OUTREACH ACTIVITIES

FEATURED GUEST ARTISTS AND PERFORMERS

Guest Artist - Marcin Dylla
“Four Corners of Europe”

Marcin Dylla was born in Chorzow in 1976. He received his first guitar lessons at the Ruda Slaska Music Conservatory in his native Poland. From 1995 to 2000 he studied at the Music Academy of Katowice with Adi Wanda Palacz. He then completed his studies with Prof. Oscar Ghiglia, Prof. Sonja Prunnbauer and Prof. Carlo Marchione at the Music Academies of Basel (Switzerland), Freiburg (Germany) and Maastricht (The Netherlands), respectively.

Having won 17 first prizes at the most prestigious international guitar competitions and having been awarded a number of audience and orchestra prizes additionally, Polish guitarist Marcin Dylla is a rare phenomenon in recent music history.

Many music critics, connoisseurs and music lovers consider him one of the most outstanding classical guitar players. Cecilia Rodrigo, daughter and executor of the legendary Spanish composer and creator of the “Concierto de Aranjuez”, Joaquin Rodrigo, has chosen Marcin Dylla to perform the world premiere of a lately discovered new guitar work by her father entitled “Toccata” (1933) on June 1, 2006 at Reina Sofia Museum of Modern Art in Madrid.
So far, he has played in a number of distinguished concert halls such as Konzerthaus, Musikverein and Palais Lobkovitz in Vienna (Austria), Auditorio Nacional and Auditorio Conde Duque in Madrid (Spain), St. Petersburg Philharmonic Hall (Russian Federation), Kleinhans Music Hall in Buffalo (USA), Villa Hügel in Essen (Germany) and the Palazzina Liberty in Milan (Italy).

Apart from his guest performances at virtually every major European and North American guitar festival, Marcin Dylla has been regularly invited to appear at international music festivals including Festival Internazionale Settimane Musicali di Stresa (Italy), Don Quijote Music Festival (Paris, France), Burghofspiele Eltville (Germany), International Festival Musical Olympus (St. Petersburg, Russian Federation), Inverno Musicale (Alzano, Italy), Central European Music Festival (Zilinai, Lithuania), Festival Internacional de Música (Toledo, Italy) and Musique Dans la Rue (Aix-en-Provence, France). More recently, Marcin performed as a soloist with the Hermitage State Orchestra on the occasion of the Hermitage Festival 2007 in St. Petersburg.

Moreover, he has cooperated with various orchestras and conductors in Europe and the United States such as JoAnn Falletta, Alexander Rahbari, the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra (USA), Orquesta Sinfónica de Radio Television Espanola (RTVE Madrid, Spain), St. Petersburg Philharmonia Orchestra (Russian Federation), Orchestra Filharmonica di Torino (Italy) and the Essen Chamber Orchestra (Germany).

“Throughout the competition, Dylla was the guitarist who had garnered the most buzz. Dylla had an air of controlled cool. The way he concluded the slow movement was the loveliest moment of the night. His touch was so light, his tones so delicate that the sound was exquisitely resonant. When he finished the piece, the audience jumped up and cheered. It seemed pretty obvious who was going to be the Audience Favourite, and Dylla was…
When Dylla was awarded the grand prize, his fans again went wild, and BPO (Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra) brass players played the Polish national anthem.” - THE BUFFALO NEWS

 

Guest Artist - Kenneth Overton
“Musical Celebration of Christmas”

Baritone Kenneth Overton has consistently received accolades for his rich gleaming voice and his many layered, powerful interpretations. He recently toured the British Isles as Porgy in Living Arts’ Porgy and Bess, and performed this role for the first time in North America with Opera Memphis in the fall of 2006. He also makes his debut this season with Stadttheater Klagenfurt as Jake in Porgy and Bess. He recently sang his first Escamillo in Carmen with the Missouri Symphony Society, and he has been heard recently as Leporello in Don Giovanni with Opera Memphis, Ping in Turandot with Sacramento Opera, Bello in La Fanciulla del West with Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center, as the Bass soloist Beethoven’s 9th Symphony with the Annapolis Symphony Orchestra, and as the Baritone soloist in Vaughn Williams’ 5 Mystical Songs with the Oratorio Society of New Jersey. In March of 2007 Mr. Overton made his debut performing the role of Stephen Kumalo in Lost in the Stars with Skylark Opera.

Last season Mr. Overton returned to Connecticut Opera for Taddeo in L’Italiana in Algeri, and appeared as Sharpless in Madama Butterfly and Schaunard in La Boheme with Metro Lyric Opera (NJ). He also appeared as soloist in the Schubert Mass in Ab with the Summit Chorale Festival (NJ) and last August he traveled to Spain where he toured with the American Spiritual Ensemble.

Kenneth has also been heard as Leporello in Don Giovanni at Houston Ebony Opera Guild, Ping in Turandot at Opera Delaware, Schaunard in La Boheme at Opera Memphis, and Sharpless in Madama Butterfly with the Chattanooga Symphony & Opera, was in Baz Luhrman’s Broadway Boheme, and City Center Encores’ production and recording of New Moon (Romberg), Masetto in Don Giovanni, Papageno in Die Zauberflöte with Connecticut Opera, Papageno with Chattanooga Symphony & Opera, Ping in Turandot with both Nashville Opera and Opera Memphis, and Schaunard in La Boheme with Connecticut Opera.

Kenneth’s intelligence and versatility have allowed him to excel in several modern works including Corps of Discovery by Michael Ching with Opera Festival of New Jersey ; Six Characters by Hugo Weisgall, and with New York’s Nexus Arts, The Guilded Cage by Kioulaphides. With the Westfield Symphony Orchestra, Mr. Overtone was a featured soloist in Fascinatin’ Rhythm, a concert of George Gershwin songs. He made his Carnegie Hall debut as baritone soloist in Come Follow Me by Jackson Berkey with Mid-America Productions. He was a winner of the Liederkranz Competition and a national winner of the Leontyne Price Vocal Competition.

Guest Artist - Andrea Jones-Sojola
“Musical Celebration of Christmas”

Andrea Jones-Sojola, hails from Louisville, KY. She is currently touring with the critically acclaimed trio 3 Mo Divas in cities such as Buffalo, Washington DC and Edmonton, Canada. She has recently performed with Morehead University's Symphonic Band, Bach Choir of Pittsburgh as well as the Riverside Symphonia in New Jersey and The Paragon Ragtime Orchestra. This winter she had great success in Handel's Messiah with Milwaukee Symphony.

She has performed on the stage of Dayton Opera in the roles of Frasquita in Carmen and Papagena in Die Zauberflöte. Ms. Jones-Sojola performed in Muhammad Ali: Outside the Ring for Kentucky Opera. She sang the role of Lonnie (Ali's wife) and had the honor of singing it for the "Champ" himself.

Ms. Jones-Sojola has had the opportunity to sing throughout Europe, Africa and the Middle East. She performs in music festivals across Spain as a featured soloist in concerts with the American Spiritual Ensemble. In Poland, she sang the role of Clara in Porgy and Bess under the baton of Maestro Mariusz Smolij. In Italy, she sang Zerlina in Don Giovanni under the baton of Maestro Mark Gibson. Ms. Jones-Sojola also sang the role of Despina in Cosí fan tutte in Cairo, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates. Other roles include Fanny in La Cambiale di Matrimonio, Ninetta in La Finta Semplice, Ms. Honey in Three's Company and Adele in Die Fledermaus, Lauretta in Gianni Schicchi and Sister Rose in Dead Man Walking.

Ms. Jones-Sojola has participated in several music festivals such as the Young Artist Program with Cincinnati Opera, Aspen Opera Theater, Banff 20th Century Opera and Song Program, Opera Theater of Lucca, Italy and Chautauqua Institute of Music. Most recently she was an Artist-in-Residence with Dayton Opera. She received her Artist Diploma in Opera from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, her MM in voice from the University of Kentucky and her BA in voice from Lincoln University.

Competitions include the District Winner of The Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, First Place in the National Opera Association Voice Competition, First Place in The Pro Arts Society of Philadelphia, Finalist in The MacAllister Awards Competition, Mathais Winner in The MacAllister Awards, Finalist in the Palm Beach Atlantic Voice Competition, Finalist in the National Federation of Music Clubs Voice Competition, Semi-Finalist in the Palm Beach Opera Competition, and Semi-finalist in the Oratorio Society of New York Competition.

Ms. Jones-Sojola can be heard as Laurie on the Albany recording of The Tender Land, recorded in the Czech Republic with the Bohuslav Martinu Philharmonic Orchestra. Her signature piece, "Lord, I Have Seen" can be heard on the American Spiritual Ensemble CD Ol' Time Religion. She is also singing solo on the newly released CD "The Spirtual." Jones-Sojola's voice is featrured in the PBS documentary of the same name.

Furure engagements include Handel's Messiah with The Bach Society of Pittsburgh and a recital sponsored by Colombus Opera.

Guest Artist - Soprano Angela Meade
“OPERA SPECTACULAR”

AVA third-year resident artist

Hometown: Centralia, WA
Education: M.M. University of Southern California; B.M. Pacific Lutheran University
Competitions: Grand Prize winner, 2007 Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, Hans Gabor Belvedere Competition, first place in both the opera and operetta divisions (first singer in the competition's history to win first place in both categories); 2007 Liederkranz Competition,first place; international semi-finalist, Operalia Competition, Paris, 2007; Second Place, Fritz and Lavinia Jensen Foundation Competition; First Place, Licia Albanese-Puccini Foundation Competition; First Place, Violetta DuPont Opera at Florham Competition; First Place, James Parkinson Vocal Competition; International Grand Award Winner, Gerda Lissner Foundation Competition; Grant, Career Bridges Foundation; International Finalist, World Voice Masters Competition-Monte Carlo; Fifth Place, Loren L. Zachary Competition; National Semi-Finalist, Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions; Young Artist of the Year, National Association of Teachers of Singing Los Angeles; First Place, New Century Singers of Whittier Competition; First Place, Rio Hondo Symphony Competitio; First Place, Long Beach Mozart Festival Competition; Grant, Léni fé Bland Foundation; Grant, Women's Committee of the Glendale Symphony; First Place, Palm Springs Opera Guild of the Desert Competition; Grant, Annamaria Saritelli-DiPanni Bel Canto Competition; Grant, Opera Buffs of Los Angeles; NATS-LA Summer Study Grant; First Place, American Educators of Italian Origins United Competition; International Finalist, Gerda Lissner Foundation Competition; First Place, Olympia Washington Opera Guild Competition.
Roles at AVA: Berta, Il barbiere di Siviglia, Agathe, Der Freischütz; (upcoming, Fiordiligi, Così fan tutte.)
Other roles: title role, Agrippina, Fiordiligi, Così fan tutte, Gertrude/Mutter, Hansel und Gretel, Mme. Herz, Der Schauspieldirektor, Queen of the Night, Magic Flute, Mother Goose, The Rakes's Progress, USC Opera Theater; Rosalinde, Die Fledermaus, Abbess, Suor Angelica, Countess, Le nozze di Figaro, PLU Opera Theater; First Lady, The Magic Flute, Bayview Music Festival
Upcoming: Elvira (cover) Ernani, Metropolitan Opera; soloist, Beethoven 9th Symphony, Pasadena Symphony.
Website: Angela Meade

Nina Yoshida Nelsen, mezzo-soprano
“OPERA SPECTACULAR”

AVA second-year resident artist

Hometown: Santa Barbara, CA
Education: M.M. in Vocal Performance, Boston University; B.M. in Violin Performance and Psychology, Boston University, Magna Cum Laude
Competitions: 2006 Jensen Vocal Competition, National Finalist; 2006 Metropolitan Opera National Council National Semi-Finalist; Loren L. Zachary Society National Vocal Competition, National Finalist, 2005; Palm Springs Vocal Competition, Finalist, 2004; West Bay Opera Superstar Competition, Finalist, 2004; Performing Arts Foundation Vocal Competition, first Place, 2004; Profant Foundation Vocal Competition, First Place, 2002 - 2004.
Roles at AVA: Larina, Eugene Onegin, Erika, Vanessa, Rosette, Manon, Dorabella, Cosi fan tutte
Other roles: Stephano, Romeo et Juliette, New Jersey Opera Theatre, 2007. Rebecca Nurse, The Crucible, Utah Festival Opera; Countess, The Daughter of the Regiment, Orange County Opera (educational outreach); Suzuki, Madama Butterfly, Livermore Valley Opera; Kate Pinkerton and Suzuki (cover), Opera Santa Barbara; title role, Carmen, Komische Kammeroper, Munich; Mother, The Tales of Hoffmann, Komische Kammeroper, Munich; Dorabella, Così fan tutte (abbreviated version), Opera Providence, OPERAtunity; Idamante, Idomeneo, Boston University Opera Institute; Hermia, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Boston University Opera Institute; Lulu, Jumping Frog of Calaveras County (Foss), Boston University Opera Institute; Tisbe, Cenerentola, Opera Providence.
Website: Nina Yoshida Nelsen

Jeffrey Halili, Tenor
“OPERA SPECTACULAR”

Filipino-Canadian tenor Jeffrey Halili has just Made his debut as Bardolfo in New York City Opera's revival of Falstaff. He performed Nick in Fanciulla at the St. Bart's Music Festival with Maestro Stephen Mercurio this winter. 2007 featured debuts with Michigan Opera Theater, New Orleans Opera and a return to Virginia Opera as Nerone in Agrippina with a "high-wire intensity of his vocal and physical skills". Mr Halili has performed Harry in La Fanciulla del West with Florida Grand Opera and a "highly energized and graceful" Gastone in La Traviata with Virginia Opera. Displaying his versatility, he also sang his first Duke in Rigoletto with the Dubuque Symphony. He has attended several notable summer programs including those at Opera, Santa Fe Opera and Chautauqua Opera where he gave "first rate performances" as Goro in Madama Butterfly, Normanno in Lucia, and Giles Corey in The Crucible. At Santa Fe Opera he performed Ajax in La Belle Helene alongside Susan Graham. In concert, he has performed with Philadelphia Orchestra, National Symphony Orchestra, Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra, and the Buffalo Philharmonic. His repertoire includes Uriel in The Creation, Handel's Messiah, Richard Einhorn's Voices of Light, and Arthur Honegger's oratorio King David.

He is recently a graduate of the Academy of Vocal Arts where he performed numerous roles in operas including Rigoletto, La Navarrise, Iolanta, Cosi fan Tutte, Elektra, L'Amico Fritz, Le Nozze di Figaro, Die Zauberflote and Lucia di Lammermoor. "(Hurling) himself across the stage with demonic energy" in AVA'a production of Das Rheingold, "the clever fire god Loge furnished tenor Jeffrey Halili with an excellent vehicle for his gifts; his dynamic characterization, deft verbal pointing and legato flow gave consistant pleasure"

Mr. Halili recently received an encouragemant grant from the 2007 Sullivan Foundation and was chosen to be 2nd prize for the 2008 Liederkranz Competition. He also was a 1st place winner and Audience Choice of the 2004 AVA Giargiari Bel Canto Competition, and a 2006 Metropolitan Opera Competition New York Regional Finalist.

He received his Master's degree in Vocal Performance from Indiana University and his Bachelor's in Vocal Performance from the State University of New York at Buffalo. Upcoming engagements next season take Mr. Halili to Hawaii Opera Theatre and Minnesota Opera as Pedrillo in Die Entfuhrung aus dem Serail and to Miami as Goro in Florida Grand Opera's new Butterfly.

Steven LaBrie, baritone
“OPERA SPECTACULAR”

AVA second-year resident artist