| Degrees Available | About the Voice and Opera Program |
| Voice and Opera Faculty |

Degrees Available

• Bachelor of Music in Performance
• Master of Music in Performance and Literature
• Certificate in Performance
• Doctor of Music in Performance

• For more information on degrees, visit our Degrees Page.
• For complete curricular information, download the Bienen School of Music undergraduate and graduate student handbooks on our Student Handbooks Page.
• Application Requirements and Audition Requirements
• For admission information, visit Music Admission and Financial Aid.

About the Voice and Opera Program

The Voice and Opera Program at Northwestern University has a long and illustrious history. Today, program alumni fill the ranks of opera houses and university faculties worldwide.  Recent graduates include Met Grand Finals Winner Paul Corona, (BM06), Tucker Foundation Grant Winner Amanda Majeski, (BM06), and Met Finalist and San Francisco Opera Merola participant, Matt Hanscom (BM07).

The Voice and Opera faculty collaborates to offer students a wide variety of course offerings that promote a strong technical and pedagogical foundation. Students receive weekly vocal instruction and, in addition, upperclassmen participate in weekly musical preparation sessions with the coaching staff. 

Students have access to a wide variety of performing opportunities including opera, recital, vocal solo class, master classes, studio classes and musical theater.  All students are welcome to audition for the operas, two of which are fully staged, subtitled, and accompanied by full orchestra. The thriving music scene in downtown Chicago, only twelve miles from campus, offers many other performance possibilities.

The Bienen School of Music offers a number of special programs. All entering Doctor of Music students received full tuition funding. Undergraduates may pursue double degrees (music plus an outside field) or an Ad Hoc (self-designed) major.  The faculty encourages and supports students interested in these opportunities. Select students may take advantage throughout the year of the many on-campus auditions offered by visiting opera companies and elite summer programs.

All entering Doctor of Music students receive the equivalent of full tuition funding.

Should you have questions about the Voice and Opera program, please feel free to contact any faculty member or the admission office.

Download 2009-10 Voice, Opera & Choral Information Booklet (PDF, last updated 9/21/09)

This document includes important dates, course offerings, and information on:

• the 2009-10 opera season
• opera and choral audition information
• master classes
• Lyric Opera Circle, Freshman Musicale, and Fresh Vocal Perspectives

Campus Visits

To learn more about voice and opera at Northwestern, please schedule a campus visit. Visitors may sit in on voice and opera classes, lessons with various voice teachers and vocal coaches, opera and choral rehearsals, and weekly vocal solo class.

Operas

Master Classes

(Previous master clinicians have included: Mignon Dunn, Renee Fleming, Elly Ameling, Regine Crespin, Ricky Ian Gordon, Grace Bumbry, Diana Soviero, Julius Rudel, Renata Scotto, Tito Capobianco, Tony Randall, Richard Pearlman, Denyce Graves)

Other Performing Outlets

• Musical theater productions
• Vocal solo class
• Studio classes
• Concerto competition
• Oratorio and concert repertoire with various choral, orchestral, and other instrumental organizations who perform frequently
• Freshman Musicale, organized by the freshman class

Contact for further information:

• Karen Brunssen, co-chair, Dept. of Music Performance, and coordinator, Voice and Opera Program: kab180@northwestern.edu

Voice and Opera Faculty

Richard Boldrey

Senior Lecturer, Opera

847-467-3963
Chicago Music College

Member of Lyric Opera of Chicago staff since 1981. Served as maestro and assistant to Carlo Bergonzi at the Bel Canto Festival, Busseto, Italy. Former music director of Colorado Lyric Theatre Festival. Former music director of Opera Southwest (Albuquerque, New Mexico). Reestablished the Opera Workshop program at North Park College. Former assistant conductor, Opera Midwest (Evanston, Illinois). Co-directed the Bold Lion Center for the Performing Arts. Former head of University of Illinois' opera department. Former music director of the University of Iowa's opera department. Currently music editor of Singer's Edition, a multi-volume opera anthology. Author, Guide to Operatic Roles and Arias and Guide to Operatic Duets.

Theresa Brancaccio

Senior Lecturer, Voice/Vocal Pedagogy

tbrancaccio@northwestern.edu - 847-491-4518
MMus, Northwestern University
Recent Activity

Mezzo-soprano. Solo appearances with Grant Park Symphony Orchestra, St. Louis Bach Society, Colorado Mahler Festival, DuPage Symphony, New Oratorio Singers, Elgin Symphony, Sacramento Bach Festival. Leading operatic roles with Central City Opera, Chattanooga Opera, DuPage Opera Theater, Madison Opera, Chicago Opera Theater, and Light Opera Works. First prizes, Union League Civic Arts Foundation, Bel Canto Foundation, Louis Sudler Oratorio Competition, Chicago Women's Musical Club, Crescendo Club, and Italian Cultural Center. Featured in recordings of Janowski, Giles, Mahler, Cathedral Brass.

Karen Brunssen

Associate Professor, Voice and Opera

kab180@northwestern.edu - 847-467-1628
BMus, Luther College
Recent Activity

Co-chair, Department of Music Performance. Coordinator, Voice & Opera Program. Mezzo-soprano. Solo appearances with Cleveland Orchestra and Chicago, Baltimore, Pittsburgh, Houston, St. Louis, National, San Diego, Seattle, Milwaukee, Netherlands Radio, and Mexico City Symphony Orchestras. Appearances with Buffalo Philharmonic, Cincinnati Opera, Music of the Baroque, Blossom Festival, Waterloo Festival, Grant Park Festival, Chicago Opera Theatre, Carmel Bach Festival, Colorado Music Festival, and Prague Autumn Festival. Recordings of Telemann's Day of Judgment, Mozart's Mass in C Minor, and Monteverdi's Vespers of 1610 with Music of the Baroque. Other recordings on Decca and Vox MMG.

Alan Darling

Coach/Accompanist, Voice and Opera

Royal Academy of Music, University of Michigan

Former faculty member, Yale University. Currently also serving as faculty for Lyric Opera Centger for American Artists. Accompanied singers in recitals throughout North America and Europe. Regular participant in the Ravinia Festival.

Richard Drews

Assistant Professor, Voice

r-drews@northwestern.edu - 847-491-3939
BSEd, MMus, University of Nebraska

Tenor. Active performer; international career as soloist, recitalist, and operatic singer. Performances with Metropolitan Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, New York City Opera, Santa Fe Opera, Opera Theatre of St. Louis, Atlanta Opera, Florida Grand Opera, Deutsche Oper am Rhein, and many other companies throughout the United States and Canada. Winner, Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions. Former member, Lyric Opera Center for American Artists.

Melissa Foster

Senior Lecturer, Music Theater/Voice

m-foster@northwestern.edu - 847-467-7915
MMus, Northwestern University
Recent Activity

Soprano. Professional Studio Vocalist: Recordings on RCA, Sire and Universal Records. Active voice teacher in Chicago and New York. Music Director for North Central College Summer Music Theater Program. Artist and facilitator for the Music Integration Program with the Chicago Public Schools and The Music Insitute of Chicago. Past positions include conductor/associate conductor for several major choral groups including The Women's Chorus at North Park University and Cantores Minores Chicago, one of the nations outstanding Boy Choirs. Masterclasses at The Summer Vocal Institute, FAME Arts Camp, Broadway Bound, IMEA, NHSI Summer Workshop Programs, and at the MYA Summer Opera and Music Theater Workshop. Guest vocal coach for featured production in the 2005 New York Musical Theatre Festival.

Nancy Gustafson

Artist In Residence, Voice and Opera

847-491-7106
MMus, Northwestern University
Recent Activity

Soprano. Has collaborated with such artists as Placido Domingo, Luciano Pavorotti, and Joan Sutherland, and conductors Lorin Maazel, Riccardo Muti, Bernard Haitink, Sir Andrew Davis, and Sir Georg Solti. Has appeared in Europe’s major opera houses, including the Vienna State Opera, Covent Garden, La Scala, and the Paris Opera, and in the US has sung major roles at the Metropolitan, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Houston Grand, and Chicago Lyric Operas. Honors include the title of Kammersaengerin, bestowed by Austria, and an honorary doctorate from Mount Holyoke College. Recordings highlights include Wagner’s Das Rheingold with Christoph von Dohnányi; Symphony No. 2 by Mahler, conducted by Zubin Mehta; and La bohème under Kent Nagano.  Native of Evanston, IL.

Bruce Hall

Senior Lecturer, Voice

bruce@northwestern.edu - 847-491-7545
MMus, University of Michigan

Baritone. International operatic and concert career with appearances at Lyric Opera of Chicago, Chicago Opera Theater, and Cologne, Stuttgart, Netherlands, Seattle, Michigan, and Cleveland opera companies. More than 200 appearances on PBS television and National Public Radio. Soloist with Aspen, Meadowbrook, Artpark, and Grant Park Music Festivals as well as Rotterdam Philharmonic, Westdeutsche and Suedwestfunk Radio Orchestras and many American orchestras.

Kurt R. Hansen

Senior Lecturer, Voice

kurtsingsbach@comcast.net - 847-491-7538
MMus, Northwestern University

Tenor. Solo appearances in Europe, South America, Asia, and the United States. Specialist in oratorio, most notably the J. S. Bach Passions. Recitalist and frequent performer in opera roles. Soloist with Chicago Symphony Orchestra under Sir Georg Solti and Claudio Abbado and with Omaha Symphony Orchestra, St. Louis Symphony, Milwaukee Symphony, Minnesota Orchestra, and Music of the Baroque. Recorded on Lyra with Music of the Baroque and Colorado Mahlerfest.

John Henes

Lecturer, Alexander Technique

j-henes@northwestern.edu - 847-491-7228
BMus, Indiana University

Graduate, Chicago Center for the Alexander Technique. Certified by the Society of Teachers of the Alexander Technique, London. Private teacher of the Alexander technique to members of major American and European orchestras as well as other performing artists from the United States and abroad. Frequently gives Alexander technique lectures and master classes at universities around the country and in Europe. Former member (trumpet), Lyric Opera of Chicago Orchestra, North Carolina Symphony, Army Field Band. Recorded Shostakovich Concerto no. 1 for Piano, Trumpet, and Strings with the Chicago Sinfonietta. For more information, visit his personal web site.

Pamela Hinchman

Associate Professor, Voice

p-hinchman@northwestern.edu - 847-467-1408
BMus, Cleveland Institute of Music; MMus, Curtis Institute of Music

Soprano. Solo appearances at Carnegie Hall and with Hong Kong Philharmonic, the symphony orchestras of Cairo (Egypt), Haifa (Israel), Calgary, Pittsburgh, National, Wichita, Columbus, Harrisburg, Connecticut, Florida Philharmonic, and Kansas City. Appearances with Teatro de la Monnaie (Belgium), Spoleto Festival dei due Mondi (Italy), Cleveland Opera, Pittsburgh Opera, Opera Company of Boston, Washington Opera, Kennedy Center, Nashville Opera, Chautauqua Opera, Florida Grand Opera, Chicago Opera Theatre, and Lyric Opera of Kansas City. Recitals include Indiana University, University of Michigan, Curtis Institute of Music, Cincinnati Conservatory, Cleveland Institute of Music, New England Conservatory, Riga Academy of Music in Latvia, Vilnius Academy in Luthuania, and the American Cathedral in Paris’ Georges V Series.  Summer teaching: AIMS Institute in Graz, Austria and Opera CCM in Lucca, Italy Winner, Prix Speciale, International Bel Canto Competition, Belgium. Recipient, Mu Phi Epsilon Alumni Award. Phi Beta Delta inductee. For more information, visit her personal web site.

Philip Kraus

Lecturer, Opera

philip-kraus@northwestern.edu - 773-743-5676
DM, Northwestern University
Recent Activity

Baritone. Solo appearances with the Cleveland Orchestra; Dallas Symphony, Milwaukee Symphony, Omaha Symphony, Colorado Symphony, Santa Barbara Symphony, Richmond Symphony, Roanoke Symphony, Grant Park Symphony, South Bend Symphony, Owensboro Symphony, Jacksonville Symphony, Madison Symphony, Rochester Philharmonic, and the Fort Wayne Philharmonic. Appearances with the Lyric Opera, Minnesota Opera, Cleveland Opera, Chamber Opera of Chicago, Chicago Opera Theater, Hawaii Opera Theater, Light Opera Works, and the Pamiro Opera. Frequent guest of the Bel Canto Chorus of Milwaukee, Chicago's Apollo Chorus, the Bach Festival of Winter Park (FL), Music of the Baroque, the Handel Week Festival and the Calvin College Oratorio Society. Taught opera at DePaul University and Roosevelt University. Specialist in Gilbert and Sullivan.

Sunny Joy Langton

Assistant Professor, Voice

sunnyjoy@northwestern.edu - 847-491-5736
BMus, Indiana University

Soprano. Winner, Metropolitan Opera Auditions. Recipient, National Opera Institute Career Grant, Rockefeller Foundation Grant, Affiliate Artists Grant. International career as soloist with Lyric Opera of Chicago and Cologne, Düsseldorf, Hamburg, Monte Carlo, Spoleto, Santa Fe, Miami, St. Louis, New Orleans, and San Diego opera companies. Appearances with Rotterdam Philharmonic, Oslo Philharmonic, and Concertgebouw Orchestras and German and Dutch radio orchestras. More than 100 appearances on PBS television and National Public Radio. Recordings on Koch International Records.

Jay Lesenger

Professor, Director of Opera

j-lesenger@northwestern.edu
MMus, Indiana University
Recent Activity

Director of opera. Served as stage director, administrator and teacher for more than 30 years. Created more than 200 productions. Continuing artistic/general director and principal stage director of Chautauqua Opera since 1995. Former associate professor at University of Michigan, where he directed the School of Music Opera Theatre. Directing engagements include New York City Opera, San Diego Opera, Opera Pacific, Pittsburgh Opera, Hawaii Opera Theatre, Opera Grand Rapids, Opera Omaha, and the Atlanta, Columbus, Kentucky, Knoxville, Mobile, New Orleans and Orlando Operas. Continuing directing relationship with Norway's Opera Nordfjord. Directed world premier of Thea Musgrave's Pontalba for the New Orleans Opera. Member of board of directors of Opera America. Frequent adjudicator for the Metropolitan Opera National Council auditions.

Marie Michuda

Senior Lecturer, Voice/Music Theater

michuda@earthlink.net - 847-467-3476
MMus, Northwestern University

Lyric Soprano. Solo appearances in Europe and the United States. Solo orchestral appearances with the Illinois Philharmonic Orchestra, Northwest Indiana Symphony, Du Page Symphony, Park Ridge Symphony, Southport Symphony and the Symphony of the Shores. Has appeared on many music theater stages and is a proud member of Equity. Active studio singer and member of AFTRA and SAG. Discography includes A Christmas Wish and Grand Night for Singing. For more information, visit her personal web site.

Frederick Ockwell

Associate Professor, Opera/Conducting and Ensembles

f-ockwell@northwestern.edu - 847-491-5442
MA, University of Washington

Specialist in orchestral and opera conducting. Fulbright scholar, conducting, Cologne, Germany. Former member, Seattle Symphony Orchestra. Former assistant conductor, Cologne Opera Studio and Hamburg State Opera.

Jeffrey Peterson

Lecturer, Voice & Opera

jeffrey-peterson@northwestern.edu
DMA, University of Illinois

Taught at Indiana University, the University of Illinois, the University of Akron, and the Scuola Italia Summer Program for Young Opera Singers in Urbania, Italy. Appeared in recital with Metropolitan Opera singers Martina Arroyo, James King, and Teresa Kubiak. Has been partner to many singers and instrumentalists in concerts throughout the United States, South Korea, Italy, and Puerto Rico, as well as being the official pianist for the Central Illinois Regional Metropolitan Opera Auditions and the University of Iowa Flute Seminars. While at the University of Illinois, he was a student of and assistant to the renowned pianist and coach John Wustman.

Kenneth Smith

Lecturer, Voice

ksmith@northwestern.edu - 847-491-7575
MM, Indiana University
Recent Activity

Former assistant professor of piano, University of Missouri (Columbia). Principal coach at seminars for the Bel Canto Foundation (Chicago). Notable career for 25 years in Chicago area, including serving as music director for various opera productions. Former coach for opera divison of the St. Charles International Music Festival. Performed recitals as soloist and a collaborative artist throughout North America, Germany, Italy, Japan and Central America.