Artists | midwestoperatheater

2019

Singers and

Instrumentalists

Courtney Bostwick, Soprano, (Ms. Goldentrill in The Impresario) is a 2nd-year M.M. student at UMKC Conservatory. Most recently she was seen as Sandrina in La finta giardiniera at UMKC. Ms. Bostwick also recently performed with Loveland Opera Theatre as Hanna Glawari in The Merry Widow. Other credits include: Cinderella in Into the Woods, Jou-Jou in The Merry Widow, Mother Abbess in The Sound of Music, Countess Almaviva in Le nozze di Figaro, Hanna Glawari in The Merry Widow, and Papagena in The Magic Flute.

Ariel Downs, Soprano, (Miss Silverpeal in The Impresario) is a native of California and has been praised for her “ravishing coloratura” and “vivid” singing. Previous roles include Annina (La Traviata), Taumännchen/Gretel (Hänsel und Gretel), Susanna (Le nozze di Figaro), Le Rossignol (L’Enfant et les Sortiléges), Suor Genovieffa (Suor Angelica), and Phyllis (Iolanthe). She was also a finalist in the 2019 Coeur d’Alene Symphony Orchestra Young Artist Competition and the University of Missouri Kansas City Concerto Aria Competition. In 2019, Ariel sings Adele (Die Fledermaus) with University of Missouri Kansas City, Despina (Cosi fan tutte) with Mid-Ohio Opera, and Nannetta (Falstaff) with Lawrence Opera Theatre. Ariel holds a Master of Music degree from the University of Missouri Kansas City.

Nicholas Navarre, Baritone, (Mr. Bluff in The Impresario) is a second year M.M. student at UMKC. Most recently he has performed the roles of Nardo in La Finta Giardiniera, and Falke in Die Fledermaus at UMKC. Other credits include: Gianni Schicchi in Gianni Schicchi, Count Almaviva in Le nozze di Figaro, The Wolf/Cinderella’s Prince in Into the Woods, and Captain Georg von Trapp in The Sound of Music. Nicholas has also been seen as a soloist in Schubert’s Magnificat with the Denver Philharmonic and in Durufle’s Requiem with St. Martin’s Chamber Choir.

Lauren Sutherland, Soprano, (Monitor in Suor Angelica) is originally from Las Vegas, where she first became interested in music while she was a student at the Las Vegas Academy of the Arts. She is a graduate of Wheaton College Conservatory of Music in Illinois, where she received her degree in Vocal Performance, studying with Dr. Sarah Holman. While she was at Wheaton, she sang the roles of Pamina in Mozart’s The Magic Flute and Parasha in Stravinsky's one act opera Mavra. One of her favorite experiences from her undergraduate career was singing in Pirates of Penzance and Cavelleria Rusticana in Beijing. After she graduated magna cum laude from Wheaton College, she moved to Kansas City, to study vocal performance at the University of Missouri- Kansas City. She has sung the role of the Dew Fairy in Humperdinck’s Hänsel und Gretel, Le Feu in Ravel’s L’enfant et les sortilèges, and Serpetta in Mozart’s La finta giardiniera. In the summer of 2018 she sang the role of Naiad in Richard Strauss' Ariadne auf Naxos with the Utah Vocal Arts Academy. She will be singing Belinda in UMKC Opera’s production of Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas.

Hope Dedrick (La Zia Principessa in Suor Angelica) is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance and Music Education studying at the UMKC Conservatory. She has previously performed the role of Mother in Amahl and the Night Visitors at UMKC and has been a chorus member in various productions including Hänsel und Gretel, La Traviata, and Die Fledermaus among others with UMKC Opera, Lawrence Opera Theatre, and Bar Harbor Music Festival. This Fall, she will appear as Second Woman in UMKC’s production of Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas.

Emily Stott, Soprano

Josh Jones, tenor

Josh Jones (Mr. Angel, in The Impresario) is an active performer throughout the Chicagoland area. He has been heard as a guest soloist with the Elmhurst Symphony Orchestra, DuPage Opera Theater, the DuPage Chorale & Orchestra, the Northwestern University Orchestra, and the University of Illinois-Chicago Chorus. Josh has also performed as a professional chorister with the Lyric Opera of Chicago, the Grant Park Music Festival, and the Lakeside Singers. As an educator, Dr. Jones serves on the music faculty at Judson University (Elgin, IL), where he coordinates the vocal division, teaches music courses and interdisciplinary courses, and directs the Chamber Singers ensemble. Dr. Jones is also an active adjudicator and clinician.

Critics have hailed Maria Kanyova (Suor Angelica) as an extraordinary singing actress. Robert Trussell of the Kansas City star wrote of her portrayal of Pat Nixon, “Her voice could stop time.” Throughout Ms. Kanyova’s extensive and busy performing career, she has performed leading roles with Chicago Lyric Opera, San Francisco Opera, Houston Grand Opera, Los Angeles Opera, Dallas Opera, New York City Opera, Florida Grand Opera, Lyric Opera of Kansas City, Boston Lyric Opera, Santa Fe Opera, Chicago Opera Theater, San Diego Opera, Opera Pacific, Portland Opera, New Orleans Opera, Palm Beach Opera, Glimmerglass Opera, Saint Louis Opera Theatre, Central City Opera, Opera Colorado, Madison Opera, Tulsa Opera, Wexford Opera Festival and Canadian Opera Company along with many other prestigious opera companies. One of her signature role’s “Pat Nixon” in Nixon in China has been recorded on the Naxos Label and one of her many career highlights include a PBS telecast as “Mimi” in La Boheme at New York City Opera’s Live from Lincoln Center National Broadcast.
Ms. Kanyova has enjoyed the opportunity of premiering new operas and reviving more recent operas. She recently premiered the role of “Krystyna” in Jake Heggie’s world premiere opera Out of Darkness with The Atlanta Opera, performed the role of “Blanche” in Previn’s A Streetcar Named Desire with Kentucky Opera and premiered the role of “Miriam” in Adamo’s Gospel of Mary Magdalene with San Francisco Opera. Ms. Kanyova has also revived the role of “Marie Antoinette” in John Corigliano’s The Ghost’s of Versaille both with Saint Louis Opera Theatre and the Wexford Opera Festival in Ireland. Other recent engagements include “Nedda” in I pagliacci and “Violetta” in La traviata with Imperial Symphony Orchestra, “Pat Nixon” in Nixon in China with San Diego Opera, the title role of Suor Angelica with Intermountain Opera Company and Opera Santa Barabara, the title role of Madama Butterfly with San Antonio Opera and her first “Leonora” in Il trovatore with Winter Opera Saint Louis and the role of “Pamina” in Mozart’s Magic Flute with Lakeland Opera.
Along with Ms. Kanyova’s extensive operatic career, she has also been a soloist with Boston Symphony, Chicago Symphony, Phoenix Symphony, Charlotte Symphony, Chicago’s Music of the Baroque, Baltimore Symphony, Ravinia Music Festival, Grant Park Music Festival, Minnesota Symphony, and Kansas City Symphony. Ms. Kanyova earned her DMA and MM degree in vocal performance and received her BME/Vocal Education degree from UMKC where she now teaches as Associate Professor of Voice.
As a voice teacher and celebrated soprano, Ms. Kanyova is excited to bring these two passions together and to embark on this creation of Midwest Opera Theater, a mobile opera company. She is committed to giving young singers and community members performance opportunities with seasoned operatic professionals and to present these collaborations in cities and venues where opera might not ordinarily be performed live.

Robert Blazek is a 1980 graduate of Northern Illinois University in DeKalb. He earned my M.M.ed. in 1988 from VanderCook College of Music. Robert was privileged to study clarinet from Clark Brody, Larry Combs, J. David Harris and Stan Davis. He studied conducting from Margaret Hillis (Chicago Symphony Orchestra Chorus). He has performed as an extra with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra under James Levine and Seiji Ozawa. Robert retired from his 35year public school teaching career in 2015. For 25 years he was the Director of Bands at Monroe Middle School in Wheaton. Robert is adjunct professor at Judson University and Elgin Community College and directs the jazz ensemble at Judson. He is a member of the Rockford Wind Ensemble.

In 1998 Robert started the Youth Jazz Ensemble of DuPage. YJED is a non-for profit 501c3 organization. In 2001 YJED was selected as a finalist for the Essentially Ellington Festival in New York City. At the EE Festival they received “Honorable Mention” status. In 2003 YJED was selected to perform with Terell Stafford at the Illinois Music Educators Association Convention in Peoria. In 2005 YJED had the honor of performing with Gordon Goodwin at the Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic in Chicago and in 2008 YJED was selected as the winner of the “Conglomerate Division” for the Essentially Ellington Festival. In January of 2019 Robert and YJED presented a clinic and performance at IMEC entitled “Put Up Your Dukes”. YJED has had the privilege of performing/recording with such jazz greats as Mark Colby, Rob Parton, Orbert Davis, Terell Stafford, Victor Goines, Wycliffe Gordon, Steve Weist, Jamey Aebersold, Tim Coffman, Antonio Garcia, Rick Haydon and Clay Jenkins.

Stephen Reichelt is a Chicago area bassist and music educator. He received his Bachelors in Music Performance on double bass from DePaul University in 2000. Since then he has become a member of the Dubuque Symphony Orchestra, the Illinois Symphony Orchestra, the Beloit/Janesville Symphony, and is principal bass of the Lake Forest Civic Orchestra. He performs with the Peoria Symphony, Quad City Symphony, Chicago Philharmonic Orchestra, Rockford Symphony, sat principal bass of the City Wide Symphony of Chicago, as well as performing regularly with the Chicago jazz/swing band Bopology. Also an accomplished electric bass player, Stephen performs with his original rock band Lost Dog (bass and vocalist) as well as many other freelance engagements. Mr. Reichelt is an in-demand studio musician making many recordings in Chicago and Nashville including national television and radio appearances.

In addition to maintaining a successful private teaching studio, Mr. Reichelt received his Illinois Music Educator Teaching License from North Eastern Illinois University in 2012 and is the director of orchestra at Westminster school in Elgin Illinois. He also teaches at the Roselle School of Music, Cassandra Strings in Algonquin IL, is a frequent guest clinician in schools in the Chicago land area, and resident sectional coach with the Schaumburg Youth Orchestra. Mr. Reichelt works with two schools through the Dubuque Symphony's "Adopt a Musician" program as well as being a faculty member of the Dubuque Symphony chamber music/strings summer camp.

Violinist Daniela Folker was born in Bucharest, Romania where she began her musical studies at the age of six. Upon moving to the United States, she furthered her studies completing both a bachelor’s and graduate degree in violin performance from Roosevelt University.
She is currently Principal Second Violinist for the Elgin Symphony Orchestra and performs regularly with the Joffrey Ballet Orchestra, Chicago Philharmonic, The Ravinia Festival Orchestra, Milwaukee Ballet Orchestra, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Chicago Opera Theater, and Lake Forest Symphony.
Daniela has performed with such classical artists as Luciano Pavaratti and Andrea Bocelli. She has also performed with such artists as Celine Dion, The Moody Blues, Ray Charles, David Foster, Linda Ronstadt, and has been featured on Late Night with David Letterman and Oprah performing with Natalie Cole.
Daniela along with her husband Michael, and son Christopher, regularly perform their educational program entitled “The Magic of Rhythm” which teaches young audiences about the magical joys of music.
Daniela is on faculty as the violin instructor at Judson University and College of DuPage.

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Jim has played oboe and English horn with the Judson Civic Orchestra and its predecessor organizations for over 15 years, and since 2013 has conducted the group in more than a dozen performances, including symphonies by Mozart, Brahms and Frank, concertos by Rachmoninoff for piano, Creston for marimba and Dittersdorf for double bass, and such varied works as Stravinsky’s Firebird Suite, Borodin’s Polovtsian Dances, and Bernstein’s Symphonic Dances from West Side Story. He is also an active performer in various community orchestras and frequently acts as musical director for several community theatre companies.

He studied piano for over ten years with Charlotte Randby, who was a student Rudolph Ganz and was on the faculty of Chicago Musical College (now Roosevelt University). He began playing the oboe in fifth grade, studying primarily with Chicago Symphony oboist and English horn soloist Robert Mayer. Jim was principal oboe and a soloist with The Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestra during his high school years and continues his affiliation with that organization as a long-time board member and former board president.

Jim received his undergraduate degree from Princeton University and an M.B.A. from Stanford University, and was principal oboe in both the Princeton and Stanford orchestras. He studied conducting with Robert Leist at Princeton, and also taught a number of private oboe students during his college years.

He is Chairman and co-founder of Marketing & Technology Group, which publishes magazines and websites for the food and hospitality industries. From 1990 to 1999 he was Assistant Professor at Northwestern University at their Medill School of Journalism, where he was co-director of its Magazine Publishing Program.

Jim has two children and two grandchildren, and lives with his wife in Inverness, Illinois.

Violinist Erik Liljenberg is originally from Sweden, where he studied at the Royal College of Music in Stockholm and graduated with a degree in music. After freelancing for both the Swedish Radio Symphony and the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra, Erik attended the Conservatorium van Amsterdam in the Netherlands. There, he studied under Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra concertmaster Alexander Kerr, before joining Kerr at Indiana University—Bloomington’s Jacobs School of Music, where he graduated with a performance diploma. Erik has since played with all major orchestras in Sweden, including as concertmaster of the Gothenburg Opera and the avant-garde ensemble Norbotten NEO, and has completed multiple tours in Europe, Asia and the United States. Outside of the concert hall, he is a studio musician, having recorded with artists from Avicii to Renée Fleming. Erik now lives and performs in the Chicago area, most recently with Camerata Chicago.

Violinist Tara Hayes earned her BME in Music Education with Instrumental Emphasis from Oberlin College Conservatory in 2002, and her MM in Violin Performance and String Pedagogy from Northwestern University in 2004. She is a former member of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago and served as co-concertmaster of the Trinity International University Symphony Orchestra and adjunct faculty at Trinity International University. Currently she is a member of the Rockford Symphony Orchestra and the Judson Civic Orchestra, as well as performing in her church's orchestra. Tara teaches privately and regularly performs in chamber ensembles for weddings and other events.

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Hyounkyoung Kim, a native of South Korea, is a consummate accompanist and solo
recitalist. Kim completed her B.M. in Music Education and her M.M. in Piano Performance at the University of Konkuk, Seoul, South Korea. She received a second M.M. degree in Collaborative Piano at Ewha Woman’s University, Seoul, South Korea. She was awarded first place at both the Brahms Music Association of Korea Competition and the Seoul National Symphony Orchestra Competition, as well as distinctions from other competitions.
She has performed concertos with the Maldive National Radio Symphony Orchestra and the Seoul National Symphony Orchestra. Most recently, Kim received a Performance Certificate in Music from Judson University in May 2018, accompanyed at Christian Liberty Academy in Arlington Heights and attened 2019’ Opera Maya Festival in Mexico. She is currently studying at NIU.

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