Busching Studio
Kristina Gaschel, MM1
As an emerging young soprano, Kristina Gaschel has enjoyed a wide variety of vocal performing experiences. Notably, Ms. Gaschel performed the role of Climene in the Crane Opera Ensemble’s production of L’Egisto, which earned first place in the 2009 National Opera Association's Collegiate Opera Production Competition. Other roles include Fiordiligi in scenes from Così fan tutte and Marilla in Anne of Green Gables. Ms. Gaschel has also performed as an ensemble member in Urinetown, as well as the world-premiere of The Highwayman. As a chorister, Kristina has performed all over the world, touring throughout Europe with American Music Abroad and China with the Crane Touring Choir. As a soloist, she has performed several recitals throughout her native state of New York. In 2008, Kristina was a finalist at the NATS Collegiate Vocal Solo Competition.
Ms. Gaschel graduated summa cum laude from the Crane School of Music in Potsdam, NY with a bachelor’s degree in music education. She is currently pursuing her master’s degree in vocal performance at the Peabody Conservatory, studying under Marianna Busching. Kristina’s upcoming performances include the role of Milica in the United States premiere of Svadba, a Serbian opera by Ana Sokolovic.
Megan Heavner, BM2
A native of Baltimore Maryland, Mezzo Soprano Megan Heavner is currently a sophomore attending the Peabody Conservatory of music. Megan was a distinguished scholar nominee in the state of Maryland and received superior rankings three years in a row at the Maryland Solo and Ensemble festival. Performing internationally since the age of 15, Megan was selected as soloist in Concert Soloists program at the International Lyric Academy of Rome and Viterbo. As one of the youngest artists ever to attend, Megan performed the alto role in the Pergolesi Stabat Mater and was featured in the program’s prestigious Concert tour. Megan has also attended the Washington National Opera Institute and was a selected soloist for the Sanford Concert Series “Sounds of Tomorrow” concert program. At Peabody, Megan performed the role of Susanna Walcott in Peabody’s production of “The Crucible” her freshman year and is studying with Marianna Bushing. Recently Megan attended the Amalfi Coast Music festival in Maiori Italy where she performed the role of Third Spirit in Mozart’s “Die Zauberflöte” and was a soloist in their Arie d’Opera concert, New Festival Voices concert and the Canzone d’Amore concert. When Megan is not performing she enjoys Disney movies, vintage fashion, and baking.
Sijuan Hou
SiJuan Hou is originally from Changsha, Hunan, China. She believes something called ‘sing or die’ deep in her heart. She spent 3 years in Wuhan conservatory of Music, which is located at Hubei, China, for her bachelor degree of Vocal performance. She was instructed by one of the best Instructor of the school: Jing Chen. At the end of September 2012, she transferred to Peabody institute and to continue studying classical music performance.
By the time she turned 16 years old, she started to win vocal performance competitions. At the same time, she became involved in different performances and competitions. In 2007, she won the 2nd place of Hunan Vocal music competition at Hunan Normal University Theatre. In December 2010 and 2011, she performed at Wuhan Qintai Theatre on the New Year’s Concert in the Classical Music Chorus session. In 2011, she performed “Fantasy" in C minor for piano, Chorus, and Orchestra by Ludwig van Beethoven and "Nabucco" Chorus by Verdi in the New Year’s Concert. This concert showcased her vocal talent and she started to realize her singing ability an infectious gift from God.
Eun Hey Kim, MM1
Soprano Eun Hey Kim graduated in voice from Seoul Theological University in South Korea and studied under Hye Sun Yoon and Ji Eun Kim.
Since Ms. Kim came to America, she has studied under Ok Jin Back who graduated from Universität der Künste Berlin. Now she is under the studio of Marianna Busching at Peabody Conservatory.
Soprano Kim started to study in voice since she was 1 7, and she was awarded several competitions organized by the Society of Italian songs, Suwon Women’s College, and Suwon Metropolitan Office of Education. As a soloist for a church choir, she played Handel- “Messiah”, Mendelssohn -“St. Paul”, Vivaldi -“Gloria” and so on. Besides Bucheon city youth choir and Incheon opera choir, she was a member of other choirs as well. When she was a college senior, she took a part in a master class in Rome on 2007. Soprano Eun Hey Kim had several Christmas performances at the embassy of Luxembourg in Washington D.C. last 2011. Besides, she is a singer attached at Holiday Luncheon Gig held by the U.S. State Department. Recently, she belongs to Washington Soloist Ensemble.
Sung Hee Lee, BM4
Lyric Soprano Sung Hee Lee is currently pursuing a BA in Vocal Performance at Peabody Conservatory in the studio of Marianna Busching. She is originally from the Republic of Korea. Sung Hee began classical singing at the age of 19 under voice teacher Nancy MacArthur Smith. Soon after, Sung Hee made the final round of The Washington Post 7th Annual Music Award, and also won first prize at the NATS competition. Even before she got voice lessons, she already showed talents in her early age. Sung Hee received numerous awards including the highest award for the State Music Festival and WMEA Regional Solo Contest for two years. At Peabody, she appeared in Opera Potpourri Cendrillion as one of the Espirits. In 2012, she will sing the role of Yvette in La Rondine by Puccini. Sung Hee also shares her talent with the community in churches and nursing homes.
Justine Moral, BM4
Justine Moral comes from the Washington D.C. area. A Maryland Distinguished Young Artist Scholar of the Arts, Justine is now in her senior year pursuing a B. M. in Vocal Performance at Peabody Conservatory of Music at Johns Hopkins University, studying with Marianna Busching.
This past summer, she premiered the role of Lucy in Imagination Stage's “Helen Hayes recommended” production of The Lion The Witch and The Wardrobe, in collaboration with The Washington Ballet. The Washington Post reviewed Moral's performance, a stand out "...for her gorgeous singing and her channeling of Lucy’s demure gutsiness;" Moral was nominated Favorite Actress in a Family Show for the DC Theatre Scenes Audience Choice Awards, as well as the cast won Favorite Family Show in the DC area.
Other credits include Washington Savoyards Light Opera Company's Kiss Me Kate, Quartet member, their holiday production of Babe’s in Toyland, Little Bo Peep, Adventure Theater's What's a Wolf To Do, Little Red, Summer Dinner Theater’s Beauty and the Beast, Belle, Theater Under the Stars National Tour of Les Miserables, Teen Ensemble, Troika's National Tour of South Pacific, Ngana, Break-a-leg Theater’s A Chorus Line, Connie, Hopkins production of The Drowsy Chaperone, Janet Van de Graff, and Peabody Conservatory's Ariel's Tempest, Ariel.
Delaney Rosen, BM4
Mezzo soprano Delaney Rosen, who has been praised in The Baltimore Sun for her “tender tone” and “sensitive phrasing”, began her vocal training at the prestigious Colburn School of the Performing Arts in Los Angeles with soprano Kay Montgomery. She is currently in her fourth year of study at the Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University, where she studies with soprano Phyllis Bryn-Julson and mezzo soprano Marianna Busching, and coaches with Ron Gretz. At Peabody, She has performed as a chorister and soloist with the Peabody Singers, and has appeared in opera scenes from The Ballad of Baby Doe, Il Trovatore, Cendrillion, La Fille de Regiment and A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Delaney made her solo operatic debut in March of 2012 with the Peabody Opera Theater in their production of Robert Ward’s The Crucible as Rebecca Nurse, and will sing the role of Malika in Lakmé in the spring of 2013.
In her free time, Delaney, who is “Lane” to her friends and family, loves being outdoors, drinking coffee, reading, baking, and discovering new music. When she is not at school in Baltimore, she can be found at her home in Los Angeles, California.
Kathleen Schmidt, MM1
Kathleen Schmidt is in her first year as an early music graduate student in the voice studio of Marianna Busching at the Peabody Conservatory. Since graduating from the Colorado College in 2006, Ms. Schmidt has been an active professional performer of sacred music. Most recently, she was chosen to be the cantor for the annual Chrism Mass for the Archdiocese of Denver, leading sung worship for attending priests and bishops from all over the region. She was also chosen to perform for the Installation of His Excellency Most Reverend Samuel J. Aquila, Archbishop of Denver in the summer of 2012. She has been an apprentice and private student to the resident conductor for the Colorado Symphony Orchestra, Maestro Scott O’Neil, since 2008. Before entering Ms. Busching’s studio, she studied under acclaimed baritone Robert Gardner. In 2006, she appeared as Jenny in Colorado College’s production of Stephen Sondheim’s “Company”. She was a participant of the Vocal Arts Symposium of Opera Theatre of the Rockies in 2005, where she appeared in several productions including “The Music Man” and “Quilters”. Ms. Schmidt specializes in early music and sacred music, holds a Bachelor’s degree in medieval history from the Colorado College, and is also an experienced performer of early instruments including Renaissance and Baroque recorder.
Hee Chang Shin, MM2
Heechang Shin (tenor), a native of Korea, is in his second year of the Master of Music at Peabody Institute, studying with Marianna Busching. Also Mr. Shin received Artist Diploma program at Cleveland Institute of Music.
He has performed many full operas including Bardolfo in Falstaff, Hoffmann in Les Contes d’Hoffmann, Benedict in Beatrice et Benedict, Alfredo in La Traviata, and Bacchus in Ariadne auf Naxos. Not only he performed in Institutes, but he also performed outside of school to share his musical talent with the community, which includes numerous fundraisers and events. Mr. Shin performed with many orchestras as well.
Lori Ann Sundberg, GPD2
Lori Sundberg holds a Ph.D. in German Literature from the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, completing 1/4th of her doctorate at Yale University through the doctoral exchange program. In 2008-2009, Lori was a Fulbright Full Grant recipient to the Freie Universitaet in Berlin, Germany after working as an assistant professor of German at Middlebury College in Vermont. Prior to her involvement in academia, Lori sang a leading role in Herwig and Brigitte Thelen’s German premier of Peter Pan at the Graz Opera in Graz, Austria. She is currently pursuing her Graduate Performance Degree (GPD) at the Peabody Conservatory of the Johns Hopkins University in the vocal studio of Marianna Busching. Among her other operatic roles most recently performed are Rose Maybud in Gilbert and Sullivan’s Ruddigore with the Loudoun Lyric Opera, and La Ciesca in Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi with the Amalfi Coast Music Festival in Italy. She will be singing the Countess in Mozart’s Le nozze di Figaro in Peabody’s upcoming fall production of Opera Lollapalloza under the direction the Garnett Bruce.
