The Peabody Institute of The Johns Hopkins University

KIMBERLY CHRISTIE MM2 

Kimberly Christie is an MM Vocal Performance/Pedagogy student at Peabody Conservatory studying with Professor Stanley Cornett. She recently graduated cum laude from Rutgers University where she was granted a BM in Vocal Performance and an award for Outstanding Vocalist. Her most recent performance credits include Blondchen in Mozart's Die Entfuhrung aus dem Serail with ConcertOPERA, Philadelphia 2010 as their featured young artist, a grand finalist in the New York Lyric Opera's 2010 competition, and Clara in Offenbach's La vie Parisienne. Her Rutgers opera credits include the roles of Spring and Fairy 1 in Purcell's The Fairy Queen, and various chorus and supporting roles in Street Scene, Die lustige Witwe and Les contes d'Hoffman. Kimberly has studied with the Franco-American Vocal Academy in Excideuil, France under the direction of William Lewis in 2008; as well as the International Vocal Arts Institute in Tel Aviv, Israel in the summer of 2010. She had the privilege to study with instructors such as Joan Dornemann, Gerald Martin Moore, Richard Barrett, and Robert Cowhart.

KISMA JORDAN OPREA GPD2

Kisma Jordan is emerging as one of the country’s most luminous talents, sharing her ever-increasing vocal gift with audiences nationwide. At home on the opera stage as well as in concert and recital, she has been recognized for her soul-stirring communicative ability and “shimmering soprano voice,” as noted by music critic Anthony Tommasini in The New York Times. 

This season, Ms. Jordan makes concert debuts with the Omaha Symphony Orchestra as part of their Masterworks Series, and the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra. She returns to her alma mater, Bowling Green State University Festival Series to perform the title role in a concert of the 'Gershwins' Porgy and Bess, followed by performances as Thérèse with the Peabody Opera Theatre, in their production of Poulenc's Les Mamelles de Tirésias under the direction of Bruce Garnett.

Ms. Jordan’s 2009-2010 season began with a return to the Detroit Symphony Orchestra in the annual Home for the Holidays Pops Concert Series, followed by her concert debut with the Mississippi Symphony Orchestra. Ms. Jordan’s 2008-2009 season featured debut concert appearances with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra led by Resident Conductor Thomas Wilkins, as well as the Lima Symphony Orchestra. Additionally, in July she was featured with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and conductor David Alan Miller in the annual Salute to America Concert Series at Greenfield Village at The Henry Ford.

In spring of 2008, she made her debut with the Michigan Opera Theatre in their production of Puccini’s La Rondine. In 2007, Jordan performed the role of Pamina in Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte with the New Jersey Opera Summer Festival, being acclaimed as having “solid control over a voice which soared through Mozart’s music, her deliverance of character had sensitivity and warmth.”

Kisma Jordan received a personal invitation from renowned American Mezzo-Soprano Marilyn Horne to participate in the Song Continues…2006 master class and recital festival, presented by the Marilyn Horne Foundation at Carnegie Hall’s Zankel Hall. Other notable opera roles are Aurora in the North American premiere of Francesco Cavalli’s Gli Amore D’ Apollo e di Daphne.

Among the honors and awards that Ms. Jordan has received are the Tuesday Musical Association’s Gertrude Marta Pflaum Scholarship for Voice, first place and Audience Choice Award winner of the 39th annual Bowling Green State University Competitions in Music Performance, first place winner of the Lima Symphony Orchestra Young Artist Competition, and 2010 Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions Semi-Finalist.

A native of Detroit, Michigan, Ms. Jordan holds degrees in vocal performance from Kentucky State University and Bowling Green State University. When she's not performing she enjoys cooking and shopping.

KRISTINA LEWIS MM2

Kristina Lewis, 23, is a native of Birmingham, Alabama. Music critic Tim Smith, of the Baltimore Sun, acclaimed Miss Lewis for having a voice that shone with a “burnished tone” as well as also being acclaimed for her “admirable acting.” She began piano lessons at the age of four, from the Birmingham-Southern College Conservatory of Fine and Performing Arts. After graduating from Fairfield High School with honors, Kristina was awarded the Daniel Music Scholarship, the only full-comprehensive music scholarship at Converse College, where she obtained a Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance with honors. While in pursuit of her degree, Kristina was a winner of the 2007 Converse College Concerto Competition in Piano. As a result, she performed the Saint-Saens Piano Concerto No. 2, movement 1, with the Converse College Orchestra. She also was accepted into the Advanced Division for piano at Brevard Music Camp in 2007. In the fall of 2007, Kristina began taking voice lessons under Dr. Beverly Hay. Within six months, Kristina competed in NATS and received 3rd place in the regional division. The following year, Kristina placed 1st in NATS regionals.
   

Before graduation, Kristina performed in the chorus of the Mikado, collaborated with Miles Hoffman and Rebecca Turner live in concert, participated in the piano masterclasses of Nelita True from Eastman School of Music, Elizabeth Pridinoff from Cincinnati Conservatory, and performed in opera scenes as the Mother in the Consul. In 2009, Kristina was offered a sizable Peabody Institutional Scholarship to attend the Peabody Conservatory of the Johns Hopkins University. Kristina is currently obtaining her Master of Music in Voice at Peabody Conservatory under the instruction of Dr. Stanley Cornett. Up to date, Kristina made her opera debut as Prince Orlofsky in the Peabody Opera Theatre’s 2010 spring production of Die Fledermaus. Kristina was chosen and participated in the masterclass of Marilyn Horne.
   

Kristina made her national solo debut as the soloist with the Baltimore Symphony, under the direction of Marin Alsop and Didi Balle in Analyze This: Mahler and Freud, as Alma Mahler. Kristina placed as a finalist in the 2010 Harlem Opera Theater Voice Competition, New York, NY, received 2nd place in the Vocal Arts Competition of the Mid-Atlantic region of the 2010 Classical Vocal Arts Competition which was sponsored by the Mid-Atlantic District of the National Association of Negro Business & Professional Women's Clubs, Inc., and was the 1st place winner of the Sylvia Green Voice Competition of the Peabody Institute. As a result, Kristina performed the Ruckert-Lieder by Gustav Mahler with the Peabody Symphony Orchestra on February 11, 2011.

Her upcoming performances include Rosette in Massenet’s Manon, La Marchande in Poulenc’s Les mamelles de Tiresias, the Dragonfly, and White Cat in Ravel’s L’Enfant et les sortileges under the Peabody Opera Theater. In addition, Kristina was chosen as the alto soloist in the Baltimore Handel Choir’s upcoming production of Handel’s Messiah. Kristina has been interviewed twice by WBJC, Baltimore’s Classical Radio station. On the side, Kristina has put together benefit concerts held at her alma mater of Birmingham-Southern Conservatory, in raising money for Brevard Music Camp. She also has held many church positions as alto section leader for many churches in Alabama, South Carolina, and Maryland.

MICHAEL MALIAKEL BM4

Amedee Moore GPD1

 Amedee Moore, soprano, has recently sang the role of “Clorinda” in La Cenerentola and covered “Contessa” in Le nozze di Figaro this summer at Opera North. Last year, Ms. Moore performed the role of “Clotilde” in the western hemisphere premiere of Handel’s Faramondo.  In 2009, Amedee performed the role of “Susanna” in OSU’s opera production of Le nozze di Figaro. Amedee received her M.M. from the Ohio State University in 2010 and B. M. in vocal performance from Wheaton College’s Conservatory of Music in 2008.  Her other roles t include  “Jenny” in Three Sisters who are not Sisters, “Madame Pompous” in Too many Sopranos, “Meg” in Little Women,  “Frou Frou”/ “Praskowia” in The Merry Widow and “Sister Margaretta” in The Sound of Music.  Amedee Moore is currently attending the Peabody Institute in pursuit of her graduate performance diploma in opera. 

ALEXANDRA RAZSKAZOFF BM2

Originally from Minnesota, soprano Alexandra Razskazoff is pursuing a Bachelor of Music degree in vocal performance at the Peabody Institute under the direction of Professor Stanley Cornett.  Alexandra began studying voice at the age of 15 with Ms. Geneva Eschweiler.  She has placed in numerous competitions, such as the Schubert Club Competition, Classical Singer Magazine, Thursday Musical Series, and National Ass’t of Teachers of Singing competition (NATS) (1st place winner of her division in 2007, 2008 and 2009).  Most recently, Alexandra was the 2011 student-division winner of the Baltimore Music Club vocal competition. In 2007, Alexandra was asked to sing in the chorus of the Minnesota Opera's production of Rusalka by Antonín Dvorák. The following year, she was one of the chosen few accepted into the Minnesota Opera High School Apprentice Program, where she was cast in principal roles, including the title role in Gilbert and Sullivan’s Iolanthe, and the partial role of Magda in The Consul by G.S. Menotti. In 2010,  Alexandra was selected as a the soloist to sing the National Anthem in concert with the Minnesota Orchestra at Orchestra Hall in Minneapolis, MN. 

With Peabody Opera Theater, Alexandra has performed the roles of the squirrel and shepherd in Maurice Ravel’s L’Enfant et les Sortilèges, and sang in the chorus of Francis Poulenc’s Les mamalles de Tirésias. Alexandra is the recipient of the Marc von May Voice Scholarship from Peabody Institute.  

ALISON TYNES MM2

Alison Tynes, soprano, is a first year Masters student studying with Dr. Stanley Cornett. Originally from Black Mountain, NC, she began studying voice her sophomore year at Guilford College with Dr. James Bumgardner where she received a Bachelor of Music. After college, Alison spent a year with the AmeriCorps ACCESS Project serving as the Volunteer Coordinator for the Center for New North Carolinians in Greensboro, NC. During this year she developed and facilitated arts programming for immigrant and refugee youth, and was awarded a grant from the National Gardening Association to start a community garden in collaboration with the families she served. This experience continues to influence her, and she hopes to use her education and voice to work towards a society in which the arts are no longer a privilege, but a necessity. 

At Peabody, Alison played the Shepherdess and Bat in L’Enfant et les Sortilèges, and has participated in the choruses of Suor Angelica and Les Mamelles de Tirésias. Roles at Guilford College include The Little Prince in The Little Prince, and First Witch/Spirit in Dido and Aeneas.

CHRISTIAN WAUGH MM2  

Baritone Christian Waugh is a first year Masters student in the studio of Stanley Cornett. Mr. Waugh is originally from Statesville, NC and started taking voice lessons with Dan Pardue. He continued his studies at East Carolina University where he studied with John Kramar. While at East Carolina he performed often with the University’s Opera Theatre program where his roles included Figaro (Le Nozze di Figaro), Police Agent (The Consul), Sharpless (Madama Butterfly), Carpenter (HMS Pinnafore), and Sarastro (Die Zauberflöte). He also soloed with the East Carolina University Chamber Singers who have recently recorded with Gothic Records. Mr. Waugh graduated Summa Cum Laude from East Carolina University with a Bachelors in Sacred Music/Vocal Performance and was the Theodore Presser Scholarship recipient for the E.C.U. School of Music his senior year.

Mr. Waugh has also participated in the American Singer’s Opera Project under the direction of Nancy Stokes Milnes where he sang the role of Antonio (Le Nozze di Figaro). In the spring of 2010 Mr. Waugh received the De Capo Award in the Student Category of the Orpheus National Vocal Competition.

JOHN WILLIAMS MM2

Tenor, John Elson Williams is a master’s candidate at the Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland in vocal performance and pedagogy.  Currently, he studies under Stanley Cornett, and he has studied under Perry Smith, Louise Toppin, and Judy Bruno.  Recently with Peabody Opera, he has portrayed the Journalist and Son in Les Mammelles de Tiresias, the witch in Humperdinck’s Hansel and Gretel.  He has also participated in Verdi’s Rigoletto, Britten’s Curlew River, The Crucible by Ward, and the Long Leaf Opera world premier of Venus and Adonis by Wadsworth.  Additionally, he has sung the tenor solos of Handel’s Messiah and Saint-Saens’ Christmas Oratorio, as well as presented Bach’s Christmas Oratorio with the North Carolina Symphony.  John proliferates gratitude to God, family, the Zeta Psi Chapter of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Fraternity of America, Inc., friends, instructors, and all others who guide him through the magnificent life of performing.

NATHAN WYATT MM2

A native of North Carolina, baritone Nathan Wyatt has been praised as a “standout” with a “sensitive and natural” voice. He has received first place honors in the Maryland/DC chapter of the National Association of Teachers of Singing and was a finalist in the Sylvia Green Competition in 2010. Recent opera roles include Alexander Kerensky in the world premiere of Joshua Bornfield’s Strong like Bull, Le Directeur and Le Gendarme in Les Mamelles de Tirésias, Lescaut in Manon, Guglielmo in Cosi fan tutte, and The Forester in The Adventures of Sharp-Ears the Vixen. Acclaimed for his work in oratorio repertoire, Mr. Wyatt has performed as the bass soloist in Haydn’s Mass in time of War with Chapel Hill All-City Chorus, bass soloist in Bach’s Magnificat with the Peabody Concert Orchestra, and Simon in Haydn’s The Seasons with the Maryland Choral Society. In the summer of 2011, Mr. Wyatt was the recipient of the Marc and Eva Stern Fellowship at SongFest at Pepperdine where he participated in master classes and performances with Roger Vignoles, Graham Johnson, Martin Katz, William Sharp, Jake Heggie, and John Musto. Upcoming performances include Count Almaviva in The Marriage of Figaro with Opera Vivente.