FACULTY
Our world-class faculty consists of professionals and teachers who have expertise in the operatic traditions and the evolving demands of the 21st century artist. Throughout the programs, they work together to ensure that participants receive well-rounded training that is reinforced program-wide
ANN BALTZ
Performance Techniques / Musical Improv / Career Planning
OperaWorks Founder and Artistic Director. Guest teaching artist for Young Artist Programs, conservatories and universities in U.S. Assistant conductor, coach, and/or chorusmaster for over 40 operas with U.S. opera companies including Minnesota Opera, Portland Opera, Orlando Opera, Wolf Trap Opera. Director of apprentice programs for Orlando Opera, Wesley Balk Summer Institute, Portland Opera. Pianist for musically improvised operas and vocal concerts in San Francisco, New York, Los Angeles. Creator and director of pastiche operas on social issues.
Faculty from 1987-2018
DAVID AKS
Conducting / Visualization / Musical-Dramatic Analysis
Music director and conductor of Opera Theater at California State University Northridge (retired). Guest conductor with orchestras in New York City, Florida, Colombia (S.A.) and Romania. Assistant conductor to Seiji Ozawa at Tanglewood.
Faculty from 1987-2018
Dr. MICHELLE ALEXANDER
Music Director, Coach
Opera faculty at University of Missouri-Kansas City. Former faculty at Boston Conservatory, Boston University. Music staff at Boston Lyric Opera, Portland Opera, Granite State Opera. Conductor for Marsh Chapel Collegium Soloists and Riverside Theatreworks. Pianist for Frederica von Stade's farewell recital tour.
Faculty from 2016-2018
VIDA ALIKANI
Yoga Instructor
Certified yoga instructor throughout Los Angeles specializing in performing artists. Health and fitness author, and former dancer and ballet teacher.
Faculty from 2005-2018
KEVIN BYLSMA
Music Director, Coach
Toledo Opera head of music preparation. Music director of Michigan Opera Department of Community Programs, and at Lyric Chamber Ensemble of Detroit. Lecturer of Opera at Bowling Green State University. Principal keyboardist with Adrian and Greater Lansing Symphony Orchestras.
Faculty from 2010-2018
CLARA CHENG STOSCH
Music Director, Coach
Faculty at Chapman University, California State University Long Beach, Fullerton College, and Idyllwild Music Academy Summer Festival. Collaborative pianist in recitals and chamber concerts in U.S., Canada and Asia.
Faculty from 2013-2018
JOHN MARIO DI CONSTANZO
Music Director, Coach
Credits include Music Director Tri Cities Opera, Guest conductor Sarasota Opera, Toledo Opera, Syracuse Opera, Opera Southwest; Artistic Director of Long Island Opera. New York City Opera Italian language coach. Music Director & conductor for Inland Valley Symphony.
Faculty from 2015-2018
ZEFFIN QUINN HOLLIS
Stage Director, Acting, Social Media, Relationship Marketing
Principal artist with Dallas Opera, New York City Opera, Santa Fe Opera, Palm Beach Opera, Toledo Opera, Szeged & Pecs National Theaters (Hungary). Director/Acting Coach for California State University Long Beach & Northridge.
Faculty from 2010-2018
CHUN-WEI KANG
Music Director, Coach
Artistic Director for Creative Voice Institute (Taiwan), Vocal Coach Asia (Singapore). Staff pianist for National Music Competition (Taiwan), International Vocal Arts Institute. Concert solo/ensemble pianist in U.S., Canada and East Asia. Faculty at Manhattan School of Music.
Faculty from 2006-2012, 2018
ANNE MARIE KETCHUM
Teacher Certification Coordinator
Grammy-nominated recording artist and international performer of contemporary 20th century Latin American art music. Founding Artistic Director/Conductor of Verdi Chorus. Pasadena Community College voice teacher and opera program founder/stage director. OperaWorks Voice Teacher alumna 2004, 2007.
Faculty 2018
LAURA PARKER
Acting Improvisation
Comedic, theatrical, musical & hip-hop improvisation in NYC with Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre, Artistic New Directions and Magnet Theater, and Second City and iO West in LA. Musical improv concerts with OperaWorks at Opera America, Classical Singer National Conventions, and Hollywood-Ford Amphitheater. Accredited Alexander Technique teacher. OperaWorks 2004 alumna.
Faculty from 2015-2018
SHANE SCHAG
Music Director, Coach
Manhattan School of Music Opera and Musical Theater faculty, Staff Pianist with Weill Music Institute's concert series and Lotte Lenya Competition. Faculty for Vocal Coach Asia (Singapore) and the Creative Voice Institute (Taiwan). Concert solo and ensemble pianist in U.S. and Europe.
Faculty from 2005-2012, 2018
ERIC SEDGWICK
Music Director, Coach
Music staff at Tanglewood Music Festival, Manhattan School of Music, Opera Singers Initiatives, Art Song Preservation Society of New York. Broadway Concerts Direct with Leona Mitchell, Sarah Rice. Pianist with Cutting Edge Concerts, and premiers by Seymour Barab, J. Mark Stambaugh, Joelle Wallach, Louis Hardin.
Faculty from 2010-2018
JANET CROUCH SHULMAN
Alexander Technique
Faculty at California State University Northridge. Previously faculty at Cal Arts, University of Southern California, Theatricum Botanicum. Professor of Cello at The Master's College. Training includes Karen Wentworth in London and Alexander Training Institute of Los Angeles. Advanced certification in Art of Breathing.
Faculty from 2014-2018
MARGARET SINGER
Music Director, Coach
Head of Atelier Lyrique of the Paris Opera's apprentice coach program, Founder of Merola Opera's apprentice coach program. Asst. Conductor at New York City Opera, San Francisco Opera, Canadian Opera Company, and Washington (D.C.) Opera. Solo coach at Opera Company of Hannover Germany. Worked with artists such as Sharon Sweet, Beverly Sills and Leonard Bernstein.
Faculty from 2013-2018
DOUGLAS SUMI
Music Director, Coach
Faculty at Boston University. Formerly music staff at LA Opera, Wolf Trap Opera, Indianapolis Opera, Centro Studi Lirica in Novafeltria, Ash Lawn Opera Festival, and UCLA. Alumnus of Domingo-Thornton Young Artist Program at LA Opera. Recital collaborator in U.S., Europe and Canada.
Faculty from 2014-2018
DR. PAULA THOMSON
Movement, Choreographer, Psychologist
Dance Faculty at California State University Northridge. Choreographer for Canadian Opera Company and Canadian Stage Company. Artistic Director/Choreographer for Northern Lights Dance Theatre. Guest teacher at University of Cape Town, University of Limerick, Banff School of Fine Arts, Stratford Shakespearean Festival, Juilliard School of Music. Faculty at York University's Department of Theatre, Graduate Studies.
Faculty from 2005-2018
ELI VILLANUEVA
Stage Director, Acting for Singers
LA Opera resident stage director for Education and Community Programs department. Guest director for California State Universities Long Beach and Northridge. Baritone roles with San Francisco Opera Center, LA Opera, Cultural Arts Festival in Cortona Italy. Also a composer, works range from solo vocal to choral works to handbell songs, published by Fred Bock Music & Laurendale Associates.
Faculty from 1998-2007, 2016-2018