranger to both the small and silver screens, Shayna has sung on the Hairspray, the Bourne Identity, and Sex and the City 2 soundtracks, as well as making a guest appearance on The Sopranos!

After spending her early years living mainly in Germany as the daughter of an Air Force master sergeant, Shayna spent her teen years in Biloxi, Mississippi, where she honed her musical theater and vocal talent. Her appearance on Star Search with Ed McMahon provided a bigger spotlight for her and, after leaving college, found herself in New York City appearing in the smash hit musical, RENT, as well as Jesus Christ Superstar, and then her original role in the massive Tony Awarding winning musical, Hairspray!

She then moved out on her own, providing background vocals for Bette Midler, Rihanna, and Kelly Clarkson, and appeared with countless A list stars. After going solo, writing, and putting her band together, Shayna released her album, RISE, in 2015 (Ropeadope Records), reaching #2 on the U.S. iTunes jazz charts. Shayna has done the work with her dynamic voice breathing life into what has become Gold Dust, her fourth studio album released in 2023.

"My new work reflects my connection with my daughter, social justice, coming up from the ashes (post Covid) and newfound freedom from isolation. The darkness did not swallow me whole, and I’m grateful to be back."-

Gold Dust on Ropeadope Records was released April 2023 and is available on all streaming platforms, CD and vinyl.

Visit www.shaynasteele.com

---

Website: http://www.shaynasteele.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shaynasteelemusic

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shaynasteele

Youtube: https://youtube.com/@ShaynaSteeleChannel?si=BEk56NKSEz-1fk_h

---

Upcoming Performances

Chester Gregory, guest vocalist

Chester Gregory is an award winning singer and actor. He was last seen starring in Motown The Musical as the iconic Berry Gordy. Broadway credits include Motown the Musical, Hairspray, Tarzan, Cry-Baby and Sister Act. Other credits include August Wilson's Fences and Two Trains Running. He has toured nationally with Dreamgirls, Sister Act, as well as his one-man show The Eve of Jackie Wilson. Chester has received many awards, including the Jeff Award and a NAACP Theatre Award, and has been presented the key to the city of his hometown of Gary, Indiana and in East Chicago. He has also been chosen as an Honorary State Representative of Indiana and has received a Honorary Doctorate from his alma mater Columbia College Chicago. He is currently producing several projects and recordings. Add him on social media @ChesterGregory and chestergregory.com

---

Website: https://www.chestergregory.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100050689170301

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chestergregory

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@OFFICIALCHESS

---

Upcoming Performances

Audrey Wright, violin

Audrey Wright is a multifaceted artist across solo, chamber music, and orchestral realms. She joined the New York Philharmonic in 2022 and has been the concertmaster of the Baltimore Chamber Orchestra since 2018. She previously served as associate concertmaster of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. Wright has performed across the globe in venues such as Carnegie Hall, Boston Symphony Hall, London’s Royal Albert Hall, Saint Petersburg Philharmonia, and the Vatican, and has been a soloist with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Baltimore Chamber Orchestra, New World Symphony, and Cape Symphony Orchestra. With a passion for innovative programming and juxtaposing a wide range of musical styles, her repertoire spans the early 17th century to the modern day, and her performing experience includes the full spectrum of these musical styles, from period performance practice to the premiering of new and personally commissioned works. Her debut album, Things In Pairs, with pianist Yundu Wang, was released on Navona Records in 2022.

Originally from Cape Cod, Massachusetts, Wright developed a love of ensemble and collaborative playing from a young age. During her high school years, she went on several international tours with youth orchestras in the Boston area, attended the prestigious Walnut Hill School of Performing Arts, and was on the national radio program From the Top. As a recurring participant in the Verbier Festival since 2012, she has performed with the Verbier Festival Orchestra and Verbier Festival Chamber Orchestra, and has been concertmaster under the direction of Gábor Takács-Nagy, Michael Tilson Thomas, Kent Nagano, Iván Fischer, and Charles Dutoit. Wright was a Violin Fellow in the New World Symphony from 2013–14, and a member of the Excelsa Quartet from 2014–16. As the Fellowship String Quartet at the University of Maryland, Excelsa Quartet performed and competed internationally, working closely with members of the Guarneri, Emerson, St. Lawrence, and Juilliard quartets.

Wright has performed on such chamber music series as Meeting House Chamber Music, Jackson Hole Chamber Music, Manchester Summer Chamber Music, Great Lakes Summer Chamber Music Festival, and in many concerts in the mid-Atlantic area, including Chiarina Chamber Players, Community Concerts at Second, Pro Musica Rara, Hood College Chamber Music, and the Smithsonian Chamber Music Society, where she has performed on a number of the exquisite instruments in the Smithsonian Instrument Collection. She has worked closely with musicians Mayron Tsong, Paul Watkins, Roberto González-Monjas, Russell Hartenberger, Roger Tapping, John Heiss, John Gibbons, and Yundu Wang, as well as chamber ensembles such as the Axelrod String Quartet, Borromeo String Quartet, Boston Trio, and NuDeco Ensemble. Having worked extensively with artists across other disciplines, she also regularly collaborates with multidisciplinary artist and husband Geoff Robertson on innovative projects that often incorporate dazzling displays of light and sound.

In addition to performing, Wright is a passionate teacher and chamber music coach, and has developed a specialty in coaching and giving masterclasses on orchestral audition excerpts. In 2020 she released a YouTube series of excerpt tutorial videos that has become a widely used resource for musicians worldwide. She was the Director of the Homewood Chamber Music Seminar at Johns Hopkins University from 2017–18, has coached chamber music at the University of Maryland, and maintains a small studio of private students.

Wright holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the New England Conservatory of Music and a doctoral degree from the University of Maryland. Her primary teachers have included David Salness, Lucy Chapman, Bayla Keyes, and Magdalena Richter. She plays on a 1753 J.B. Guadagnini violin generously on loan from the Alsop Trust.

---

Website: https://audreywrightviolin.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/audreywrightviolin

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/audreywrightviolin

---

Upcoming Performances

Branford Marsalis, saxophone

BRANFORD MARSALIS HAS STAYED THE COURSE.  FROM HIS EARLY ACCLAIM AS A SAXOPHONIST BRINGING NEW ENERGY AND NEW AUDIENCES TO THE JAZZ ART, HE HAS REFINED AND EXPANDED HIS TALENTS AND HIS HORIZONS AS A MUSICIAN, COMPOSER, BANDLEADER AND EDUCATOR – A 21ST CENTURY MAINSTAY OF ARTISTIC EXCELLENCE.

Classical music inhabits a growing portion of Branford’s musical universe. A frequent soloist with classical ensembles, Branford has become increasingly sought after as a featured soloist with such acclaimed orchestras as the New York and Los Angeles Philharmonics, the Chicago, Detroit, Düsseldorf, and North Carolina Symphonies and the Boston Pops, with a growing repertoire that includes compositions by Debussy, Glazunov, Ibert, Mahler, Milhaud, Rorem, Vaughn Williams, and John Williams.

Under the direction of conductor Gil Jardim, Branford Marsalis and members of the Philharmonia Brasileira toured the United States in the fall of 2008, performing works by Brazilian composer Heitor Villa-Lobos, arranged for solo saxophone and orchestra. This project commemorated the 50th Anniversary of the revered Brazilian composer’s death. He first appeared with the New York Philharmonic in the summer of 2010, and was again invited to join them as soloist in their 2010‐2011 concert series where he unequivocally demonstrated his versatility and prowess, bringing “a gracious poise and supple tone… and an insouciant swagger” (New York Times) to the repertoire. In 2013, Branford served as Creative Director for the Ascent Series of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra which included two week-long residencies as well as a number of concerts with the CSO. Once again partnering with an esteemed ensemble for a tour of the United States, Branford joined the highly celebrated Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia in Marsalis “Well-Tempered” on a 20-city US tour in the fall of 2014, performing Baroque masterpieces by Albinoni, Bach, Handel, Vivaldi and others. Raising the bar yet again, Branford took on the challenging Saxophone Concerto by composer John Adams, performing the piece with the Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Maestro Edwin Outwater, in October 2015.

To begin 2016, Branford traveled to Germany for a concert with the prestigious Bayerische Staatsoper at the National Theatre in Munich performing an array of selections including Ter Velduis’ Tallahatchie Concerto. He then returned to Asia twice in the spring of 2016, first for his debut collaboration with the City Chamber Orchestra of Hong Kong, followed by a trip to Kuala Lumpur where he performed two concerts with the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra at the Petronas Twin Towers. The fall of 2016 saw Branford returning to his home state of Louisiana where he was invited to be a guest soloist with the Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra, presenting works by John Williams and Heitor Villa Lobos. Over the next few years, he performed with numerous esteemed ensembles including the Detroit Symphony, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the Baltimore Symphony and Jacksonville Symphony. He further traveled around the world performing with orchestras in Canada, Denmark, Australia, and France.

Emerging from the global pandemic in January 2022 Branford first returned to the New York Philharmonic to perform John Adam’s Saxophone Concerto, which highlighted his incredible agility and the instrument’s lyrical voice. Branford then launched a tour with the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, in a program which explored the intersectionality of jazz and classical music with repertoire selections including Debussy’s jazz-inspired Rhapsody for alto saxophone and chamber orchestra. Later that year, he performed John Williams’ Escapades in Tanglewood’s celebration of Williams’ 90th birthday. In 2023 Branford performed with symphonies in Miami, Greensboro, Toledo and Corpus Christi, as well as with the Warsaw Philharmonic and Calgary Philharmonic. He also traveled to Tokyo and Kyoto to perform with the Makoto Ozone group in Japan. Mr. Marsalis recently composed a symphony commissioned by the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra, which premiers March 2024.

---

Website: https://www.branfordmarsalis.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/branfordmarsalis

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/branfordmarsalis/

---

Upcoming Performances

Alex Boyer, tenor

Tenor ALEX BOYER is steadily gaining recognition for his commanding voice and dramatic portrayals of the lyric and spinto tenor repertoire. Hailed by the San Francisco Chronicle for Festival Opera’s production of Pagliacci, Boyer “mustered a large, potent sound that brought a welcome measure of anguish and dark menace to the role of Canio; his delivery of the famous showpiece ‘Vesti la giubba’ lacked nothing in the way of grit and vocal power.”

Most recently, he has been seen as Tichon in Janáček's Káťa Kabanová with West Edge Opera, Cassio in Otello and Cavaradossi in Tosca with Livermore Valley Opera, Cavaradossi with Hawaii Opera Theatre and as Captain Ahab in Jake Heggie's Moby Dick with Chicago Opera Theater. 

Other engagements include covering the roles of Ruggero in La Rondine with the Metropolitan Opera; Pollione in Norma, Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly, and Ahab in Moby Dick with the Dallas Opera; performing the roles of the Abbot in Andrea Chénier and Remendado in Carmen with San Francisco Opera; Rodolfo in La bohème and the Duke of Mantua in Rigoletto with Island City Opera; Marcello in Leoncavallo's La bohème and Alwa in Lulu in the acclaimed West Edge Opera production. 

He is an alumnus of the Merola Opera Program and the Santa Fe Opera Apprentice Program for Singers.

---

Website: https://www.alexboyertenor.com/

---

Upcoming Performances

Kindra Scharich, mezzo-soprano

Mezzo-soprano Kindra Scharich has been praised by the San Francisco Chronicle for her “fearless technical precision,” “deep-rooted pathos” and “irrepressible musical splendor.” As a dedicated recitalist, she has performed more than 250 art songs in 15 languages, and enjoys the full complement of recital, concert and opera engagements alike.

Ms. Scharich has sung more than 40 roles from Monteverdi to Philip Glass, and has been engaged in a number of premières and new works, including: John Adam’s Antony & Cleopatra (San Francisco Opera), Bright Sheng’s Dream of the Red Chamber (San Francisco Opera), Laura Kaminsky’s Today it Rains (Opera Parallèle), and Missy Mazzoli’s Breaking the Waves (West Edge Opera, west coast première). Scharich’s recordings include: In meinem Himmel: The Mahler Song Cycles, with the Alexander String Quarter (2018), Everyone SangL Vocal Music of David Conte (2018), To my Distant Beloved, with pianist Jeffrey LaDeur (2020), Nepomuceno Overseas, with pianist Ricardo Ballestero (2021) and To the Western Sea: Remembering Ursula K. Le Guin (2021).

---

Website: https://www.kindrascharich.com/

---

Upcoming Performances

Georgiana Adams, soprano

American soprano, Georgiana Adams is an artist committed to passionate and esteemed musical storytelling. This season she will debut as a featured vocal soloist with San Francisco Ballet in a program entitled Mere Mortals and will join the Modesto Symphony for Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony.

A first-year Adler Fellow with the San Francisco Opera, she participated in the 2023 Merola Opera Program, singing Anna in scenes of Kevin Puts’ Silent Night in the Schwabacher Summer Concert, covering the role of Female Chorus in the Rape of Lucretia, and performing operatic scenes of Wagner and Mozart with the San Francisco Opera Orchestra on the Merola Grand Finale Concert.

 A recent graduate of the Juilliard School, Adams earned her master’s degree in music in the spring of 2023 and was awarded the Stephen Novick Grant for Career Advancement. During the 2022-2023 season, Adams made her Alice Tully Hall debut singing songs of Respighi, and made her role debut as Donna Anna in Mozart’s Don Giovanni with Chautauqua Opera Conservatory. With the Julliard Opera Theater, she performed the roles of Littler Sister in Missy Mazzoli’s Proving Up, Ciesca in Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi, and covered the titular role in Suor Angelica. Other roles include Countess Almaviva in Le Nozze di Figaro, Lady Billows in Britten’s Albert Herring, and the Dewfairy in Hansel and Gretel.

Adams is a proud winner of the San Francisco District of the 2024 Metropolitan Opera’s Laffont Competition and was the winner of the 2020 Casa Italia Vocal Competition in her hometown of Chicago, Illinois.

---

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/georgiana_adams/

---

Upcoming Performances

Matt Boehler, bass

Hailed as “a bass with an attitude and the goods to back it up,” by The New York Times and praised by the San Francisco Classical Voice for music that “harnesses considerable expressive power,” bass and composer Matt Boehler is known in the world of opera for his captivating, dynamic performances and his long-earned reputation as an inventive collaborative artist.

Matt’s calendar over the past several years has included engagements at some of classical music’s most prestigious venues. He has sung at The Metropolitan Opera in both Iolanta and The Nose, Théâtre Royal de La Monnaie in Daphne, Canadian Opera Company in The Magic Flute, and Santa Fe Opera in the world premiere of The Lord of Cries (Corigliano/Adamo).

During the 2023-2024 season, the bass will sing Frére Laurent in Toledo Opera’s production of Roméo et Juliette, as well as Gounod’s St. Cecilia Mass in La Crosse, Wisconsin. 2022-2023 saw Boehler’s role debut as Figaro in Madison Opera’s Le nozze di Figaro and returns to Madison Symphony for Beethoven’s 9th Symphony, National Symphony Orchestra for Bernstein’s Mass and Des Moines Metro Opera for The Love for Three Oranges and The Falling and the Rising (Redler/Dye). He also reprised the role of Van Helsing for the studio recording of The Lord of Cries with the GRAMMY-winning Boston Modern Orchestra Project. During the 2021-2022 season, Matt made his Florida Grand Opera debut in Rigoletto, debuted with Austin Opera in Fidelio, and returned to Des Moines Metro Opera for A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

A frequent collaborator in contemporary opera, Matt has premiered roles in Becoming Santa Claus (Adamo) with Dallas Opera and Chicago Opera Theater, Acquanetta (Gordon/Artman) with Prototype Festival, and Elizabeth Cree (Puts/Campbell) with Opera Philadelphia, among several others.
Recent seasons have displayed Matt’s versatility in a great array of repertoire, from Osmin in The Abduction from the Seraglio with Lyric Opera of Kansas City to Il Cieco in Iris with Bard Summerscape and Rocco in Fidelio with Madison Opera. He has been met with acclaim as Méphistophélès with Michigan Opera Theater (now Detroit Opera) and as Osmin with Des Moines Metro Opera, as well as the Hotel Manager in Powder Her Face with New York City Opera and Festival Opéra de Quèbec. He made his role debut as Baron Ochs in Der Rosenkavalier with Victory Hall Opera, where he is an ensemble member as both singer and composer. While an ensemble member at Theater St. Gallen in Switzerland, Matt excelled in staples of the bass repertoire like Leporello in Don Giovanni and Daland in Der fliegende Holländer, while embracing rarities such as Baldassare in Donizetti’s La favorita and Catalani’s La Wally. 

Equally at home on the concert stage, he has appeared as soloist with the New York Philharmonic, American Symphony Orchestra, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C., Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, Minnesota Orchestra, Jacksonville Symphony, Portland Baroque Orchestra, and Oratorio Society of New York. In recital, he has been seen in several critically acclaimed performances with the New York Festival of Song and has concertized at the Spoleto Festival USA and with the Lotte Lehmann Foundation. His discography reflects his enthusiasm for new music and includes recordings of several world premieres by John Musto, William Bolcom and Michael Dellaira, as well as being featured on albums of song by Stefan Wolpe and David Conte.

Hailing from Minneapolis, Minnesota, Matt now proudly claims the San Francisco Bay Area as his home. He trained as an actor at Viterbo College, an opera singer at the Juilliard School, and as a composer at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. 

---

Website: https://www.mattboehler.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mattboehlerishere/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/in.sta.matt/

---

Upcoming Performances

Nicholas Hersh, conductor

American conductor Nicholas Hersh has earned critical acclaim for his innovative programming and natural ability to connect with musicians and audiences alike.

In the 2023-24 season, Hersh returns to the National, Houston, Baltimore, Colorado, and New Jersey Symphonies, while making debuts with the Springfield Symphony and Wintergreen Festival. Recent include engagements with the Detroit, Grand Rapids, New World, North Carolina, Phoenix, Portland (ME), Richmond, Tucson, Utah, and Winston-Salem symphony orchestras, Louisiana and Rochester Philharmonics, and the Florida and Sarasota Orchestras.

Over a remarkable tenure as Associate Conductor of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Hersh created the BSO Pulse series, through which he brought together indie bands and orchestral musicians in unique collaborations; he led the BSO in several subscription weeks, and concerts in and around Baltimore; and he directed the BSO’s educational and family programming, including the celebrated Academy for adult amateur musicians. Hersh also maintains a close relationship with the National Symphony Orchestra, leading concerts throughout Washington, D.C. He stepped in to replace an indisposed Yan Pascal Tortelier, on subscription, to great acclaim.

Hersh is frequently in demand as an arranger and orchestrator, with commissions from orchestras around the globe for adaptations of everything from classical solo and chamber music to popular songs. His orchestration of Beethoven’s Cello Sonata Op. 69 was premiered by the Philharmonie Zuidnederland in January 2022, while his symphonic arrangement of Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody continues to see worldwide success as a viral YouTube hit. He also serves as arranger and editor for the James P. Johnson Orchestra Edition.

Hersh grew up in Evanston, Illinois and started his musical training as a cellist. He earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Music from Stanford University and a Master’s Degree in Conducting from the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. Hersh is also a two-time recipient of the Solti Foundation Career Assistance Award. Nicholas lives in Philadelphia with his wife Caitlin and their two cats, and in his free time enjoys baking (and eating) sourdough bread.

---

Website: http://www.nicholashersh.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063225878694

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicholashersh/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/NicholasHersh

---

Upcoming Performances

Tai Murray, violin

Described as “superb” by The New York Times, violinist Tai Murray has established herself a musical voice of a generation.“Technically flawless… vivacious and scintillating… It is without doubt that Murray’s style of playing is more mature than that of many seasoned players… “ (Muso Magazine)

Appreciated for her elegance and effortless ability, Murray creates a special bond with listeners through her personal phrasing and subtle sweetness. Her programming reveals musical intelligence. Her sound, sophisticated bowing and choice of vibrato, remind us of her musical background and influences, principally, Yuval Yaron (a student of Gingold & Heifetz) and Franco Gulli. Winner of an Avery Fisher Career Grant in 2004, Tai Murray was named a BBC New Generation Artist (2008 through 2010). As a chamber musician, she was a member of Lincoln Center’s Chamber Music Society II (2004-2006).

She has performed as guest soloist on the main stages world-wide, performing with leading ensembles such as the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, Royal Liverpool Symphony Orchestra, and all of the BBC Symphony Orchestras. She is also a dedicated advocate of contemporary works (written for the violin). Among others, she performed the world premiere of Malcolm Hayes’ violin concerto at the BBC PROMS, in the Royal Albert Hall.

As a recitalist Tai Murray has visited many of the world’s capitals having appeared in Berlin, Chicago, Hamburg, London, Madrid, New York’s Carnegie Hall, Paris and Washington D.C., among many others.

Tai Murray’s critically acclaimed debut recording for harmonia mundi of Ysaye’s six sonatas for solo violin was released in February 2012. Her second recording with works by American Composers of the 20th Century was released by the Berlin-based label eaSonus and her third disc with the Bernstein Serenade on the French label mirare.
Tai Murray plays a violin by Tomaso Balestrieri fecit Mantua ca. 1765, on generous loan from a private collection.

Murray is an Assistant Professor, Adjunct, of violin at the Yale School of Music, where she teaches applied violin and coaches chamber music. She earned artist diplomas from Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music and the Juilliard School.

---

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/violinsinstyle/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/taimurrayviolin/

---

Upcoming Performances

Ashley Brown, vocalist

Ashley Brown originated the title role in “Mary Poppins” on Broadway for which she received Outer Critics, Drama League and Drama Desk nominations for Best Actress.  Ms. Brown also starred as Mary Poppins in the national tour of Mary Poppins where she garnered a 2010 Garland award for “Best Performance in a Musical”. Ms. Brown’s other Broadway credits include Belle in "The Beauty and The Beast", and she has starred in the national tour of Disney's "On The Record". Ashley recently returned to the Lyric Opera of Chicago to star in the role of Laurey in “Oklahoma”.   She previously played Magnolia opposite Nathan Gunn in Francesca Zembello’s “Showboat” at the Lyric Opera of Chicago.

Ashley has performed with virtually all of the top orchestras in North America including the Boston Pops, the New York Philharmonic, The Hollywood Bowl Orchestra at Disney Hall, The Pittsburgh Symphony, the New York Pops at Carnegie Hall (three times), Fort Worth Symphony, the Cincinnati Pops, Philadelphia Orchestra (two times), the Milwaukee Symphony, the Indianapolis Symphony (three times), Seattle Symphony, the Houston Symphony, Vancouver Symphony, and the Philly Pops. She has also performed with the BBC orchestra opposite Josh Groban.

Ashley made her solo concert debut at The Kennedy Center as part of Barbara Cook’s Spotlight Series, and has appeared in New York City at prestigious venues including Feinstein’s at the Regency and Birdland.  Other projects include a star turn at the La Jolla Playhouse in a production of “Limelight”,  “Sound of Music” at the St. Louis MUNY which garnered her a Kevin Kline award, and her own PBS special called “Ashley Brown: Call Me Irresponsible” which received a PBS Telly Award. Ms. Brown’s long awaited album of Broadway and American Songbook standards is available on Ghostlight/Sony. Ashley is a graduate of the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music.

---

Website: https://www.ashleybrownonline.com/home

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AshleyBrownonline/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashleybrownyall/?hl=en

---

Upcoming Performances

Alessio Bax, piano

Combining exceptional lyricism and insight with consummate technique, Alessio Bax is without a doubt “among the most remarkable young pianists now before the public” (Gramophone). He catapulted to prominence with First Prize wins at both the Leeds and Hamamatsu International Piano Competitions, and is now a familiar face on five continents, not only as a recitalist and chamber musician, but also as a concerto soloist who has appeared with more than 150 orchestras, including the London, Royal, and St. Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestras, the New York, Boston, Dallas, Cincinnati, Seattle, Sydney, and City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestras, and the NHK Symphony in Japan, collaborating with such eminent conductors as Marin Alsop, Vladimir Ashkenazy, Sir Andrew Davis, Fabio Luisi, Sir Simon Rattle, Yuri Temirkanov, and Jaap van Zweden.

Bax constantly explores many facets of his career. He released his eleventh Signum Classics album, Italian Inspirations, whose program was also the vehicle for his solo recital debut at New York’s 92nd Street Y as well as on tour. He recently debuted with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, playing Schumann Concerto and the Seattle Symphony with Saint-Saëns’ Second Piano Concerto and embarked on a trio tour of Spain with violinist Joshua Bell and cellist Steven Isserlis. Bax and his regular piano duo partner, Lucille Chung, gave recitals at New York’s Lincoln Center and were featured with the St. Louis Symphony and Stéphane Denève. He has also toured extensively with Joshua Bell and presented the complete works of Beethoven for cello and piano with cellist Paul Watkins in New York City.

Bax revisited Mozart’s K. 491 and K. 595 concertos, as heard on Alessio Bax Plays Mozart, for his recent debuts with the Boston and Melbourne Symphonies, both with Sir Andrew Davis, and with the Sydney Symphony, which he led himself from the keyboard. In addition, Bax made his solo recital debut at London’s Wigmore Hall, and give concerts at L.A.’s Disney Hall, Washington’s Kennedy Center, and New York’s Carnegie Hall. As a renowned chamber musician, he recently collaborated with Joshua Bell, Ian Bostridge, Lucille Chung, Steven Isserlis, Daishin Kashimoto, Sergei Nakariakov, Emmanuel Pahud, Lawrence Power, Jean-Guihen Queyras, Paul Watkins and Tabea Zimmermann. Since 2017 he has been the Artistic Director of the Incontri in Terra di Siena Festival, a Summer Music Festival in the Val d’Orcia region of Tuscany. He appears regularly in festivals such as Seattle, Bravo Vail, Salon-de-Provence, Le Pont in Japan, Great Lakes, Verbier, Ravinia and Music@Menlo. In 2009, he was awarded an Avery Fisher Career Grant, and four years later he received both the Andrew Wolf Chamber Music Award and the Lincoln Center Award for Emerging Artists.

Bax’s celebrated Signum Classics discography includes Beethoven’s “Hammerklavier” and “Moonlight” Sonatas (a Gramophone “Editor’s Choice”); Beethoven’s “Emperor” Concerto; Bax & Chung, a duo disc with Lucille Chung; Alessio Bax plays Mozart, recorded with London’s Southbank Sinfonia; Alessio Bax: Scriabin & Mussorgsky (named “Recording of the Month … and quite possibly … of the year” by MusicWeb International); Alessio Bax plays Brahms (a Gramophone “Critics’ Choice”); Bach Transcribed; and Rachmaninov: Preludes & Melodies (an American Record Guide “Critics’ Choice 2011”). Recorded for Warner Classics, his Baroque Reflections album was also a Gramophone “Editor’s Choice.” He performed Beethoven’s “Hammerklavier” Sonata for Daniel Barenboim in the PBS-TV documentary Barenboim on Beethoven: Masterclass, available on DVD from EMI.

At the record age of 14, Bax graduated with top honors from the conservatory of Bari, his hometown in Italy, and after further studies in Europe, he moved to the United States in 1994. A Steinway artist, he lives in New York City with pianist Lucille Chung and their daughter, Mila. He was invited to join the piano faculty of Boston’s New England Conservatory in the fall of 2019.

---

Website:http://www.alessiobax.com/

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/alessiobax

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alessiobax/?ref=badge

---

Upcoming Performances

Darryl Williams, guest vocalist

Darryl Jovan Williams is the Gold Medalist of the Americans Traditions Savannah Onstage International Soloist Competition. It was this competition that earned Williams a Gold Medal, a Ten Thousand Dollar Grand Prize, and an offer to sing for the Yachting Event for the 1996 Summer Olympics.

Darryl is a celebrated artist around the world. Darryl was invited to tour Eastern Europe as the Choir Director and guest soloist by the late Mr. Michael Brenner, one of Germany’s elite promoters, in the European Tour of Queen Esther Marrow and The Harlem Gospel Singers. His vocal prowess gained him rave reviews and won him the opportunity to perform for Pope (now Saint) John Paul II in Bologna, Italy.

Mr. Williams has toured extensively in the Broadway hit Smokey Joe’s Cafe with the legendary Gladys Knight and was a fixture at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. Darryl has also created background vocals and sung background for artists such as Gladys Knight, Leslie Gore, Ann Nesby, Louis St. Louis, and Emmy Award winner Dave Pierce and most recently Michael Bublé. His performance and background vocals with Leslie Gore at Fienstein’s was lauded as one of the Top Ten Cabaret Shows in 2009.

A frequent soloist with symphony orchestras, Darryl’s recent and upcoming engagements include performances with Houston Symphony, Seattle Symphony, Baltimore Symphony, Utah Symphony, Chicago Philharmonic, Louisville Orchestra, Allentown Symphony, Chautauqua Symphony, among others.

Darryl has recently been the co-music arranger and vocal arranger for Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber. He was also the vocal arranger for the much-anticipated hit Jesus Christ Superstar Gospel, which won him rave reviews for his portrayal as Judas. Williams was recently a semi-finalist at the world-famous Apollo Theatre. He was most recently seen as the lead in Passing Strange and in a one man show written for him by Broadway legend Mr. Timothy Graphenreed. He is presently touring the world in his own show, The Mind of a Tenor, which has toured on Cruise ships and most recently South Africa.

---

Website: https://www.darryljwilliams.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DarrylJSings/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/DarrylJWilliams/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClPjfCf-q_hf366EMbreKyQ

---

Upcoming Performances

Capathia Jenkins, guest vocalist

The Brooklyn-born and raised singer/actor, Capathia Jenkins, premiered her new show, She’s Got Soul, with the Houston Symphony in October 2022, with upcoming performances including Cleveland Orchestra, Seattle Symphony, Baltimore Symphony, Utah Symphony, Colorado Springs Philharmonic, Asheville Symphony, Arkansas Symphony, Tucson Symphony, Phoenix Symphony, Calgary Philharmonic, among others.

Ms. Jenkins starred as ‘Medda’ in the hit Disney production of Newsies on Broadway. She made her Broadway debut in The Civil War, where she created the role of Harriet Jackson. She then starred in the Off-Broadway 2000 revival of Godspell, where she wowed audiences with her stirring rendition of ‘Turn Back, O Man’ which can still be heard on the original cast recording. She returned to Broadway in The Look of Love and was critically acclaimed for her performances of the Bacharach/David hits. Ms. Jenkins then created the roles of ‘The Washing Machine’ in Caroline, Or Change and ‘Frieda May’ in Martin Short-Fame Becomes Me where she sang ‘Stop the Show’ and brought the house down every night. In 2007 she went back to Off-Broadway and starred in (mis) Understanding Mammy-The Hattie McDaniel Story for which she was nominated for a Drama Desk Award. She was also seen in Nora Ephron’s Love, Loss, and What I Wore.

An active concert artist, Ms. Jenkins has appeared with numerous orchestras around the world including the Cleveland Orchestra, Houston Symphony, Pittsburgh Symphony (with Marvin Hamlisch), National Symphony, Cincinnati Pops (with John Morris Russell), Philly Pops, San Francisco Symphony, Seattle Symphony, Utah Symphony, Minnesota Orchestra, Toronto Symphony, San Diego Symphony, the Hong Kong Philharmonic, and many others. She was also a soloist with the Festival Cesky Krumlov in the Czech Republic multiple times. Capathia had the great honor of performing in the ‘Broadway Ambassadors to Cuba’ concert as part of the Festival De Teatro De La Habana. She will be returning to Carnegie Hall with the New York Pops for Get Happy: That Nelson Riddle Sound and also sang in a Tribute to Marvin Hamlisch at the Library of Congress.

Her Television credits include 30 Rock, the Practice, Law & Order SVU, the Sopranos, Law & Order, as well as on her critically acclaimed CD Phenomenal Woman with Louis Rosen and her most recent single, ‘I am Strong’. She can be seen in the film ‘Musical Chairs’ directed by Susan Seidelman. Ms. Jenkins was also seen in The Wiz in a live performance on NBC. She can be heard on the following film soundtracks: Nine, Chicago, Legally Blonde 2.

---

Website: www.capathiajenkins.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/capathianyc

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/capathianyc/

---

Upcoming Performances

Jennifer Lindsay, soprano

Lyric soprano Jennifer Lindsay has been widely praised for her gorgeous tone and musical intelligence.

As Mimì in La Bohème with Opera Connecticut, she was lauded for her “plummy voice” by the Connecticut Town Times, and VOICE Magazine called her a “standout singer” for her portrayal of the pivotal character Mary Warren in Robert Ward’s The Crucible with Opera Santa Barbara.  Ms Lindsay joined the Metropolitan Opera as a member of the ensemble in a new and wildly popular production of Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess, which received a GRAMMY Award for Best Opera Recording. Equally at home in the contemporary music scene, Ms Lindsay has appeared with the LA Philharmonic in conjunction with Beth Morrison Projects to perform excerpts from John Adams’ I Was Looking At The Ceiling And Then I Saw The Sky, conducted by the composer. She debuted the role of Lucha in the world premiere of HOPSCOTCH with The Industry, directed by Pulitzer Prize-nominee Yuval Sharon, and performed the role of Tasha in excerpts from Dylan Mattingly’s modern opera Stranger Love at the biannual FIRST TAKE contemporary music festival co-hosted by The Industry and wildUp, Christopher Roundtree’s acclaimed new music ensemble. Ms Lindsay has also been a featured soloist with the San Diego Symphony, the Pacific Symphony, and the Bakersfield Symphony Orchestra. She currently resides in Orange County.

---

Website: http://jenniferlindsaymusic.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JenniferLindsayMusic/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/JenniferLindsayMusic

---

Upcoming Performances

Maria Dominique Lopez, mezzo soprano

Praised as “a rich-voiced mezzo” (Operawire) and “a real tour-de-force” (Splash Magazine), Mexican-American mezzo soprano Maria Dominique Lopez has sung operatic roles and symphonic works throughout the United States and Europe for over a decade. Additionally, Maria has recorded vocals for independent films and major motion pictures, including Golden Globe and Academy Award-Winning Disney/Pixar film, “Coco,” and New Line Cinema’s horror film, “The Curse of La Llorona.” Recent stage appearances include Houston Grand Opera: Opera to Go! (Madrina/Madrastra, Cinderella in Spain), Arizona Opera (Dritte Dame, Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte; Bonita, Arizona Lady), Phoenix Symphony (mezzo soloist, Vaughan Williams’ Magnificat), Resonance Works / Pittsburgh (Candelas, de Falla’s El Amor Brujo), Opera Memphis (Third Lady, Mozart’s The Magic Flute), Pacific Opera Project (Madam Flora, Menotti’s The Medium; Mercédes, Bizet’s Carmen; Musetta, Puccini’s La bohème), the world premiere at The Kennedy Center and the Polish premiere at the Teatr Muzycznys Poznaniu of Jenni Brandon’s 3 Paderewskis (Ignace), the LA premiere of Mark Weiser’s The Place Where You Started (Samantha), New Opera West (Cybil, Celka Ojakangas’ Mirror Game; Jenny, Ben Stevenson’s Recovered; Sara, Jeremy Rapaport-Stein’s The Moose), Southeast Symphony (mezzo soloist, Mahler’s Symphony No. 2), Angels Vocal Art (Principessa, Puccini’s Suor Angelica), Tustin Area Council for the Fine Arts (“Somewhere” soloist, Leonard Bernstein’s West Side Story), Long Beach Opera (mezzo soloist, Ungala Series), and LA Opera’s education outreach company, LA Opera Connects (Waitress/Angela, the world premiere of GG Gallegos’ Another Perfect Day; Rosina, Eli and LeRoy Vilanueva’s Figaro’s American Adventure). Dreams, and Cincinnati Opera (Third Wood Nymph, Dvorak’s Rusalka), but these performances were postponed to a future date due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Pandemic performances include “From Darkness to Light,” a livestream concert in which Maria joined other instrumentalists and vocalists from the Los Angeles area to benefit the SoCal Vocalist Relief Fund, and two online fundraisers for Resonance Works / Pittsburgh. In the Fall of 2020, Maria performed the world premiere of her first collaboration as a lyricist, “The COVID Dance” composed by Celka Ojakangas as part of a concert honoring the Women’s March produced by Resonance Works/Pittsburgh. Upcoming 2022 performances will see a fulfillment of the original contract to return to Resonance Works / Pittsburgh (Rosa, I Am a Dreamer Who No Longer Dreams), and as a soloist in LA Opera’s collaboration with The Huntington Library. A native Arizonan, Maria received her Bachelor of Fine Arts and Master of Music degrees from Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, Arizona. She now lives in the Los Angeles area and owns her own energy healing and reiki practice, Ascending Arts. In addition to energy healing sessions, Maria uses her healing gifts to enhance her music performance in a program called “Sing the Light.” Through “Sing the Light,” Maria offers group Reiki during every live performance to all audience members who are open to receiving. It is her mission to help audience members tap into the transcendental healing that music can offer by creating a quantum connection between the heart of the performer and the heart of the audience member. She is a Senior Fellow in the Eric Fütterer Vocal Studio of Academy of Advanced Vocal Technique, and studies shamanic and energy practices with Shaman and Reiki Master, Jamie Jones.

More on Maria Dominique Lopez at: https://www.ascendingarts.exchange/voice

---

Website: https://www.ascendingarts.exchange/voice

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ascendingarts/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxCNUlxwQ6ZZuFERuvsh-qA/featured

---

Upcoming Performances

Orson Van Gay II, tenor

Operatic Tenor, Orson Van Gay II, possesses a unique voice that captivates the audience with his charisma and command of the stage for a singer of his generation. His performances showcase vocal talents that have brought him constant recognition in Southern California and across the United States.

Recent and Upcoming: In the 2019-20 season, he created the role of Raymond Santana in the world première of Anthony Davis’s Central Park Five (Pulitzer Winning Opera 2021) with Long Beach Opera and made his role debut as Rodolfo in La bohème with Pacific Opera Project. He was Nemorino with the Phoenicia Int. Festival of the Voice and sang the romantic lead of the Young Man in Last Romance with Kansas New Theater. Equally at home as a recitalist, Mr. Van Gay has appeared in the Portsmouth Community Concert, Inc. (VA), the Rio Hondo College and at Carnegie Hall in a recital with Wang Wei. This season included working with Maestro Conlon in a supporting role at LA Opera in their production of Il trovatore and with the LA Philharmonic in their preparation of Fidelio. He debuted as Danilo in Pocket Opera’s The Merry Widow, followed by his debut as The Athlete in the West Coast premiere of, I Can’t Breathe with Pacific Opera Project. He was Vitaliano in Long Beach Opera’s Guistino with James Darrah directing; and reprised his role in The Central Park Five with Long Beach Opera in 2022. He reprised the role of Alfredo in La traviata with Piedmont Opera. Mr. Van Gay is the proud recipient of 2022 inaugural Hurst Artist of the year award.

“Orson Van Gay II was an ardent Alfredo...his sound was fluent and his high notes golden.”

— Broadway World

Mr. Van Gay has sung extensively with the Los Angeles Opera in many venues including their “Connects”, “City of Hope” “IAMLA, series. He debuted the role of Bernard Curson in the world première of Figaro 90210 with the company and was Ramerrez in The Prospector in two different seasons. Other operatic roles include Alfredo (La traviata), Ben (The Night of the Living Dead) and the title roles of Candide and Orpheus.

He joined the Cal Philharmonic Orchestra in celebration of Leonard Bernstein’s 100th anniversary and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 as tenor soloist at Walt Disney Concert Hall. Reviewed by George van Wagner he stated, “beautifully sung and strongly acted...audience members were visibly moved.” He has sung the haunting role of Orlando in The Industry’s nationally acclaimed production of Hopscotch. In addition to performing in the romantic and Germanic languages of opera, Mr. Van Gay was selected to perform in Mandarin last season making his debut with SINO U.S. Performing Arts Organization as tenor soloist for their concert series with performances in Los Angeles and Phoenix, Arizona.

He premiered Golden; a composition based on the life of Polish composer, Igancy Paderewski by Nathan Wang in Los Angeles and sang the role of Prince in the world première of Ricky Ian Gordon’s Morning Star.

He holds a Bachelor of Science in Vocal Performance from Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia and has been honored by the NATS organization in first place on several occasions.

As a native of southern California, Mr. Van Gay is also an actor in several nationally recognized television series. He has been featured in major television commercials and starred on a variety of shows for Netflix; including foreign film and television. He co- starred on the Disney series Coop & Cami Ask the World.

More on Orson Van Gay ll at: http://www.orsonvangay.com

---

Colors of a Lyric by Orson Van Gay II

releases May 14, 2023

“After performing for nearly two decades, I was often asked, "do you have a record available?" I often referred fans to my website or YouTube where they could find highlights from operatic performances. The pandemic gave me the time to reflect and curate some of my favorite arias. I wanted to give the world a sneak peak into the pieces that have helped shape and inspire my journey, as an artist. As a budding musician, I remember listening to the iconic opera singers and thinking, 'this is how I want to connect to humanity!" This has been a labor of love brought to fruition through years of performances. I hope you enjoy.”

---

Website: http://www.orsonvangay.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/orsonvangayii/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TenorOrson/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/orsonv

---

Upcoming Performances

Zachary Gordin, baritone

Praised for his “arresting musical insights”, Zachary Gordin has been active in many facets of the Classical Music industry. He has established himself as a leading baritone soloist, collaborative pianist, conductor, organizational consultant, and artist mentor; training singers who perform in the world's great opera houses and concert halls. 

His debut disc: Amour sans ailes - Songs of Reynaldo Hahn on the MSR Classics label was named "Best Lieder Recording of 2017" by Voix des Arts. On the operatic stage Gordin is well known for his performances of Joseph De Rocher in Jake Heggie’s Dead Man Walking, a role that won him critical acclaim when he premiered it at Dayton Opera in 2015. Other major roles include Count Almaviva in Le Nozze di Figaro, Escamillo in Carmen, Silvio in Pagliacci, Aeneas in Dido and Aeneas, Enrico in Lucia di Lammermoor, and Germont in La traviata. A veteran of the concert and recital stage, Gordin’s recent engagements include performances with San Francisco Symphony, Oakland Symphony, Sacramento Philharmonic, YOSA Philharmonic, Bay Area Rainbow Symphony, Olympic Music Festival, and many others.

“A voice that is commanding and intense without ever descending into coarseness”

— The Seattle Times

During his early childhood, he was inspired by his Great-Grandfather, an organist, and began training as a pianist at a young age. His commitment to education and access to the arts reinforces his work as General and Artistic Director of Festival Opera. He has served on the voice faculty of Sonoma State University and Santa Clara University, as a judge for regional and national voice competitions, and has given master classes at some of the country’s most renowned opera companies and schools. Gordin is also widely recognized as a frequent presence on Barihunks, a site dedicated to physically fit and vocally gifted operatic baritones from around the globe.

---

Website: https://www.zacharygordin.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zgordin/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/zacharygordin

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/zgordin

---

Upcoming Performances

Kaley Ann Voorhees, vocalist

Kaley Ann Voorhees is most known for being the youngest person to play Christine in The Phantom of the Opera, where she made her Broadway debut. She went on to perform in Prince of Broadway, a musical centered around the life and works of legendary director and producer Hal Prince, in both the touring Japanese and Broadway productions. Kaley had the honor of returning to the role of Christine on the international tour of Phantom during their run in Taipei, while it was the only production in the world still performing during the pandemic. Other credits include Candide (New York City Center), and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Amazon TV).

---

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kaleyann_voo/

---

Upcoming Performances