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DANIELLE BUONAIUTO MM1
Danielle Buonaiuto is a Canadian soprano of Italian heritage, who is gaining a reputation for her compelling interpretations of new compositions, as well as her command of the standard operatic and art song repertoire. She is the third-prize winner of the 31st Eckhardt-Gramatte National Competition, and a two-time recipient of the Board of Governors Award from the University of Western Ontario, where she completed her Bachelor of Music with distinction. Past operatic credits include: Geraldine (Hand of Bridge, Barber); Barbarina (Nozze di Figaro, Mozart); Nella (Gianni Schicchi, Puccini); Trio (Trouble in Tahiti, Bernstein). Concert: Messiah (Handel); Gloria (Vivaldi); Gloria (Poulenc); Madrigals (Crumb); Knoxville: Summer of 1915 (Barber); Rilke-Lieder (Daniel); Les Illuminations (Britten).
Danielle frequently premieres the work of contemporary and emerging composers; she recently recorded songs on Sappho fragments for voice and piano by Toronto composer Adam Scime. Other premieres include: The Children’s Crusade with Soundstreams Canada and the Luminato Festival, Peter Fischer's O D'Amarti o Morire with Toronto Chamber Opera Productions. She also worked with Shoestring Opera on adaptations of classics for young audiences, and was an Artist Educator with the Canadian Opera Company.
Danielle has recently returned from a year of study and travel in Europe, and is planning a return for language study and performance in Germany in the summer of 2011.
Peter Drackley BM3
Born and raised in Lancaster Pennsylvania, Peter Scott Drackley was introduced to opera at a very young age. Having a mother as a voice teacher and a father as a pianist, he was formed into the young singer he is today. A student of Dr. Phyllis Bryn-Julson and a junior at Peabody Conservatory, Peter was seen in the role of Ferrando with the Peabody Mainstage Opera's production of Cosi fan tutte in 2009. Other performances include Herr K in the Maryland premier of Melissa Shiflett’s Dora at Baltimore Theater Project, Guiseppe in the Peabody Mainstage Opera production of La Traviata, and many others. In 2011, Peter received first place in the Opera Lancaster Competition, and recieved first prize in the district and regional NATS competition. He is also an active performer in the community. Peter performed the role of Gastone in Chesapeake Chamber Opera's production of La Traviata. Peter also performed the role of the Armored Gaurd in the Opera Vivente production of Die Zauberflöte. In October, Peter returned to the Opera Vivente stage to perform the role of Arturo in Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor. In December, Peter joined Annapolis Opera in their “Gifts from Grand Opera” concert, where it was said he “used his sweet-toned tenor voice intelligently.” An avid recitalist, Peter was seen in January in Arlington, Virginia singing his Lieder recital, “Mozart to Marx: a Recital of Lieder.” Peter was most recently seen singing the role of General Kornilov in the World Premier of Joshua Bornfield’s politically satirical opera Strong Like Bull. Peter be seen singing Tom in The Rake’s Progress with Peabody Opera Theater at the Modell Performing Arts Center at the Lyric. He will then be returning to the Opera Vivente stage in the role of Jänik in Smetna’s The Bartered Bride, followed by Peter making his debut with Opera AACC as Alfredo in La Traviata.
JULIANNE MCCARTHY BM TRANSFER
In the spring of 2011, Julianne made her debut with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Marin Alsop. The Baltimore Sun said she “made sweet sounds” as the Dritte Knaben in Mozart’s Die Zauberfloete. As a last minute replacement, Julianne learned the role in a week and performed alongside lead singers from the Metropolitan Opera and Domingo-Cafritz Young Artist Program. In addition to this production, Julianne sang the role of the Senator Sessions in Melissa Dunphy’s Gonzales Cantata with the Peabody Chamber Opera, and she sang Ruggiero in scenes from Handel’s Alcina with the Peabody Opera Workshop. She also sang the role of Elmire in scenes from Kirke Mechem’s Tartuffe with Peabody’s Acting for Opera.
During the summer, Julianne performed the role of Cherubino as a guest artist in a touring production of Mozart’s Le nozze di Figaro with the North Czech Philharmonic. Maestro Richard Epp conducted, and the cast came from the University of British Columbia. In addition, she completed two sessions at the Universitaet Mozarteum’s International Summer Academy, where she was selected to study under Barbara Bonney, Horiana Branisteanu, Katia Borossova, and Gerd Uecker.
Past summer programs include Sherrill Milnes’ VoicExperience, and studies at Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music. Julianne has performed in master classes for world famous mezzo-sopranos Denyce Graves and Jennifer Larmore. She is a proud graduate of Douglas Anderson School of the Arts where, through the guidance of Vocal Department Chair Jeffrey Clayton, she discovered her voice. In 2007 the NFAA recognized Julianne with an Honorable Mention Award, ranking her highest in the state of Florida.
Julianne is entering year 4 of the 5 Year BM/MM program at Peabody, where she studies under Phyllis Bryn-Julson and coaches with Ernest Ligon.
SARAH HAYASHI BM3
Sarah Hayashi, soprano, began her musical studies at the age of seven when she joined the Peabody Children’s Chorus. Ms. Hayashi began a love for Opera at the age of three, which only grew while in the Peabody Children’s Chorus, where she performed in productions of Carmen and Hansel and Gretel with the Baltimore Opera Company. She continued on to study voice and viola at the Peabody Preparatory. In 2008, Ms. Hayashi won the Maryland Distinguished Scholar in the Arts Award from the State of Maryland Higher Education Commission, which included scholarship to a Maryland University. Selected as a finalist for the Washington Post Music and Dance Scholarship Competition, she also performed at the Washington Post Scholarship Gala at the Warner Theatre in Washington D.C. She has received Peabody Voice Honors and was awarded the Advanced Level Certificate in Voice Performance and Performance Award while at the Preparatory. In 2008, Ms. Hayashi won second place in her category at the MD/DC Chapter of the National Association of Teacher of Singing (NATS) competition. She continued to win first place in her category at the MD/DC chapter of NATS in 2009. She was also principal violist in the Howard County Youth Orchestra. She has received several Peabody certificate exam awards in both viola and voice and participated in the Peabody Chamber Music program. As a freshman in the Peabody Conservatory, Ms. Hayashi was cast as a solo Nymph and part of the ensemble in the Peabody Opera’s production of Jean-Philippe Rameau’s Adonis. In Spring 2010, she was chosen to sing Schubert’s “Shepherd on the Rock” at the Peabody Singer’s A Schubertiade coached and accompanied by Edward Polochick. In the summer of 2010, Ms. Hayashi was cast as Belinda in Little Patuxent Opera Institute’s production of Henry Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas. She is currently a second–year Bachelor of Music degree student studying with Phyllis Bryn-Julson at the Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University.
KATELYN JACKMAN MM2
Cast as Orlovsky in Die Fledermaus in her first year at Peabody, Kate Jackman, mezzo-soprano, is a multifaceted musician and actress who is as comfortable on the concert stage as she is in operatic roles. Her previous roles include Hippolyta in Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Hero in Cavalli’s L’Egisto, the title role in Rogers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella, Jou-Jou in Lehar’s The Merry Widow, and Prince Orlofsky in Strauss’s Die Fledermaus. This summer she will be making her debut with the Maryland Concert Opera in their program, “Opera Goes to the Movies”.
In 2009, Ms. Jackman sang the alto solos in Handel’s Messiah over internationally televised programming with The Basilica of the National Shrine in Washington, D.C., where she currently sings as a soloist and chorister. In 2008, she traveled to Rome with the Basilica choir to take participate the International Festival of Sacred Music and Art. Also in 2008, Ms. Jackman was a featured soloist in a televised memorial commemorating the 2008 floods in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
Ms. Jackman graduated Cum Laude from the University of North Texas with a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance, studying under Dr. Lynn Eustis. She is second year graduate student, studying with Phyllis Bryn-Julson at the Peabody Institute.
SONYA KNUSSEN GPD2
In her first year at Peabody, Sonya made her debut with the Camerata at Peabody, and performed as one of the soloists in the Brahms "Liebeslieder Walzer" at the Peabody Noon Concert Series at the Hopkins Hospital. She was accepted into the summer program of Bang on a Can (MASS MoMA), in North Adams, Massachusetts. She performed as soloist at the Aldeburgh Festival in England in a premier of a new piece written for her by the young British composer, Joanna Lee. She will be repeating the Brahms at the Peabody Thursday Noon series in September of 2010. Sonya’s mezzo-soprano/contralto talent and versatility as a musician makes her equally at home as a soloist or ensemble singer performing new music or established repertoire. In the 2008-2009 season alone Sonya premiered four new works by young British composers, all of which were composed especially for her to sing. She also featured as soloist with the New London Chamber Choir (NLCC) in works by Stockhausen and Dallapiccola and made her operatic debut in the title role of Puccini’s Suor Angelica. For a list of her upcoming performances this coming season, please visit her web site.
Sonya’s varied repertoire includes world premieres of works by Gerald Busby, David Knotts, Graham Ross, Joanna Lee, Matthew Rogers, Mark Bowden, Rebecca Jayne Clarke and Stephen Benson. She has performed The Play of Daniel (12th Century) with NLCC, a solo megaphonista (megaphone singer) part in Orlando Gough’s Singing River, singing from Tower Bridge and the roof of the Queen Elizabeth Hall as part of the re-launching of London’s Southbank Centre, and has been choral section leader/soloist in an experimental performance with the cult experimental band Throbbing Gristle at the Tate Modern’s Turbine Hall. She has performed with The Knack Singers and Octavia Voices, both of which she co-founded, as well as with the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama’s Opera Pathway Group in recitals in various UK venues. In 2008 she was invited to participate in the Dartington International Summer School, receiving a bursary from DISS/Carlton House. Sonya’s recent roles in operatic scenes include Helena (A Midsummer Night’s Dream), Ellen Orford (Peter Grimes), Alice Ford (Falstaff), The Marschallin (Der Rosenkavelier) and Fiordiligi (Cosi fan Tutte).
Sonya studied cello and composition at The Purcell School, London, gained a BMus in cello performance from Boston University, completed The Knack performance course for singers at ENO Baylis (English National Opera’s education department) where she was a Lilian Baylis Bursary Recipient, and gained at Postgraduate Diploma in Voice with Distinction from Trinity College of Music as an Eva Noreen Malpass bursary recipient, studying with Alison Wells. Sonya has just completed her studies with Alwyn Mellor, Catherine Harper and Angela Livingstone on the MMus course at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama where she was selected by Donald Maxwell to follow the Opera Pathway. Sonya will be team taught this season with William Sharp as well as Phyllis Bryn-Julson at the Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore, Maryland, where she is also a graduate assistant to the ear-training department.
BELINDA LAU MM2
Belinda Lau grew up with singing in her household, beginning classical voice lessons at the age of thirteen. During middle school and high school, she was actively singing in San Marino’s award-winning Chamber Choir and participating in musicals such as Bye Bye Birdie and Little Shop of Horrors. At the University of California, Irvine, she studied voice under the tutelage of Dr. Darryl Taylor, and was the recipient of The Bette and Steven Warner Scholarship, The Ann & Gordon Getty Foundation Music Scholarship, Artsbridge Scholarship, and Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program and Summer Undergraduate Research Program fellowships. Working with the Creative Connections outreach program at the Claire Trevor School of Arts, she brought music curricula to underfunded K-8 classrooms that had cut such programs. She was also a founding member and leader of Clair de Lune A Cappella, an all treble-voice performing group.
Her recent performances include Angelina in Gilbert & Sullivan’s Trial by Jury, as well as lead roles in scenes from Cosi fan tutte, Die Zauberflöte, Don Giovanni, Lakme, Le nozze di Figaro, and Rigoletto. Her studies have included roles such as Mrs. Gobineau from Menotti’s The Medium and Barbarina from Mozart’s Le nozze di Figaro. She has also been a featured soloist with the university choir and orchestra. Belinda has participated in various summer programs, including The Intimate Opera Company Summer Workshop, Songfest Young Artist Program, Barcelona Festival of Song, Hawaii Performing Arts Festival, and most recently, The Amalfi Coast Music Festival and Institute.
YUN KYONG LEE GPD (ALSO WITH HONG)
Mezzo soprano, Yun Kyong Lee was born in Seoul, Korea. Ever since she was a child she liked to sing and dance. At the age of 12, she began taking voice lessons in Korea when her former teacher discovered her talent and led her to study classical music. She was eager to learn opera singing, and her first and most inspirational singer was Maria Callas. Based on this, she decided to attend Arts school rather than public school.
She graduated from Sun Hwa Arts School in 2000 and Sun Hwa Arts High School in 2003 and subsequently attended the Korean National University of Arts with an Academic scholarship. Ms. Lee performed in a concert with Romanian Constanza Philharmonic Orchestra in 1999 and performed in a joint concert with North Korean Arts & Performance Team in 2000. She was a member of Sun Hwa Arts School Chorus and Sun Hwa Arts High School Chorus for four years.
Ms. Lee is a winner of the NATS Regional Audition in Senior College Category in 2009 in the state of Maryland. She won the Osaka International Music Competition and University of Seoul Music Competition in 2002. In 2005, she was accepted into the studio of internationally known Soprano, Phyllis Bryn-Julson, at the Peabody Conservatory of the Johns Hopkins University, receiving further scholarship.
With the Peabody Opera, Ms. Lee has appeared in the main-stage productions of "La Traviata" as 'Anina' and Chorus, in "Die ZauberflÅ�te" as 'Diritten Dame', "Falstaff" and "Les Contes d'Hoffmann" as chorus and '3rd Lady' in the Peabody outreach production of "Papageno." She also has appeared in the Peabody Opera Workshop program of "L'enfant et les sortilège" as 'Maman.' Ms. Lee has performed as the alto soloist in Haydn "Harmoniemesse" with the Peabody Concert Orchestra, Peabody Singers and Peabody - Hopkins Chorus. She will be performing at St. Petersburg and Moscow in Russia this fall. As an outstanding student, Ms. Lee was accepted to the 5year BM/MM program for gifted students.
ANAïS NAHARRO-MURPHY, BM 2
Born in Baltimore, MD, Anaïs Naharro-Murphy started her musical education at the Peabody Preparatory with piano lessons, ballet/contemporary dance, and Peabody's Children Chorus at the age of four. Anaïs' primary education extended to Europe, in Spain and France, as well as the Baltimore Public School System. While in Europe, Anaïs fully developed her understanding of both French and Spanish, as well as knowledge of European culture. Upon entering Baltimore City College High School, Anaïs discovered her love for music when joining the Baltimore City College Choir. Anaïs had prior musical experience, with various instruments (piano, clarinet, and saxophone), but apart from that she had no formal vocal training. The BCC Choir director, Ms. Linda R. Hall, is a great source of inspiration for Anaïs and has truly transformed her into the singer that she is today. Ms. Hall provided for amazing performance opportunities around Baltimore and introduced Anaïs to great choral works, different eras of music, and African American culture. Anaïs has also travelled with the BCC Choir to Spain, Carnegie Hall in New York City, ACDA conferences in Chicago and Hartford. Thanks to these marvelous experiences, Anaïs is now a double degree student, studying voice with Phyllis Bryn-Julson at Peabody and majoring in history at Johns Hopkins. Also Anaïs attended the St. Olaf Music Camp in 2008, participated in two musicals at Roland Park Middle School, including Annie and Into the Woods, was the Tri-M Music Honor Society Chapter President at Baltimore City College, and received the award of Choir Member of the Year of the Baltimore City College Choir in 2007 and 2009.
LISA PERRY MM2
Hailing from Farmington Hills, Michigan, soprano Lisa Perry began her musical explorations at a young age. She sang her first public solo at age five and began teaching herself piano and music theory soon after. She was soloing and composing regularly by age thirteen, and had her first compositional premiere at age fifteen. Lisa completed her Bachelor of Music degree in Music Composition and Theory at Michigan State University in 2008, studying composition with Dr. Jere Hutcheson and voice with Professor Margaret Brand. While an active composer, Lisa was a regular soloist in the greater Lansing area, singing the soprano role in Mozart’s Coronation Mass and Requiem, Brahms’ Requiem, and Handel’s Messiah, in addition to many others. In 2008, Lisa was the winner of the Michigan State University College of Music Honors Competition—the highest performance honor offered at MSU. She performed the aria “Grossmachtige Prinzessin” from Richard Struass’ Ariadne auf Naxos with the MSU Symphony Orchestra that spring.
Lisa currently lives in Baltimore, Maryland, where she completed her Master’s Degree in Vocal Performance from the Peabody Conservatory, studying under the direction of diva Phyllis Bryn-Julson. In 2010 and 2011, she took second prize in the Sylvia Green and the Kennett Square Vocal Competitions, respectively. She had her Peabody Opera debut as le feu, princesse, and rossignol in Maurice Ravel’s L'enfant et les sortileges in 2011; she performed as Susanna in Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro and Madame Herz in Mozart’s Der Schauspieldirektor during the 2010 Fairbanks Summer Arts Festival as well. As a devotee of new music, Lisa recently performed Louis Andriessen’s De Materie with Washington D.C.’s Great Noise Ensemble, Arnold Schoenberg’s Pierrot Lunaire with Baltimore’s Lunar Ensemble, and George Crumb’s masterpiece Ancient Voices of Children. She has performed many works by Peabody student composers, and was hired in 2010 to premiere works by composers of the Walden School. Upcoming engagements include a debut performance by composer Sean Doyle as part of the Great Noise Ensemble’s 2012 season.
ABIGAIL SEAMAN MM1
Opera is gaining volume and nuance through the beautiful voice and talent of soprano Abigail Leah Seaman. The aspiring artist has been heard in concert from Philadelphia to New York and halfway around the world in China. Currently she is expanding her musical repertoire, knowledge and love of opera through graduate studies at The Peabody Conservatory of Johns Hopkins University where she is a recipient of the Fraser Gange Memorial Scholarship.
Abigail Leah began taking voice lessons at age 12 and has been singing ever since. Despite discouragement to study voice in her undergraduate career Abigail Leah earned a Bachelor’s degree in Vocal Performance with a minor in Music History, graduating from West Chester University of Pennsylvania in 2006. She moved to New York City after graduating to continue private vocal study with New York City Opera and Metropolitan Opera soprano Jen Aylmer.
The rising soprano has won many awards including George S. Holmes Sr. Memorial Scholarship, the Parents Music Club Scholarship, and the George M. Costella Scholarship Award in Voice. As a competitor, Abigail Leah has won her division of the National Association of Teachers in Singing Competition. Abigail Leah is also a recipient of the Peabody Career Grant, which she applied toward attending the Fairbanks Summer Arts Festival in Fairbanks, AK this past July where she covered Mozart’s Susanna and appeared in scenes as Floyd’s Susannah. Her warm, rich voice has sparkled in scenes as Alcina, Giulietta, Nanetta, and many more. Summer of 2006 saw Abigail Leah travel abroad with a select group of WCU students and faculty to participate in a series of master classes at Guizhou University in Guizhou, China. There she performed works by Gounod, Mozart, Brahms, Mendelssohn and Delibes as a soloist and with ensembles.
After earning a Graduate Performance Diploma in Voice, Abigail Leah returned to Peabody in pursuit of a M.M. in Voice at the Peabody Conservatory that includes continued private study with world-renowned contemporary specialist Phyllis Bryn-Julson. In spring of 2008 Abigail Leah showed her flexibility in her graduate solo recital singing both lyric and coloratura repertoire. Her roles include a captivating and dynamic performance as Mademoiselle Silberklang in Mozart’s The Impresario with WCU Opera Workshop, Pamina with the Peabody Opera Outreach Program, and Elvira in L’Italiana in Algeri with Center Stange Opera of Harrisburg, PA. Last May Abigail Leah performed works of Walton, Poulenc, Rachmaninov, Richard Strauss for her second Peabody graduate recital. Her sensitive musicianship and versatility has made her an attractive collaborator for several music projects to be featured this fall including Beethoven’s 9th Symphony, and scenes from Humperdinck’s Hansel and Gretel. Upcoming engagements include Lauretta in Peabody’s production of Gianni Schicchi, Grassley in The Gonzales Cantata at Baltimore Theater Project, and a premiering role with Baltimore’s newest opera company The Figaro Project. In addition to performing music, Abigail Leah can be heard speaking publicly about her art as an encore guest speaker for the Peabody Road Scholars Program.
When she breaks from preparing music and performing, Abigail Leah likes to study and visit lighthouses all over the east coast. She also enjoys cooking, reading, and knitting.
MELISSA WIMBISH GPD2
Melissa Wimbish, coloratura soprano, received excellent reviews for her debut as Cunegonde in CU Opera’s production of Candide with former Broadway choreographer, Larry Fuller. Boulder, Colorado’s Daily Camera called her performance “simply incredible” and her aria “Glitter and be Gay” was noted as “the highlight of the entire evening.” Throughout her studies in Colorado, she was involved in several productions including Hänsel und Gretel, The Secret Garden, Amahl and the Night Visitors, and Poulenc’s La Voix Humaine, a one-act opera for soprano. She was selected to perform Mozart’s concert aria, “Vorrei spiegarvi O Dio!” with the MSCD Symphony Orchestra in the first vocal concerto competition at the college. In 2008, she was invited to Il Corsivo Estivo in Urbania, Italy, a summer opera and Italian language program for singers, under the direction of the renowned mezzo-soprano, Sylvia Stone. On the concert stage, she has performed as guest soloist with the MSCD Symphony Orchestra and Chorale in Orff’s Carmina Burana. Ms. Wimbish was honored to present the world premiere of “Venus Transiens: Trilogy for Harp, Cello and Soprano” by composer, Fran Pierson in 2007.
Ms. Wimbish has received various talent scholarships and scholarly recognition. These achievements include the L. Rudolph Quinn Scholarship (2005), Metro Scholars Award (2005), Dante Alighieri Music Scholarship (2008), and the Excellence in Musicology Award (2004), which recognized her research and writing achievements for an essay and public presentation on Béla Bartòk’s opera, Duke Bluebeard’s Castle. She was awarded second prize in the German art song division of the Graduate Vocal Arts Competition at the Metropolitan State College (2008) and was recognized as a semi-finalist in the international Competizione dell’ Opera in Dresden, Germany (2008). She has appeared in master classes with Daniela Candillari, Judith Christin, Kevin Class, Robert DeSimone, Gabriel Dobner, Uwe Heilmann, Rita Loving, William Matteuzzi, Patricia Miller, Leona Mitchell, Michael Schlüter von Padberg, George Shirley, Marietta Simpson and Robert Spillman.
Ms. Wimbish received her Master of Music in vocal performance from the University of Colorado at Boulder where she studied with Dr. Patti Peterson and Dr. Mutsumi Moteki. She received her Bachelor of Music in vocal performance from the Metropolitan State College of Denver under the direction of Dr. MeeAe Nam and Dr. Chris McKim. Currently, she is pursuing her Graduate Performance Diploma at the Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore under the direction of the distinguished, Dr. Phyllis Bryn-Julson. Upcoming events include her international debut as Queen of the Night in Mozart’s The Magic Flute with the first Seoul International Opera Festival in Seoul, Korea.
