BRIAN MOLL
DIRECTOR OF BERLIN LIEDER ACADEMY & FESTIVAL
LIEDER COACH
Brian Moll is Chair of the Piano and Collaborative Piano departments at the Longy School of Music of Bard College in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where he teaches classes in chamber music, vocal repertory and diction. He is also on the faculty of the Boston Conservatory and the New England Conservatory of Music, where he is instructor or repertoire courses and a coach for the opera department. As a keyboardist he has worked with Emmanuel Music, Boston Baroque, and the Handel & Haydn Chorus and Orchestra and has also served as Assistant Conductor for productions by Boston Lyric Opera, Opera North and Boston Midsummer Opera. He has appeared in the ‘Strings in the Mountains Festival” in Colorado, and at the New Hampshire Music Festival and has been on the summer faculty of the Lied Austria Program in Graz.
A magna cum laude graduate of Hamilton College, Moll earned further degrees from the Hochschule für Musik in Vienna, Austria and the University of Michigan School of Music, where he studied with Martin Katz. While in Vienna, he earned diplomas with distinction in piano and organ and also taught as a Fulbright teaching assistant. He has given recitals as a pianist and organist in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France, Bulgaria, France, and throughout the United States, and has appeared with singers Barbara Kilduff, Barbara Quintiliani, Sheri Greenawald, Wolfgang Brendel, Sir Thomas Allen, Kevin Deas, Yeghishe Manucharyan, and Kelly Kaduce. Moll has appeared in such prestigious halls as Vienna’s Mozartsaal, the Haydnsaal at the Esterhazy Castle in Eisenstadt, Austria, Tokyo’s Lilia Hall, and Boston’s Jordan Hall.
Brian Moll is the Whiting Fellowship Recipient (Harvard University).
DIRECTOR OF BERLIN LIEDER ACADEMY & FESTIVAL
LIEDER COACH
Brian Moll is Chair of the Piano and Collaborative Piano departments at the Longy School of Music of Bard College in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where he teaches classes in chamber music, vocal repertory and diction. He is also on the faculty of the Boston Conservatory and the New England Conservatory of Music, where he is instructor or repertoire courses and a coach for the opera department. As a keyboardist he has worked with Emmanuel Music, Boston Baroque, and the Handel & Haydn Chorus and Orchestra and has also served as Assistant Conductor for productions by Boston Lyric Opera, Opera North and Boston Midsummer Opera. He has appeared in the ‘Strings in the Mountains Festival” in Colorado, and at the New Hampshire Music Festival and has been on the summer faculty of the Lied Austria Program in Graz.
A magna cum laude graduate of Hamilton College, Moll earned further degrees from the Hochschule für Musik in Vienna, Austria and the University of Michigan School of Music, where he studied with Martin Katz. While in Vienna, he earned diplomas with distinction in piano and organ and also taught as a Fulbright teaching assistant. He has given recitals as a pianist and organist in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France, Bulgaria, France, and throughout the United States, and has appeared with singers Barbara Kilduff, Barbara Quintiliani, Sheri Greenawald, Wolfgang Brendel, Sir Thomas Allen, Kevin Deas, Yeghishe Manucharyan, and Kelly Kaduce. Moll has appeared in such prestigious halls as Vienna’s Mozartsaal, the Haydnsaal at the Esterhazy Castle in Eisenstadt, Austria, Tokyo’s Lilia Hall, and Boston’s Jordan Hall.
Brian Moll is the Whiting Fellowship Recipient (Harvard University).
PROF. BYRON KNUTSON
MASTERCLASS FACULTY, BERLIN LIEDER AKADEMIE & FESTIVAL
MUSIC DIRECTOR & CONDUCTOR, DIE WALKÜRE
Byron Knutson studied piano, conducting, composition and acting in his hometown of Winnipeg, Canada, and in the United States. After completing the Artist Diploma in Opera Coaching at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, he was appointed Visiting Professor of Song Interpretation at Albion College in Michigan.
In 1999, Mr. Knutson moved to Germany, where until 2010 he worked in the opera houses in Kiel, Halle and Augsburg, conducting operatic repertoire from baroque to contemporary, including operetta, musicals and ballet.
In 2010, Mr. Knutson took over the musical direction of the young artist program at the Komische Oper Berlin. While at the KOB, Mr. Knutson conducted works by Handel, Mozart, Weill, Ginastera and a critically acclaimed production of Phlip Glass’ Les enfants terribles directed by Felix Seiler.
Mr. Knutson’s has worked with conductors such as Paolo Arrivabeni (Bellini’s La Straniera; Theater an der Wien), Friedemann Layer (Der Rosenkavalier) Johannes Kalitzke (World Premiere, Olga Neuwirth’s American Lulu), Patrick Lange (Rigoletto), Carl St. Clair (Aribert Reimann’s Lear), Sebastian Lang-Lessing (Der Rosenkavalier, National Center for the Performing Arts, Beijing), Christian Curnyn (Castor et Pollux), Lü Jia (Tannhäuser, Beijing). Mr. Knutson has also prepared the casts of Reimann’s Lear and Die Gespenstersonate for productions at Theater an der Wien and in Tokyo.
Mr. Knutson frequently gives Masterclasses in North America, Europe and China.
In 2015 Mr. Knutson was appointed Professor of Operatic Studies at the Hanns Eisler Conservatory in Berlin.
MASTERCLASS FACULTY, BERLIN LIEDER AKADEMIE & FESTIVAL
MUSIC DIRECTOR & CONDUCTOR, DIE WALKÜRE
Byron Knutson studied piano, conducting, composition and acting in his hometown of Winnipeg, Canada, and in the United States. After completing the Artist Diploma in Opera Coaching at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, he was appointed Visiting Professor of Song Interpretation at Albion College in Michigan.
In 1999, Mr. Knutson moved to Germany, where until 2010 he worked in the opera houses in Kiel, Halle and Augsburg, conducting operatic repertoire from baroque to contemporary, including operetta, musicals and ballet.
In 2010, Mr. Knutson took over the musical direction of the young artist program at the Komische Oper Berlin. While at the KOB, Mr. Knutson conducted works by Handel, Mozart, Weill, Ginastera and a critically acclaimed production of Phlip Glass’ Les enfants terribles directed by Felix Seiler.
Mr. Knutson’s has worked with conductors such as Paolo Arrivabeni (Bellini’s La Straniera; Theater an der Wien), Friedemann Layer (Der Rosenkavalier) Johannes Kalitzke (World Premiere, Olga Neuwirth’s American Lulu), Patrick Lange (Rigoletto), Carl St. Clair (Aribert Reimann’s Lear), Sebastian Lang-Lessing (Der Rosenkavalier, National Center for the Performing Arts, Beijing), Christian Curnyn (Castor et Pollux), Lü Jia (Tannhäuser, Beijing). Mr. Knutson has also prepared the casts of Reimann’s Lear and Die Gespenstersonate for productions at Theater an der Wien and in Tokyo.
Mr. Knutson frequently gives Masterclasses in North America, Europe and China.
In 2015 Mr. Knutson was appointed Professor of Operatic Studies at the Hanns Eisler Conservatory in Berlin.
CAROL MASTRODOMENICO
VOICE FACULTY
Carol Mastrodomenico maintains an active schedule as a guest soloist with choruses, orchestras and other ensembles. She excels in the interpretation of oratorio, and has appeared recently in Poulenc’s Gloria, Beethoven’s Mass in C and Ninth Symphony, Brahms’ Requiem, Haydn’s Lord Nelson Mass, Mozart’s Coronation Mass and Requiem, Mahler’s Second Symphony, Mendelssohn’s Psalm 42, Handel’s Messiah, Vivaldi’s Gloria, and Fauré’s Requiem.
Ms. Mastrodomenico is an accomplished recitalist, and has recently performed programs ranging from premieres of contemporary music to cabaret programs involving interaction with the audience. She recently toured England with her production of John Morrison’s Jane Austin’s History of England singing the role of Emce. She premiered John McDonald’s Put this in your Pipe and Speech Made by Music with the Essex Chamber Players, and premiered Ellen Bender’s Five Emily Dickinson Songs during New England Conservatory’s Contemporary Festival. Other noted composers she has worked with include Robert DiDomenica and David Leisner. Ms. Mastrodomenico has a great love for Spanish Repertoire, and enjoys programing Spanish and particularly Argentinian songs to introduce the repertoire to her recital audiences.
A champion of vocal chamber music, she has worked with noted musicians premiering new works at contemporary festivals sponsored by BMOP and composer groups at Tufts University and Longy School of Music of Bard College. She has been invited to perform at the Tanglewood Music Center, Jordan Hall, Faneuil Hall, the Warebrook Contemporary Music Festival, the Boston Vocal Artists Series, the 1794 Meeting House concert Series in New Salem, and the Music at Noon Concert Series at the Swedenborg Chapel.
Ms. Mastrodomenico is the stage director of both the Tufts University Opera Ensemble and the Longy School of Music of Bard College’s Opera Theater at Longy. Recent productions she has directed include Le Nozze di Figaro, Der Zwerg, L’amico Fritz, Gianni Schicchi, Three Sisters who are not Sisters, Three Penny Opera, Dido and Aeneas, Old Maid and the Thief, Amelia Goes to the Ball, Riders to the Sea, Gallantry, The Telephone and Doctor Miracle. Ms. Mastrodomenico is a passionate advocate for newly composed works. With the Tufts Opera Ensemble, she commissioned and directed the world premieres of Knave of Hearts by Vartan Aghababian in 2013 and No Onions, nor Garlic by Thomas Stumpf in 2014. With the Longy Opera Workshop, she commissioned and directed the world premiere of Jane Austen’s History of England by John Morrison in 2014. It is her hope to commission a new opera work every year.
Ms. Mastrodomenico is just as passionate about vocal pedagogy and teaching voice. She has participated in panel discussions by the Boston NATS (National Association of Teachers of Singing) Chapter on the different elements of "Teaching Men to Sing", and was invited by the Western Massachusetts NATS chapter to give a solo presentation on Teaching Men. Her master classes at the Classical Singer Convention, Regional NATS workshops and area Colleges are widely attended. At her invitation, renowned pedagogue Ken Bozeman spoke in the Boston area about the Pedagogical Applications of Vocal Acoustics for teaching voice. She developed and annually taught a vocal curriculum for string performers at the Heifetz International Summer Institute in Staunton, Virginia, US.
Ms. Mastrodomenico’s students can be heard singing throughout the United States, Europe, and South America. They have been accepted into graduate and undergraduate programs at Julliard, Manhattan School of Music, New England Conservatory of Music, Eastman School of Music, University of Colorado at Boulder, University of Texas at Austin, University of North Texas, Cleveland Institute of Music, University of Miami, Frost School of Music, Michigan State University, University of Maryland at College Park, Ithaca College, Guild Hall and The Royal Academy of Music in London. Her singers regularly attend young artist programs at Houston Grand Opera Outreach Program, Central City, Berlin Song Festival, Edinburgh Music Festival and Halifax Opera Festival.
Ms. Mastrodomenico received her Master of Music degrees in Vocal Performance and Vocal Pedagogy at New England Conservatory of Music. She is on the voice faculties of Longy School of Music of Bard College and Tufts University.
VOICE FACULTY
Carol Mastrodomenico maintains an active schedule as a guest soloist with choruses, orchestras and other ensembles. She excels in the interpretation of oratorio, and has appeared recently in Poulenc’s Gloria, Beethoven’s Mass in C and Ninth Symphony, Brahms’ Requiem, Haydn’s Lord Nelson Mass, Mozart’s Coronation Mass and Requiem, Mahler’s Second Symphony, Mendelssohn’s Psalm 42, Handel’s Messiah, Vivaldi’s Gloria, and Fauré’s Requiem.
Ms. Mastrodomenico is an accomplished recitalist, and has recently performed programs ranging from premieres of contemporary music to cabaret programs involving interaction with the audience. She recently toured England with her production of John Morrison’s Jane Austin’s History of England singing the role of Emce. She premiered John McDonald’s Put this in your Pipe and Speech Made by Music with the Essex Chamber Players, and premiered Ellen Bender’s Five Emily Dickinson Songs during New England Conservatory’s Contemporary Festival. Other noted composers she has worked with include Robert DiDomenica and David Leisner. Ms. Mastrodomenico has a great love for Spanish Repertoire, and enjoys programing Spanish and particularly Argentinian songs to introduce the repertoire to her recital audiences.
A champion of vocal chamber music, she has worked with noted musicians premiering new works at contemporary festivals sponsored by BMOP and composer groups at Tufts University and Longy School of Music of Bard College. She has been invited to perform at the Tanglewood Music Center, Jordan Hall, Faneuil Hall, the Warebrook Contemporary Music Festival, the Boston Vocal Artists Series, the 1794 Meeting House concert Series in New Salem, and the Music at Noon Concert Series at the Swedenborg Chapel.
Ms. Mastrodomenico is the stage director of both the Tufts University Opera Ensemble and the Longy School of Music of Bard College’s Opera Theater at Longy. Recent productions she has directed include Le Nozze di Figaro, Der Zwerg, L’amico Fritz, Gianni Schicchi, Three Sisters who are not Sisters, Three Penny Opera, Dido and Aeneas, Old Maid and the Thief, Amelia Goes to the Ball, Riders to the Sea, Gallantry, The Telephone and Doctor Miracle. Ms. Mastrodomenico is a passionate advocate for newly composed works. With the Tufts Opera Ensemble, she commissioned and directed the world premieres of Knave of Hearts by Vartan Aghababian in 2013 and No Onions, nor Garlic by Thomas Stumpf in 2014. With the Longy Opera Workshop, she commissioned and directed the world premiere of Jane Austen’s History of England by John Morrison in 2014. It is her hope to commission a new opera work every year.
Ms. Mastrodomenico is just as passionate about vocal pedagogy and teaching voice. She has participated in panel discussions by the Boston NATS (National Association of Teachers of Singing) Chapter on the different elements of "Teaching Men to Sing", and was invited by the Western Massachusetts NATS chapter to give a solo presentation on Teaching Men. Her master classes at the Classical Singer Convention, Regional NATS workshops and area Colleges are widely attended. At her invitation, renowned pedagogue Ken Bozeman spoke in the Boston area about the Pedagogical Applications of Vocal Acoustics for teaching voice. She developed and annually taught a vocal curriculum for string performers at the Heifetz International Summer Institute in Staunton, Virginia, US.
Ms. Mastrodomenico’s students can be heard singing throughout the United States, Europe, and South America. They have been accepted into graduate and undergraduate programs at Julliard, Manhattan School of Music, New England Conservatory of Music, Eastman School of Music, University of Colorado at Boulder, University of Texas at Austin, University of North Texas, Cleveland Institute of Music, University of Miami, Frost School of Music, Michigan State University, University of Maryland at College Park, Ithaca College, Guild Hall and The Royal Academy of Music in London. Her singers regularly attend young artist programs at Houston Grand Opera Outreach Program, Central City, Berlin Song Festival, Edinburgh Music Festival and Halifax Opera Festival.
Ms. Mastrodomenico received her Master of Music degrees in Vocal Performance and Vocal Pedagogy at New England Conservatory of Music. She is on the voice faculties of Longy School of Music of Bard College and Tufts University.
ALEXANDRA VON ROEPKE
GERMAN LANGUAGE & DICTION COACH
Alexandra von Roepke is a versatile, internationally-recognised mezzo-soprano from Berlin, at home both on opera stages in Europe and Asia, as well as in concert halls such as Leipzig's Gewandhaus and Berliner Philharmonie and other venues including the Vatican.
While training as an actress at the Volksbühne in Berlin she by chance discovered she possessed a rich vocal talent. She spent twelve years in Italy, where she completed an extensive period of study, including at the renowned Conservatorio di Santa Cecilia in Rome from which she
graduated with exceptionally high academic and artistic merit, and under the private tutelage of the incomparable Christa Ludwig, Sergio Oliva, a renowned conductor at the Teatro dell'Opera in Rome, and Francesca Patanè, the world famous soprano. Her ability to intimately identify with a range of musical roles, both vocally and as a performer, is outstanding, as audiences and critics regularly agree to be the case. Her repertoire is extensive, from Pergolesi to Belcanto to Verdi, Mozart to Wagner and Richard Strauss to John Cage, although lately she has focused more specifically upon late romantic and modern repertoire. Alexandra von Roepke has appeared in numerous productions to date, mainly in Italy and Germany (including at Berliner Staatsoper, Deutsche Oper Berlin, Komische Oper Berlin and Berliner Philharmonie), but also outside Europe, including in Japan.
As a writer of librettos she has enjoyed the privilege of collaborating with several composers and won a prize for the Youth Opera „Inside Out“. She has been demonstrating her vast experience of both Italian and German music and language since 1996, when she also began teaching the German language and translating from and to both Italian and English, alongside her already
burgeoning career as an opera singer. She has additionally been a vocal teacher since 1999. During this period she has taught both privately and in language schools (including in partnership with companies such as Bosch, Siemens, Fiat and BMW and with several international embassies, including those of Canada and New Zealand), as well as at Freie Universität Berlin and with music schools and academies in Germany and Italy, and conducted numerous masterclasses, both language-focused and musical. Lately she has directed academic programs in Berlin on the works of Richard Wagner and has given concert lectures on Gustav Mahler’s Lied von der Erde in the United States, in New York City and Concord/NH in 2018 and 2019 respectively. In 2021, she also collaborated with several Japanese universities and conservatoires to provide five intensive courses on the subject of diction and pronunciation in the German Lieder repertoire via Zoom to students and professors alike.
In her teaching she not only aims to convey the words, structures and skills necessary for speaking the German language, but also a deep knowledge of their origins and the reasons for their unique characteristics, to allow her students to profoundly master and own this language, among the most spoken and musically performed languages globally.
GERMAN LANGUAGE & DICTION COACH
Alexandra von Roepke is a versatile, internationally-recognised mezzo-soprano from Berlin, at home both on opera stages in Europe and Asia, as well as in concert halls such as Leipzig's Gewandhaus and Berliner Philharmonie and other venues including the Vatican.
While training as an actress at the Volksbühne in Berlin she by chance discovered she possessed a rich vocal talent. She spent twelve years in Italy, where she completed an extensive period of study, including at the renowned Conservatorio di Santa Cecilia in Rome from which she
graduated with exceptionally high academic and artistic merit, and under the private tutelage of the incomparable Christa Ludwig, Sergio Oliva, a renowned conductor at the Teatro dell'Opera in Rome, and Francesca Patanè, the world famous soprano. Her ability to intimately identify with a range of musical roles, both vocally and as a performer, is outstanding, as audiences and critics regularly agree to be the case. Her repertoire is extensive, from Pergolesi to Belcanto to Verdi, Mozart to Wagner and Richard Strauss to John Cage, although lately she has focused more specifically upon late romantic and modern repertoire. Alexandra von Roepke has appeared in numerous productions to date, mainly in Italy and Germany (including at Berliner Staatsoper, Deutsche Oper Berlin, Komische Oper Berlin and Berliner Philharmonie), but also outside Europe, including in Japan.
As a writer of librettos she has enjoyed the privilege of collaborating with several composers and won a prize for the Youth Opera „Inside Out“. She has been demonstrating her vast experience of both Italian and German music and language since 1996, when she also began teaching the German language and translating from and to both Italian and English, alongside her already
burgeoning career as an opera singer. She has additionally been a vocal teacher since 1999. During this period she has taught both privately and in language schools (including in partnership with companies such as Bosch, Siemens, Fiat and BMW and with several international embassies, including those of Canada and New Zealand), as well as at Freie Universität Berlin and with music schools and academies in Germany and Italy, and conducted numerous masterclasses, both language-focused and musical. Lately she has directed academic programs in Berlin on the works of Richard Wagner and has given concert lectures on Gustav Mahler’s Lied von der Erde in the United States, in New York City and Concord/NH in 2018 and 2019 respectively. In 2021, she also collaborated with several Japanese universities and conservatoires to provide five intensive courses on the subject of diction and pronunciation in the German Lieder repertoire via Zoom to students and professors alike.
In her teaching she not only aims to convey the words, structures and skills necessary for speaking the German language, but also a deep knowledge of their origins and the reasons for their unique characteristics, to allow her students to profoundly master and own this language, among the most spoken and musically performed languages globally.
ANASTASIA INNISS,
FOUNDER & ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
CASTING DIRECTOR & PRODUCER, DIE WALKÜRE
CAREER DEVELOPMENT FACULTY
Anastasia Inniss is a multifaceted artist whose career bridges performance and executive leadership in the classical music. With over two decades of experience, she is internationally recognized as both a commanding performer and a visionary arts leader, celebrated for her work in education, production, and cultural advocacy across Europe and the U.S.
As a performer, Ms. Inniss has appeared in leading roles across major festivals and opera companies, including Judith in Bartok's A kékszakállú herceg vára (Grimeborn Opera Festival London); Woglinde in Wagner's Das Rheingold (Berliner Wagner Gruppe); Elsa in Wagner's Lohengrin (Berliner Wagner Gruppe); Ariadne in Strauss's Ariadne auf Naxos (Edinburgh Fringe Festival), Violetta in Verdi's La Traviata (Central Florida Lyric Opera; New London Opera Players, Fine Arts Chorale & Orchestra) Governess in Britten's Turn of the Screw (Opera Seria), Donna Anna in Mozart's Don Giovanni (Opera Seria, Edinburgh Fringe Festival), Nedda in Leoncavallo's Pagliacci (Central Florida Lyric Opera), Micaëla and Frasquita in Bizet's Carmen, under the directorship of late legendary soprano Licia Albanese (Central Florida Lyric Opera); Contessa in Mozart's Le nozze di Figaro (Central Florida Lyric Opera), Serpina in Pergolesi's La serva padrona (Berliner Philharmonie Kammermusiksaal, concertante).
She is a passionate advocate for contemporary music, premiering works by composers such as Vartan Aghababian, Michael Djupstrom, Victoria Ellis, and Eric Sawyer—many written specifically for her. In addition to numerous song cycles and solo concert works with orchestra, she also created the role of Anna von Mildenburg in the new theater piece Geboren Alma Schindler (Berliner Opern Verein); the role of Member of the Chamber in the premiere performance of Eric Sawyer's Our American Cousin (Composers in Red Sneakers); and the title role in the world premiere of Victoria Ellis's multi-media opera Darling (One of Us Foundation). Her concert repertoire includes solo appearances at the Berliner Philharmonie and major venues throughout the U.S. and Europe, performing works such as J.S. Bach's Jauchzet Gott in alles Landen (Berliner Philharmonie), Mein Herze schwimmt im Blut (Old North Concert Series), Magnificat in D (Fine Arts Chorale), Missa brevis in A (Fine Arts Chorale); Mozart's Requiem (Berliner Philharmonie, Fine Arts Chorale), Missa Brevis in F (Sommerville Choir), Exultate Jubilate (Berliner Philharmonie), Vesperae solennes de confessore (Somerville Choir); Händel's Messiah (College Park Players), L'Allego, il Pensieroso, ed il Moderato (Berliner Philharmonie); Pergolesi Stabat mater (Berliner Philharmonie); Schubert's Mass in G (Highnam Choir and Orchestra); Dubois Seven Last Words of Christ (College Park Players); Vivaldi's Gloria (Old North Concert Series); Vaughan Williams's Dona nobis pacem (Tufts University Orchestra, cover); Mendelssohn's Midsummer Night's Dream (Longy Chamber Orchestra); Berg Sieben frühe Lieder (Kirchberg Chamber Music Festival); Mahler Rückert-Lieder (Berlin Song Festival); Strauss Vier letzte Lieder (Berlin Song Festival, Kirchberg Chamber Music Festival, Walbrook Music Trust, Galerieforum am Meer); Villa-Lobos's Bachianas Brasilieras No.5 (Kirchberg Chamber Music Festival) among others.
In parallel, Ms. Inniss is an accomplished executive arts leader, producer and educator with 25+ years of experience across Europe and the United States. She is the co-founder and artistic director of Opera Programs Berlin and Dramatic Voices Program Berlin. In 2024, she was awarded a grant by Centros de Arte, Cultura y Turismo Lanzarote to found and direct the Festival de Ópera & Academia Lanzarote at the UNESCO-protected Jameos del Agua Auditorium. As a founding member, she has also served as artistic director of the Berlin Song Festival, as a consultant and director of education for The Opera Stage, and is a frequent contributor to Classical Singer Magazine, where she writes on sustainability and access in the arts. In addition to this she has worked for Gracenote and Harvard University.
Her leadership work centers on equity and innovation in opera and classical music. She has co-produced initiatives like Trans*Voices— a fully funded tuition-free series of masterclasses and concerts for transgender and non-binary artists — and led scholarship programs for underrepresented communities. Her directing credits span opera, music theatre, and concert works, and she has also worked as a casting director, producer, and costume designer.
An educator, Ms. Inniss has over 25 years of experience teaching voice, vocal repertoire, and vocal pedagogy. She was taught at a college level as well as privately. She has guided the voices of numerous transgender voice professionals and is particularly adept to training voices with complex landscape. She studied at the Longy School of Music at Bard College as a recipient of the Janet Irving Scholarship and holds Neue Start Kultur Grants from the Deutscher Musikrat and Dezentrale Kulturarbeit Reinickendorf.
Ms. Inniss’s producing and casting work includes: Strauss's Ariadne auf Naxos, Berlin, Germany; Strauss's Elektra, Berlin, Germany; The Folk Song Project – Folk Songs for Voice and Steel Drum, online; Wagner's Die Walküre (multi-media film), online; Gebohren Alma Schildler: theatre piece based on the Mahler’s Rückert Lieder, Berlin, Germany; Wagner's Die Walküre, Berlin, Germany; Wagner's Das Rheingold, Berlin, Germany; Trans*Voices Masterclasses & Galas, online; AIDS Quilt Songbook: German Edition (assistant producer), Berlin, Germany; Pathologies of the Image: Sound Installation, Berlin, Germany; Jason Robert Brown: The Last Five Years, Berlin, Germany.
With a foundation in music, theatre, and the visual arts, Ms. Inniss brings a holistic, community-centered approach to her artistic and administrative work—one that reimagines the role of the arts in today’s world.
FOUNDER & ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
CASTING DIRECTOR & PRODUCER, DIE WALKÜRE
CAREER DEVELOPMENT FACULTY
Anastasia Inniss is a multifaceted artist whose career bridges performance and executive leadership in the classical music. With over two decades of experience, she is internationally recognized as both a commanding performer and a visionary arts leader, celebrated for her work in education, production, and cultural advocacy across Europe and the U.S.
As a performer, Ms. Inniss has appeared in leading roles across major festivals and opera companies, including Judith in Bartok's A kékszakállú herceg vára (Grimeborn Opera Festival London); Woglinde in Wagner's Das Rheingold (Berliner Wagner Gruppe); Elsa in Wagner's Lohengrin (Berliner Wagner Gruppe); Ariadne in Strauss's Ariadne auf Naxos (Edinburgh Fringe Festival), Violetta in Verdi's La Traviata (Central Florida Lyric Opera; New London Opera Players, Fine Arts Chorale & Orchestra) Governess in Britten's Turn of the Screw (Opera Seria), Donna Anna in Mozart's Don Giovanni (Opera Seria, Edinburgh Fringe Festival), Nedda in Leoncavallo's Pagliacci (Central Florida Lyric Opera), Micaëla and Frasquita in Bizet's Carmen, under the directorship of late legendary soprano Licia Albanese (Central Florida Lyric Opera); Contessa in Mozart's Le nozze di Figaro (Central Florida Lyric Opera), Serpina in Pergolesi's La serva padrona (Berliner Philharmonie Kammermusiksaal, concertante).
She is a passionate advocate for contemporary music, premiering works by composers such as Vartan Aghababian, Michael Djupstrom, Victoria Ellis, and Eric Sawyer—many written specifically for her. In addition to numerous song cycles and solo concert works with orchestra, she also created the role of Anna von Mildenburg in the new theater piece Geboren Alma Schindler (Berliner Opern Verein); the role of Member of the Chamber in the premiere performance of Eric Sawyer's Our American Cousin (Composers in Red Sneakers); and the title role in the world premiere of Victoria Ellis's multi-media opera Darling (One of Us Foundation). Her concert repertoire includes solo appearances at the Berliner Philharmonie and major venues throughout the U.S. and Europe, performing works such as J.S. Bach's Jauchzet Gott in alles Landen (Berliner Philharmonie), Mein Herze schwimmt im Blut (Old North Concert Series), Magnificat in D (Fine Arts Chorale), Missa brevis in A (Fine Arts Chorale); Mozart's Requiem (Berliner Philharmonie, Fine Arts Chorale), Missa Brevis in F (Sommerville Choir), Exultate Jubilate (Berliner Philharmonie), Vesperae solennes de confessore (Somerville Choir); Händel's Messiah (College Park Players), L'Allego, il Pensieroso, ed il Moderato (Berliner Philharmonie); Pergolesi Stabat mater (Berliner Philharmonie); Schubert's Mass in G (Highnam Choir and Orchestra); Dubois Seven Last Words of Christ (College Park Players); Vivaldi's Gloria (Old North Concert Series); Vaughan Williams's Dona nobis pacem (Tufts University Orchestra, cover); Mendelssohn's Midsummer Night's Dream (Longy Chamber Orchestra); Berg Sieben frühe Lieder (Kirchberg Chamber Music Festival); Mahler Rückert-Lieder (Berlin Song Festival); Strauss Vier letzte Lieder (Berlin Song Festival, Kirchberg Chamber Music Festival, Walbrook Music Trust, Galerieforum am Meer); Villa-Lobos's Bachianas Brasilieras No.5 (Kirchberg Chamber Music Festival) among others.
In parallel, Ms. Inniss is an accomplished executive arts leader, producer and educator with 25+ years of experience across Europe and the United States. She is the co-founder and artistic director of Opera Programs Berlin and Dramatic Voices Program Berlin. In 2024, she was awarded a grant by Centros de Arte, Cultura y Turismo Lanzarote to found and direct the Festival de Ópera & Academia Lanzarote at the UNESCO-protected Jameos del Agua Auditorium. As a founding member, she has also served as artistic director of the Berlin Song Festival, as a consultant and director of education for The Opera Stage, and is a frequent contributor to Classical Singer Magazine, where she writes on sustainability and access in the arts. In addition to this she has worked for Gracenote and Harvard University.
Her leadership work centers on equity and innovation in opera and classical music. She has co-produced initiatives like Trans*Voices— a fully funded tuition-free series of masterclasses and concerts for transgender and non-binary artists — and led scholarship programs for underrepresented communities. Her directing credits span opera, music theatre, and concert works, and she has also worked as a casting director, producer, and costume designer.
An educator, Ms. Inniss has over 25 years of experience teaching voice, vocal repertoire, and vocal pedagogy. She was taught at a college level as well as privately. She has guided the voices of numerous transgender voice professionals and is particularly adept to training voices with complex landscape. She studied at the Longy School of Music at Bard College as a recipient of the Janet Irving Scholarship and holds Neue Start Kultur Grants from the Deutscher Musikrat and Dezentrale Kulturarbeit Reinickendorf.
Ms. Inniss’s producing and casting work includes: Strauss's Ariadne auf Naxos, Berlin, Germany; Strauss's Elektra, Berlin, Germany; The Folk Song Project – Folk Songs for Voice and Steel Drum, online; Wagner's Die Walküre (multi-media film), online; Gebohren Alma Schildler: theatre piece based on the Mahler’s Rückert Lieder, Berlin, Germany; Wagner's Die Walküre, Berlin, Germany; Wagner's Das Rheingold, Berlin, Germany; Trans*Voices Masterclasses & Galas, online; AIDS Quilt Songbook: German Edition (assistant producer), Berlin, Germany; Pathologies of the Image: Sound Installation, Berlin, Germany; Jason Robert Brown: The Last Five Years, Berlin, Germany.
With a foundation in music, theatre, and the visual arts, Ms. Inniss brings a holistic, community-centered approach to her artistic and administrative work—one that reimagines the role of the arts in today’s world.
BRITTA WIELAND, AGENT, Wieland Artists Management
VISITING FACULTY
Britta Wieland completed her vocal studies at the Staatlichen
Hochschule für Musik und Darstellende Kunst in Stuttgart under Prof. Sylvia Geszty and in Cologne under Prof. Josef Protschka. Master classes with KS Brigitte Fassbaender rounded out her training. Engagements took her to the Staatstheater Nürnberg, Theater Aachen, the Wuppertaler Bühnen, and the Stadttheater Pforzheim. In 2005, she worked as an assistant director at the Theater am Kurfürstendamm and then, from 2006 to April 2009, served as assistant to the artistic director of the Berliner Privattheaters Theater und Komödie am Kurfürstendamm. In 2009, she founded the artist agency WIELAND ARTISTS MANAGEMENT BERLIN. Since 2015, Britta Wieland has been a regular guest at music colleges and vocal academies, providing coaching for young singers who want to optimally prepare for a successful entry into the opera and concert business.
In 2019, she founded the Coaching Academy Voice in Progress!. With the VIP! Academy, Britta Wieland advises and supports young as well as experienced artists as a Coach of Artist Development. In addition to mutual vocal and personality coaching, the academy offers competent, individual advice on career development and career advancement.
Since the summer semester of 2023, Britta Wieland has been a lecturer for „Getting into
Business“/Selbstvermarktung“ at the Universität der Künste Berlin, the Hochschule Luzern und an der Hochschule für Musik and the Theater und Medien Hannover.
The Wieland Artists Management represents up and coming as well as well-established artists.
VISITING FACULTY
Britta Wieland completed her vocal studies at the Staatlichen
Hochschule für Musik und Darstellende Kunst in Stuttgart under Prof. Sylvia Geszty and in Cologne under Prof. Josef Protschka. Master classes with KS Brigitte Fassbaender rounded out her training. Engagements took her to the Staatstheater Nürnberg, Theater Aachen, the Wuppertaler Bühnen, and the Stadttheater Pforzheim. In 2005, she worked as an assistant director at the Theater am Kurfürstendamm and then, from 2006 to April 2009, served as assistant to the artistic director of the Berliner Privattheaters Theater und Komödie am Kurfürstendamm. In 2009, she founded the artist agency WIELAND ARTISTS MANAGEMENT BERLIN. Since 2015, Britta Wieland has been a regular guest at music colleges and vocal academies, providing coaching for young singers who want to optimally prepare for a successful entry into the opera and concert business.
In 2019, she founded the Coaching Academy Voice in Progress!. With the VIP! Academy, Britta Wieland advises and supports young as well as experienced artists as a Coach of Artist Development. In addition to mutual vocal and personality coaching, the academy offers competent, individual advice on career development and career advancement.
Since the summer semester of 2023, Britta Wieland has been a lecturer for „Getting into
Business“/Selbstvermarktung“ at the Universität der Künste Berlin, the Hochschule Luzern und an der Hochschule für Musik and the Theater und Medien Hannover.
The Wieland Artists Management represents up and coming as well as well-established artists.
JULIE WYMA,
FOUNDER & EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
CASTING DIRECTOR & PRODUCER, DIE WALKÜRE
CAREER DEVELOPMENT FACULTY
Julie Wyma has been described as a Renaissance Woman of opera, having worked in both Europe and the United States as a singer, director, stage manager, wig/makeup artist, costume designer, producer, and educator.
As a soprano she has appeared in more than 20 roles, including die Königin der Nacht and Pamina in Die Zauberflöte, Gilda in Rigoletto, Marie in Die Verkaufte Braut, Musetta in La Bohème, Sophie in Werther, Gretel in Hänsel und Gretel, and Norina in Don Pasquale. Of her Norina, the Kansas City Metropolis said: “soprano Julie Wyma sparkled with a self-confident air and a strong, beautiful voice.”
Recent performances have included the roles of Marie in Die verkaufte Braut, Pamina in Die Zauberflöte and Gilda in Verdi's Rigoletto with the Brandenburgisches Konzertorchester Eberswalde at Kloster Chorin, Germany; Musetta in La Bohème and Belinda in Purcell's Dido and Aeneas with Puccini's Toaster in Berlin; the Soprano solos in Mozart's Requiem, Händel’s Messiah, and Fauré's Requiem, all in Berlin; and several concerts of music by the American expatriate author and composer Paul Bowles in Munich, Magdeburg and Berlin, Germany. In 2018 she produced a staged concert of The AIDS Quilt Songbook as a benefit concert for the Berliner Aids-Hilfe e.V.
Ms. Wyma has produced and directed operas including Wagner’s Lohengrin, Das Rheingold and Die Walküre (Berlin Wagner Gruppe), Wagner's Ring Cycle (semi-staged, Opera By Request), Massenet’s Werther (Irrational Entertainment), Händel’s Semele (Midwest Early Opera Works), Jonathan Stinson’s The Three Bears and Ryan Oldham’s The Emperor’s Madness (University of Missouri-Kansas City), as well as Jason Robert Brown’s musical The Last Five Years (Voci Inglesi) and numerous opera scenes programs. She has assistant directed Albert Herring and Giulio Cesare at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, La Traviata at the Lyric Opera of Kansas City, and Carmen at Opera North, and she assistant stage managed La Rondine at Indiana University.
As a costume designer Ms. Wyma worked for Dicapo Opera Theatre in New York for the 2011-2012 Season, which included Tosca, The Consul, Iolanta, The Most Happy Fella, La Cenerentola, Beauty and the Beast, and La Traviata. She has also worked as a bridal alterations specialist in Bloomington, Indiana and New York City. Ms. Wyma has worked as a Wig and Makeup Assistant for the Lyric Opera of Kansas City, in operas including Giulio Cesare, La Bohème, and John Brown, at the University of Missouri-Kansas City in productions including La Bohème, Suor Angelica, Gianni Schicchi, and The Man of La Mancha, and for a national tour of Hairspray. As a young artist, she was a set construction assistant at Opera in the Ozarks in 2004.
As an educator, Ms. Wyma’s passion lies in helping singers make the transition from student to professional, and in guiding talented people to the places where they are needed. She has served as a vocal coach, preparing singers for auditions and talent competitions, as well as an audition panelist and advisor. With organizations such as Irrational Entertainment, Midwest Early Opera Works, Voci Inglesi, Berlin Wagner Gruppe and Berliner Opernverein, she has facilitated performance opportunities for singers seeking additional stage experience and the chance to hone their craft in a supportive, professional environment.
FOUNDER & EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
CASTING DIRECTOR & PRODUCER, DIE WALKÜRE
CAREER DEVELOPMENT FACULTY
Julie Wyma has been described as a Renaissance Woman of opera, having worked in both Europe and the United States as a singer, director, stage manager, wig/makeup artist, costume designer, producer, and educator.
As a soprano she has appeared in more than 20 roles, including die Königin der Nacht and Pamina in Die Zauberflöte, Gilda in Rigoletto, Marie in Die Verkaufte Braut, Musetta in La Bohème, Sophie in Werther, Gretel in Hänsel und Gretel, and Norina in Don Pasquale. Of her Norina, the Kansas City Metropolis said: “soprano Julie Wyma sparkled with a self-confident air and a strong, beautiful voice.”
Recent performances have included the roles of Marie in Die verkaufte Braut, Pamina in Die Zauberflöte and Gilda in Verdi's Rigoletto with the Brandenburgisches Konzertorchester Eberswalde at Kloster Chorin, Germany; Musetta in La Bohème and Belinda in Purcell's Dido and Aeneas with Puccini's Toaster in Berlin; the Soprano solos in Mozart's Requiem, Händel’s Messiah, and Fauré's Requiem, all in Berlin; and several concerts of music by the American expatriate author and composer Paul Bowles in Munich, Magdeburg and Berlin, Germany. In 2018 she produced a staged concert of The AIDS Quilt Songbook as a benefit concert for the Berliner Aids-Hilfe e.V.
Ms. Wyma has produced and directed operas including Wagner’s Lohengrin, Das Rheingold and Die Walküre (Berlin Wagner Gruppe), Wagner's Ring Cycle (semi-staged, Opera By Request), Massenet’s Werther (Irrational Entertainment), Händel’s Semele (Midwest Early Opera Works), Jonathan Stinson’s The Three Bears and Ryan Oldham’s The Emperor’s Madness (University of Missouri-Kansas City), as well as Jason Robert Brown’s musical The Last Five Years (Voci Inglesi) and numerous opera scenes programs. She has assistant directed Albert Herring and Giulio Cesare at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, La Traviata at the Lyric Opera of Kansas City, and Carmen at Opera North, and she assistant stage managed La Rondine at Indiana University.
As a costume designer Ms. Wyma worked for Dicapo Opera Theatre in New York for the 2011-2012 Season, which included Tosca, The Consul, Iolanta, The Most Happy Fella, La Cenerentola, Beauty and the Beast, and La Traviata. She has also worked as a bridal alterations specialist in Bloomington, Indiana and New York City. Ms. Wyma has worked as a Wig and Makeup Assistant for the Lyric Opera of Kansas City, in operas including Giulio Cesare, La Bohème, and John Brown, at the University of Missouri-Kansas City in productions including La Bohème, Suor Angelica, Gianni Schicchi, and The Man of La Mancha, and for a national tour of Hairspray. As a young artist, she was a set construction assistant at Opera in the Ozarks in 2004.
As an educator, Ms. Wyma’s passion lies in helping singers make the transition from student to professional, and in guiding talented people to the places where they are needed. She has served as a vocal coach, preparing singers for auditions and talent competitions, as well as an audition panelist and advisor. With organizations such as Irrational Entertainment, Midwest Early Opera Works, Voci Inglesi, Berlin Wagner Gruppe and Berliner Opernverein, she has facilitated performance opportunities for singers seeking additional stage experience and the chance to hone their craft in a supportive, professional environment.
THE PROGRAM HAS NO AGE LIMIT
⚬
SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
⚬
SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
'For a long time I have really really struggled with self belief and nerves, to the point of being physically sick before performing and withdrawing myself from competitions due to immense nerves. Dramatic Voices Program Berlin has given me the support and encouragement I've needed to lessen these severe feelings. The program offered me a safe space to be vulnerable as a performer and gave me the assurance that I am on the right path. I came onto the program a young, scared, pessimistic 25 year old with crippling impostor syndrome who had no idea how the opera world truely worked. And although my constant questions and asking for reassurance from you may have seemed annoying, I felt that you allowed me to ask the questions. This program has helped me in more ways than anything I have attended to date. With your guidance and the team's knowledge I feel incredibly inspired.
I flew back to New Zealand recently and competed in the Lockwood New Zealand Aria Competition over the weekend where out of 47 singers, I made it through to the final where I performed with an orchestra for the first time in my life. Of course there were nerves but without DVP I don't think I would have been able to get through the performances.
I just wanted to thank you for this incredible program. As a young singer with a fuller voice it is always so challenging and you both created a safe space for me to discover my voice and myself as a performer.'
- Ellis Carrington, Soprano
'I just wanted to say thank you again for such an amazing DVP 2024! I can’t believe what we accomplished, and your vision proves that expecting the best from people and believing in us really does bring out our best. I really appreciate your commitment to professionalism and treating artists with respect. I always felt like my time and well-being were important, and your scheduling/organizational prowess is top notch! Getting to see artists at all stages of their lives and careers is invaluable and inspiring, and really promotes much more learning and depth to the experience. Needless to say, DVP is a breath of fresh air, and I’m looking forward to applying again for next year!!'
- Helena Waterous
'It was another amazing experience for me, and a great honor. I loved working with such talented colleagues and faculty, who were also kind and lovely human beings. The Lieder program was a joy! Before 2019 I never imagined singing Wagner or Strauss or any kind of dramatic repertoire. You and DVP showed me that I have more potential than I ever imagined, and you changed the course of my musical life.'
- Margaret O'Connell, Mezzo-Soprano
'I am writing to you to express my gratitude for this year's program! I am so happy to have been given this amazing opportunity to take part in DVP 2024. It was indeed life-changing for me in many ways. I received a lot of encouragement and additional clarity on direction in how to navigate this complex path. It was so nice to meet you both, the rest of the faculty and all of the amazing artists. Everyone was so talented and I really believe all of our paths will cross again in future. I was really impressed by you ability to manage this project! You managed to attract such competent professionals which also massively expanded our networks which I am also very grateful for.'
- Ieva Glinske, Soprano
'Because the program has no age limit, young dramatic voices get to share the stage with seasoned professionals who are participating in the program because they want to sing a particular role or are changing Fachs. I established solid professional relationships with people who are in the industry, and working in the opera houses in Europe. And what I have received in lessons, coachings, masterclasses and performance opportunities, headshots, recordings has been one of the most cost effective investments I have done.'
- Stephanie DePrez, Soprano
'Everything that was promised by the program came through beautifully. The daily coachings were impeccable, the voice teaching was fantastic. I feel like I have arrived at another level. I can add Wagner to my repertoire and I owe this to the Dramatic Voices Program Berlin.'
- Marc Molomot, Tenor
'My favorite part were the coachings and lessons, which were at a very high level - they were specific and always done from an encouraging point of view. I did a lot of artistic growth in an environment that is supportive and encourages risk-taking.'
- Jennifer Carter, Soprano
'The first time I sang a solo hojotoho wth orchestra was a highlight of my LIFE! I also absolutely loved being part of such a supportive and talented cohort. What a great bunch of people. I very much enjoyed having the chance to work on my Lieder as well as the Wagner role, and the Masterclasses were also fantastic.It was a perfectly balanced and well-designed program. I cannot thank you enough for the opportunity.'
- Belinda Patterson, Mezzo-Soprano
'Working with Clay Hilley really gave me practical new insights into vocal technique which was underscored beautifully by Carol Mastrodomenico.'
- Pierre du Toit, Tenor
'I loved getting to work with such talented, experienced, and kind singers! It was so educational for me to have the chance to work with professionals that had more experience with me. Their confidence and control of their instruments allowed for deep musical work and inspired me to improve. I also loved how helpful the program was in terms of finding housing for the program. It made coming to a huge new city in a different country as comfortable as it could be! As said before, I also really appreciated the supportive vibe within the program and how connected everyone felt. Having the chance to get to know colleagues from several continents was so special! The program leaders and staff did a fantastic job of bringing in people who were not only talented, but kind and well-rounded as well. They were also extremely understanding and willing to work with any issues that arose during the program. This attitude of positivity and acceptance is how all music programs should be run and I hope to see more programs adopt it in the future.'
- Noah Stone, Pianist
'I absolutely loved all of the faculty and leadership of the program. I wish I could have absorbed more knowledge and gotten to spend more time with you all.'
- Nick Masiello, Tenor
I flew back to New Zealand recently and competed in the Lockwood New Zealand Aria Competition over the weekend where out of 47 singers, I made it through to the final where I performed with an orchestra for the first time in my life. Of course there were nerves but without DVP I don't think I would have been able to get through the performances.
I just wanted to thank you for this incredible program. As a young singer with a fuller voice it is always so challenging and you both created a safe space for me to discover my voice and myself as a performer.'
- Ellis Carrington, Soprano
'I just wanted to say thank you again for such an amazing DVP 2024! I can’t believe what we accomplished, and your vision proves that expecting the best from people and believing in us really does bring out our best. I really appreciate your commitment to professionalism and treating artists with respect. I always felt like my time and well-being were important, and your scheduling/organizational prowess is top notch! Getting to see artists at all stages of their lives and careers is invaluable and inspiring, and really promotes much more learning and depth to the experience. Needless to say, DVP is a breath of fresh air, and I’m looking forward to applying again for next year!!'
- Helena Waterous
'It was another amazing experience for me, and a great honor. I loved working with such talented colleagues and faculty, who were also kind and lovely human beings. The Lieder program was a joy! Before 2019 I never imagined singing Wagner or Strauss or any kind of dramatic repertoire. You and DVP showed me that I have more potential than I ever imagined, and you changed the course of my musical life.'
- Margaret O'Connell, Mezzo-Soprano
'I am writing to you to express my gratitude for this year's program! I am so happy to have been given this amazing opportunity to take part in DVP 2024. It was indeed life-changing for me in many ways. I received a lot of encouragement and additional clarity on direction in how to navigate this complex path. It was so nice to meet you both, the rest of the faculty and all of the amazing artists. Everyone was so talented and I really believe all of our paths will cross again in future. I was really impressed by you ability to manage this project! You managed to attract such competent professionals which also massively expanded our networks which I am also very grateful for.'
- Ieva Glinske, Soprano
'Because the program has no age limit, young dramatic voices get to share the stage with seasoned professionals who are participating in the program because they want to sing a particular role or are changing Fachs. I established solid professional relationships with people who are in the industry, and working in the opera houses in Europe. And what I have received in lessons, coachings, masterclasses and performance opportunities, headshots, recordings has been one of the most cost effective investments I have done.'
- Stephanie DePrez, Soprano
'Everything that was promised by the program came through beautifully. The daily coachings were impeccable, the voice teaching was fantastic. I feel like I have arrived at another level. I can add Wagner to my repertoire and I owe this to the Dramatic Voices Program Berlin.'
- Marc Molomot, Tenor
'My favorite part were the coachings and lessons, which were at a very high level - they were specific and always done from an encouraging point of view. I did a lot of artistic growth in an environment that is supportive and encourages risk-taking.'
- Jennifer Carter, Soprano
'The first time I sang a solo hojotoho wth orchestra was a highlight of my LIFE! I also absolutely loved being part of such a supportive and talented cohort. What a great bunch of people. I very much enjoyed having the chance to work on my Lieder as well as the Wagner role, and the Masterclasses were also fantastic.It was a perfectly balanced and well-designed program. I cannot thank you enough for the opportunity.'
- Belinda Patterson, Mezzo-Soprano
'Working with Clay Hilley really gave me practical new insights into vocal technique which was underscored beautifully by Carol Mastrodomenico.'
- Pierre du Toit, Tenor
'I loved getting to work with such talented, experienced, and kind singers! It was so educational for me to have the chance to work with professionals that had more experience with me. Their confidence and control of their instruments allowed for deep musical work and inspired me to improve. I also loved how helpful the program was in terms of finding housing for the program. It made coming to a huge new city in a different country as comfortable as it could be! As said before, I also really appreciated the supportive vibe within the program and how connected everyone felt. Having the chance to get to know colleagues from several continents was so special! The program leaders and staff did a fantastic job of bringing in people who were not only talented, but kind and well-rounded as well. They were also extremely understanding and willing to work with any issues that arose during the program. This attitude of positivity and acceptance is how all music programs should be run and I hope to see more programs adopt it in the future.'
- Noah Stone, Pianist
'I absolutely loved all of the faculty and leadership of the program. I wish I could have absorbed more knowledge and gotten to spend more time with you all.'
- Nick Masiello, Tenor