Carolyn Anderson, MicroOpera Project General Coordinator

Marilyn Shrude, Project Advisor and Composer Coordinator

Kevin Bylsma, Project Advisor, Advisor to Music Staff

Katherine Pracht Phares, Project Advisor

Jane Schoonmaker Rodgers, Project Advisor

Ryan Ebright, Libretto Consultant

Carolyn Anderson is in her third year of pursuing her DMA in Contemporary Music. She is an active performer and instructor in the NW Ohio area, associated with Toledo Opera, Toledo Symphony, The Toledo Art Museum, the Rosary Cathedral and the Toledo School for the Arts. Anderson has received the Conrad Art Song Competition first prize (with Steven Naylor), the NATS Great Lake Region 3rd place prize, and the YoungArts Merit Award. She holds degrees from BGSU and Oberlin Conservatory. She is under the tutelage of Keith Phares. 

Allana Bogan is a classically trained violinist, music educator, and orchestral conductor. A first-year master’s student studying with Dr. Emily Freeman Brown at Bowling Green State University in orchestral conducting, Allana serves as one of the assistant conductors for the BG Philharmonia. She also serves as an assistant conductor for the Toledo Youth Symphony.

Joicy Carvalho is a Brazilian soprano. She has a bachelor's degree in Vocal performance from the School of Music and Performing Arts at the Federal University of Goiás, Brazil. She is a first-year graduate student in Vocal Performance under the direction of Professor Myra Merritt-Grant at Bowling Green State University, Ohio.

Brazilian pianist Francisca de Castanheiro de Freitas, is currently pursuing a DMA in contemporary music performance at Bowling Green State University under the mentorship of acclaimed pianist Solungga Liu. Francisca achieved 2nd prize at the 2022 Marjorie Conrad Art Song Competition, and 2nd prize at the 23rd Piano Competition in Ituiutaba, Brazil. 

Selah-Marie Castellano is a second-year graduate voice performance student from the studio of Professor Katherine Pracht Phares. This March, she is looking forward to singing the role of Armelinda in Pauline Viardot's Cendrillon. If you enjoyed her performance tonight, come to her Master of Music voice recital on February 24th at 8pm in Bryan Recital Hall.

Landon K. Cina’s music embodies an attitude of “joyful seriousness”, incorporates “virtuosity with purpose”, and is brimming with “colorful and vibrant textures”. He expects to complete his M.M. in Composition from Bowling Green State University in 2024, and has studied composition under Marilyn Shrude, Austin Jaquith, and Mikel Kuehn.

Stephen Deeter is currently in his second year of the Master of Music program in composition, a student of Dr. Dietz's studio. Originally from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, he graduated from Lawrence University in 2020 with a Bachelor of Music in Composition and Music Theory, as well as a Bachelor of Arts in Physics. His recent work has focused on vocal music, and the intersection of contemporary music and popular music idioms.

The music of Joshua C. DeLozier has been played by the Toledo Symphony Orchestra, the Rhythm Method String Quartet, the Baylor University String Orchestra, and percussionist Thomas Kolor, among others. He received his BM from Baylor University, summa cum laude, and is currently studying with Dr. Marilyn Shrude at BGSU.

A native of Eaton Rapids Michigan, classical soprano Kirsten Kidd establishes herself as a remarkable and devoted musician. Kirsten most recently played Amore in The Coronation of Poppea. She will be in Toledo opera’s Romeo and Julliette as one of the chorus members on February 16th and 18th and will play Marie in Pauline Viardot’s Cendrillon on March 22nd or 24th.

Jacob Koch is a percussionist, teacher, and composer from Port Clinton, Ohio who is pursuing a DMA in Contemporary Music at Bowling Green State University. Under the direction of Dr. Dan Piccolo, Jacob teaches applied percussion lessons and assists with percussion ensemble.

Apostolos-Angelos Konstantakis is a prize-winning pianist across Greece, Europe, and the U.S. His accolades include first prizes and distinctions in several Greek and International Piano Competitions. He has also been announced as a winner of the Bowling Green State University Concerto Competition, in 2023. Konstantakis has given recitals at venues including the Athens Concert Hall, and Palace of the Grand Master of Rhodes, as well as in several music festivals in Greece and Europe. He has participated in piano seminars with Hideyo Harada, Claudio Curro Dossi, and Solungga Liu. Konstantakis received a scholarship from Bowling Green State University, Ohio, in Piano Performance, where he is also GA, with Dr. Solungga Liu. He received his BM from the Ionian University, Greece, with Prof. Lambis Vassiliadis.

Jonathan D. Kroeger is excited to be creating the role of "Peter" in Stephen Deeter's Beethoven's Razor as well as see the premiere of his own Micro-opera Matchless. He studies composition with Dr. Christopher Dietz and voice with Professor Keith Phares. He will also be appearing in Toledo Opera’s Romeo et Juliette on February 16th and 18th.

Sara Murray is a 3rd year undergraduate Voice Performance and Voice Pedagogy double major. This role is her debut MicroOpera role, but she previously played Jane in BGSU Opera Theatre’s production of Brigadoon. Mrs. Murray is a Mezzo- Soprano studying under Prof. Katherine Pracht Phares. She is also a part of several ensembles including the Collegiate Chorale and Volaré.

Trinity Peace, soprano, is in her first year of Graduate Voice Performance studies. 2022 Third place winner of the Ohio NATS competition and semi-finalist in the George Shirley Vocal Competition, Trinity has also presented on Underrepresented Composers in Classical Vocal Music at the University of Dayton Stander Symposium in 2021. Previous stage credits include Dido in Dido and Aeneas, and First Lady in The Magic Flute. She currently studies with Metropolitan opera gem, Myra Merritt-Grant.

Cody Pepitone, M.M. is a graduate of Bowling Green State University, focusing his research on performance practice and interpretation of English art song. During his time at BGSU Cody had the opportunity to perform in a number of premiers of works by living composers, including the MicroOperas “Nocturnal Angels” by Alvin Pak Hei Leung and “What was” by Connor Gibbs. Cody can also be seen performing with Toledo Opera, Detroit Opera, Toledo Symphony Orchestra, and the choir at Mariner’s Church of Detroit. His previous engagements have included chorus work with Dayton Opera and the South Dakota Symphony Orchestra.

Wisconsin pianist Abigail Petersen is pursuing double degrees in music performance and Latin, studying piano under Dr. Yevgeny Yontov. A 2021 BGSU Hansen Fellow, Abigail embraces collaboration with her fellow musicians. Having premiered over a dozen student compositions at BGSU, she has a fiery passion for new music and fiercely advocates for female representation in the field.

Keri Lee Pierson is a vocalist currently pursuing a DMA in Contemporary Music at BGSU. Keri Lee has held positions as a performer, teacher, administrator and assistant director. She has degrees from the University of South Carolina, and UCF. Planning interesting and audience involved events is Keri Lee‘s primary focus. For 2021-22, she was awarded two grants from the Florida Department of State for her duo, Deux Saisons. Keri Lee has performed at many venues and festivals in the US and Europe, as well as concerts and events she has curated. She is currently a student of Professor Katherine Pracht Phares.

Zach Sanford is a bass-baritone originally from Frazeysburg, Ohio, and is currently completing his second and final year of his Master’s degree in Music Performance. He is under the tutalage of Keith Phares. He also earned his Bachelor’s degree in Music Performance from BGSU! Other recent roles include Seneca in last year’s BGSU production of The Coronation of Poppea, and he is currently preparing to perform the role of Baron Pictordu in BGSU’s upcoming production of Viardot’s Cendrillon!

Sydney Shook is a first-year Graduate Vocal Pedagogy major at Bowling Green State University studying with Katherine Pracht Phares. Shook’s previous credits include “Arnalta” in L’incoronazione di Poppea, “Barbarina” in Le Nozze di Figaro, and she originated the role of “Lilah” in Griffin Candey’s micro opera, Prepared at Baldwin Wallace Conservatory of Music.

Eden Treado (they/them) is a Conductor currently pursuing a M.M. in Orchestral Conducting at Bowling Green State University in the studio of Dr. Emily Freeman Brown. They hold a B.M. in Bassoon Performance from Ithaca College, where they studied with Dr. Christin Schillinger. Their other principal teachers have included Dr. Rebekah Daniel in conducting and Dr. Susan Nelson in bassoon.

Kyle Wendling is a conductor and tubist from Owosso, Michigan, and bases himself in Boston, Massachusetts. He specializes in classical and jazz repertoire as a tubist, and in symphonic and operatic repertoire as a conductor. Kyle has degrees in Tuba Performance, BM from Central Michigan University and MM from the Longy School of Music. Kyle's principal teachers of tuba have been Dr. Mark Cox, Professor Kenneth Amis, and Professor David Saltzman, and principal teachers in conducting have been Dr. José-Luis Maúrtua and Dr. Emily Freeman Brown. 

Cassie Wilson, mezzo, is a first year MM in Vocal Pedagogy.  She studies with Katherine Pracht Phares.  Cassie earned her BM Vocal Performance from Capital University Conservatory of Music.  Credits include Toledo Opera, Opera Columbus, Second Church of Christ Scientist in Columbus, The Three Mezzos, Stage5Rep, Columbus Children’s Theatre

Christina Worcester is a fourth-year student at Bowling Green State University. She currently studies with Myra Merritt-Grant. Christina will be graduating this spring with a degree in music performance. Some of her other performing credits at BGSU include Orpheus In The Underworld, The Coronation of Poppea, and Brigadoon.

To Keith Hofacker for scheduling our dress rehearsals to accommodate our team and supplying us with stand lights. And to Alex Vickers for running the lights for our performance. 

To Kirsten Nordland for designing our cover art and posters.

To Keri Lee Pierson, Selah-Marie Castellano, Kirsten Kidd, and Stephen Deeter for supplying the set pieces for our production. 

Michael Laurello and Recording Services for recording our performance. And to Adam Har-zvi for video-recording this evening.

The composition, vocal, and instrumental faculty for their support and investment in this project and our talented students. 

Kevin Bylsma and Keith Phares, whose collaboration enabled many of our performers to perform in both the Spring Opera Cendrillon and MicroOperas.

Dr. Marilyn Shrude for special support to our composers, the coordinator, and the MicroOperas program at BGSU.