Young Artist Program
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2012 Apprentice Artists
Dee Donasco, soprano
Southern Methodist University; Texas A&M University, Corpus Christi; Opera North; Dallas Opera/SMU Emerging Artists Program; San Antonio Opera; Meadows Opera Theatre; Dallas Symphony Orchestra; Corpus Christi Symphony Orchestra; Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions 2011, District Winner and Regional Finalist; Lois Alba Vocal Competition 2010, Third Prize; Jensen Foundation Voice Competition 2010, Finalist; Chautauqua Opera Debut
"Purple and butterflies!!!"
Ben Gulley, tenor
University of Missouri-Kansas City; SONY/BMG The American Tenors US National Tour; Kansas City Symphony; San Luis Obispo Symphony; Lyric Opera of Kansas City; Hawaii Performing Arts Festival; Cedar Rapids Opera; Coterie Theater; Musical Theater Heritage; St.Joseph Symphony; Kansas Concert Opera; Opera in the Ozarks; Richard Tucker Foundation, Sarah Tucker Grant Finalist; Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, National Semi-Finalist; Gerda Lissner Foundation, Award Winner; Chautauqua Opera Debut.
"I am a general thinker, husband, singer/song-writer, avid fly fisherman, total sci-fi nerd, and I speak fluet Wookie!"
Katherine McGookey, mezzo
Capital University Conservatory of Music; Northwestern University; Opera Columbus; Firelands Symphony Orchestra; Columbus Symphony Orchestra; National Association for the Teachers of Singing Regional Competition, First Place; Capital University Concerto Competition, Winner; 2011 Chautauqua Opera Studio Artist
"Has an unhealthy obsession with Dance Moms!"
Courtney Miller, mezzo
The Boston Conservatory; The University of Michigan; Boston Lyric Opera; Ohio Light Opera; Juventas New Music Ensemble; Boston Metro Opera; Seagle Music Colony; College Light Opera Company; Classical Singer Competition 2011, National Finalist; Metropolitan Opera National counci Auditions 2010, New England Region Finalist; Young Singers Foundation, Bev Sellers Memorial Scholarship,; Rislove Foundation Recipient; Charles A. Lynam Vocal Competition, Young Artist Division Finalist; 2011 Chautauqua Opera Studio Artist.
Zack Rabin, bass-baritone
Brooklyn College; Portland State University; Ash Lawn Opera; Lyric Opera Virginia; Winter Opera Theatre St. Louis; St.Petersburg Opera; Ohio Light Opera; Sarasota Opera; Opera New Jersey; Natchez Festival of Music; Lyrique en-Mer; IVAI, Israel; ILUA, Italy; VOICExperience; Chautauqua Opera Debut
"Tree hugger."
Ricardo Rivera, baritone
Mannes College The New School for Music; Opera Orchestra of NY; Castleton Festival; Opera North; Contempo: Contemporary Chamber Players; Pocket Opera of NY; Chelsea Symphony; Licia Albanese-Puccini Foundation Competition, Encouragement Award; Shoshana Foundation, Richard F. Gold Career Grant; Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, 1st Place - Eastern Region; Chautauqua Opera Debut.
"Japanophile."
Rachel Sliker, soprano
Oberlin Conservatory of Music; Manhattan School of Music; Opera Theatre of Saint Louis; Aspen Music Festival; Opera North; Martina Arroyo Foundation; Virginia Opera; Pine Mountain Music Festival; Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, Philadelphia District Winner; Fritz & Lavinia Jensen Foundation, Finalist; Gerda Lissner Foundation, Encouragement Award; Chautauqua Opera Debut.
"Classic Movie Lover."
Jason Wickson, tenor
Indiana University; Oakland University; Santa Fe Opera; Michigan Opera Theatre; Palm Beach Opera; Toledo Opera; Winter Opera Saint Louis; Detroit Symphony Orchestra; Windsor Symphony Orchestra; Stanley Hollingsworth Grant Winner; Chautauqua Opera Debut.
"Ghost pepper survivor."
2012 Studio Artists
Rachel Arky, mezzo
Manhattan School of Music; Barnard College, Columbia University; Liederkranz Opera Theater; Chelsea Opera; Opera Company of Brooklyn; La Musica Lirica; New York Opera Project; BASOTI; Amalfi Coast Music Festival; New York Lyric Opera Theater; N.J. Association of Verismo Opera Competition, Third Place; Irma M. Cooper Opera Columbus Competition, Semi-finalist; Liederkranz Competition in Voice, Art Song Division, Third Place; Manhattan School of Music Concerto Competition, Second Place; Chautauqua Opera Debut.
"Proud New Yorker, sushi addict, word game fanatic, and travel enthusiast!"
Kaitlin Bertenshaw, mezzo
Interlochen Arts Academy; University of Arizona; Sarasota Opera; Arizona Opera Theatre; IVAI, Montreal Opera Studio; AIMS, Graz, Austria; Tuscon Chamber Orchestra; Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, Arizona District Winner and Western Region Finalist; NATS Competition, first place; Stewart Brady Competition, Finalist; Igor Gorin Award, Winner; 2011 Chautauqua Opera Studio Artist
"I am running my first 10K this year; I love Zumba, painting and sculpting. I am also learning to play the ukulele!"
Adam Bonanni, tenor
Mannes College The New School for Music; SongFest at Pepperdine; International Vocal Arts Institute; St.Ceclilia Chorus, Stern Auditorium, Carneigie Hall; Opera Index Competition, Encouragement Grant; Gulio Gari Competition, Finalist; 2011 Recipient of the Michael Sisca Mannes Opera Award; Chautauqua Opera Debut.
"Sometimes I sing Caro Nome in the shower...Is that weird?"
Justin Griffith Brown, baritone
Oklahoma City University; Manhattan School of Music; Oklahoma City Opera & Music Theater Company; Light Opera Oklahoma; Chautauqua Opera Debut.
"I collect action figures of historical people."
Mandy Brown, soprano
Wichita State University; University of Maryland; Maryland Opera Studio; Opera Kansas; Friendship Heights Symphonette Chamber Ensemble; Opera in the Ozarks; Koch Cultural Trust, Grant Winner; WSU Concerto & Aria Competition, Winner; Chautauqua Opera Debut.
"Likes to try different accents in my spare time."
Jesse Darden, tenor
The University of North Carolina at Greensboro; The Ohio State University; Ohio State Opera Theatre; Capitol Opera; Greensboro Opera; Ohio State University Wilson Vocal Award; Orpheus National Vocal Competition, Semi-Finalist; Chautauqua Opera Debut.
"A lover of Chess and Barefoot Running!"
Hunter Enoch, baritone
University of Cincinnati; Wolf Trap Opera; Janiec Opera Center; Opera and Musical Festival of Lucca; University of Miami in Salzburg; American Institute of Musical Studies in Graz; Singers' Club of Cleveland, Albert Rees Davies Scholar; Chautauqua Opera Debut.
"I love to sing showtunes on road trips."
Amber Garrett, soprano
Hampton University; The Boston Conservatory; Harrower Summer Opera Workshop; Virginia Opera; Classical Singer Magazine Competition, National Semi-Finalist; Chautauqua Opera Debut.
"I enjoy all, embrace all, and love all! Modern day flower child. And I was interviewed and sang on the TODAY show!"
Caitlyn Glennon, soprano
Carnegie Mellon University; Northwestern University; Orlando Opera Company, Book It Entertainment Company, College Light Opera Company; Opera Theater and Festival of Lucca; Bach Festival, first place; NATS Competition; Chautauqua Opera Debut.
"I am obsessed with Avocados and am an avid scrapbooker!"
Kelley Hollis, soprano
Northwestern University; Castleton Festival; Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, Wisconsin District Encouragement Award; Palm Beach Opera Competition, Semi-finalist; Bel Canto Foundation of Chicago, Bella Voce Award Winner; Chautauqua Opera Debut.
"A compulsive Twitterer (@Khooo) whose every thought is 140 characters or less."
Christopher Hutchinson, tenor
Louisiana State University; University of Arizona; Opéra Louisiane; Berks Opera; Southern Arizona Opera Company; Oberlin in Italy; Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, Arizona District Winner; Palm Beach Opera Vocal Competition, Semi-Finalist; Amelia Rieman Opera Competition, First Place; 2011 Chautauqua Opera Studio Artist.
"Before switching to singing I pursued a degree in clarinet performance."
Thomas Lehman, baritone
Eastman School of Music; Ithaca College; Delaware Valley Opera, Regional; Ithaca Baroque Ensemble; Rochester Symphony Orchestra; Rochester Chamber Orchestra; Friends of Eastman Opera, Lynne Clark Vocal Prize; Jesse Kneisel Lieder Competition, Prize Winner; Chautauqua Opera Debut.
"Huge technology buff."
>David Leigh, bass
Mannes College The New School for Music; Yale University; IVAI Tel Aviv; Norfolk Summer Music Festival; Yale Baroque Opera Project; Chautauqua Opera Debut.
"My body is 10% stainless steel."
Beth Lytwynec, mezzo
The Boston Conservatory; Nashville Opera; Opera New Jersey; Lyric Opera Virginia; New York Lyric Opera Theatre; Boston Opera Collaborative; Seagle Music Colony; Classical Singer Competition, National Semi-Finalist; Metro West Opera Young Artist Competition, Finalist; New York Lyric Opera Theatre Competition, Finalist; Chautauqua Opera Debut.
"Friends with dark chocolate and coffee."
Ellen Putney Moore, mezzo
The University of Michigan; The New England Conservatory; Lyric Opera of Virginia; Caramoor Bel Canto Festival; Opera New Jersey; Aspen Music Festival; Tri-Cities Opera; Manhattan Opera; Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions 2012, New England Region Finalist; Chautauqua Opera Debut.
"With Diet Coke all things are possible."
Kevin Newell, tenor
University of Wisconsin; University of Michigan; Fort Worth Opera; Central City Opera; Seagle Music Colony; Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, 2010 Milwaukee District Winner; Chautauqua Opera Debut.
"Raised on a Dairy Farm in Wisconsin."
Brad Raymond, tenor
Southern Methodist University; Indiana University; University of Texas at Austin; Virginia Opera; Austin Lyric Opera; San Antonio Opera; Hot Springs Music Festival' Amalfi Coast Music Festival; Austin Critics' Table Annual Performing Arts Awards, Best Male Classical Singer; National Opera Association Scholarship Division Competition, First Place; National Association for the Teachers of Singing Regional Competition, First Place; Chautauqua Opera Debut.
"Fantasy football enthusiast."
Brad Walker, bass-baritone
Michigan State University; The University of Kansas; The Lyric Opera of Kansas City; Des Moines Metro Opera; Jackson Symphony Orchestra; Chautauqua Opera Debut.
"BBC TV and I get along just fine!"