2020 Festival

2020 Faculty

Isabel Bayrakdarian

It’s not every prima donna who can boast a degree in biomedical engineering, but then, Isabel Bayrakdarian isn’t your average prima donna. In a career still in its second decade, an eagerly anticipated visitor to opera houses and concert halls the world over, she’s become as celebrated for her beauty, presence, and style as for a strikingly multihued voice that’s wholly in sync with the rest of her. A winner of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions—the same year she graduated from the University of Toronto cum laude with a Biomedical Engineering Degree—Ms. Bayrakdarian thereafter found her career taking rapid wing. She scored a notable success in the Lyric Opera of Chicago’s world premiere production of William Bolcom’s A View from the Bridge; the following year, she walked away from Plácido Domingo’s prestigious Operalia competition with first prize. More debuts followed, including her San Francisco Opera debut, as Valencienne in The Merry Widow, and her Metropolitan Opera debut, in the New York premiere of Bolcom’s opera; a season later, she won plaudits as Teresa in the Met premiere of Berlioz’s Benvenuto Cellini.

Matthew Valverde

Matthew Valverde, tenor, is a candidate for the degree of Doctorate of Musical Arts at the Eastman School of Music, where he recently completed his Master of Music degree as a student of Kathryn Cowdrick. An avid concert soloist, Matthew has performed in Rochester and Ft. Worth including performances of Bach’s Magnificat and Johannes-Passion, Bruckner’s Te Deum, Beethoven’s Mass in C, Dvořák’s Stabat Mater, Mozart’s Requiem, Puccini’s Messa di Gloria, and Britten’s War Requiem and is featured on the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra’s recording of Vaughan Williams’s Serenade to Music under Christopher Seaman for Harmonia Mundi.

Dr. Andre Garcia-Nuthmann

Dr. Andre Garcia-Nuthmann, has been the Director of Choral and Vocal music at New Mexico Highlands University since 1990. At Highlands, he directs two choirs and a Musical Theater ensemble. He also has been the choir director at Temple Beth Shalom in Santa Fe for 12 years. In 2007, his chamber choir was selected as Choir in Residence for the Classical Music Festival held annually in Eisenstadt, Austria. There, they performed in both the Esterhazy Chapel and in the famous Haydnsaal. Andre has an extensive choral experience starting with the Mozarteum in Salzburg, Austria, where he sang and studied with Dr. Kurt Prestell in the Liedertafel Choir. Dr. Prestell was the leading authority for the music of Karl Orff and Igor Stravinsky. Andre also worked and performed with the Santa Fe Desert Chorale under the leadership of Larry Bandfield and later with Dr. Dennis Shrock. At Highlands, Andre was able to collaborate with the Santa Fe Symphony in several concerts held in Las Vegas, New Mexico. During those concerts, Andre would often conduct the Symphony with his Concert Choir. Some of those programs included Handel’s Messiah and several of Haydn’s Masses.

Kristin Ditlow

Kristin Ditlow, American pianist, harpsichordist, vocal coach and conductor, is enjoying a career in opera and recital in the United States and abroad. She is an alumna of the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, Westminster Choir College, Tanglewood Music Center, and Merola Opera Program. She holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Accompanying and Chamber Music from the Eastman School of Music, where she was a student of Dr. Jean Barr.  Her conducting has been praised as “fine and polished” and featured an “exciting overture,” (Charles Jernigan, when she led Opera Southwest’s Norma). Philadelphia music critic Michael Caruso remarked that her piano performance had “an exquisite sensitivity and exhilarating thrusts of energy,” and the Bethlehem Morning Call wrote about her performance of Brahms as having “enormous passion, fine precision, and great musicality.”

Dr. Juan Hernández

Dr. Juan Hernández currently serves as Director of Choral Activities at Odessa College, where he conducts the A Cappella Choir and the Vocal Ensemble, and teaches Music Appreciation. He also serves as Music Director at Westminster Presbyterian Church of Odessa. Prior to his appointment at Odessa College, Dr. Hernández served as Director of Choral Activities at the University of New Mexico, where he taught Conducting, Seminar in Choral Literature, and conducted the Concert Choir and University Chorus. Furthermore, he was Music Director at St. Paul’s United Methodist Church of Albuquerque, and directed the Madrigal Singers of Albuquerque.

As Associate Instructor at Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, Dr. Hernández served as Assistant to the Chorus Master in several productions of the IU Opera & Ballet Theater, including Verdi’s “La Traviata”, Indiana University’s premier of Glass’ “Akhnaten”, and the world premiere of Rands’ “Vincent”. He also assisted and conducted the Contemporary Vocal Ensemble (now NOTUS), the University Singers, the Symphony Choir, and the All-Campus Chorus.

Dr. Hernández has over fifteen years of conducting experience, and has performed a vast array of music genres, including popular and folk music of Latin America arranged for choir by himself and others, and major choral-orchestral works of different eras. In his home country, Colombia, he founded several choral ensembles, and participated with Bocca Chiusa Grupo Vocal in the 3rd version of the Choir Games, winning silver and bronze medals in the categories Popular Vocal Music and Folklore A Cappella, respectively. Dr. Hernández conducted the middle-school choir at Colegio Hacienda los Alcaparros in Bogotá, and taught music theory, piano, and conducted the adult, children’s, and parents’ choruses from the Fundación Orquesta Sinfónica Juvenil de Colombia.

Dr. Hernández holds Doctor of Music and Master of Music in Choral Conducting from Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, as well as Bachelor of Music from Los Andes University in Choral Conducting. His conducting professors and mentors include Robert Porco, William Jon Gray, Dominick DiOrio, Walter Huff, Richard Tang Yuk, Betsy Burleigh, Carmen-Helena Téllez, Manuel Cubides Greiffeinstein, and Werner Pfaff.

2020 Awards

Junior Division
Barbara and Keith Baltz Award $100
Julianna Jackson
Spring is Singing in the Garden W. H. Anderson and Pampano Verde De la Torre
Mary Pratt Encouragement Award $100
Zeda Kathleen Titus
Under the Greenwood Tree Arturo Buzzi-Peccia and Homeward Bound Marta Keen
Louise Loomis Award $50 ea. Tied
Bonnie Li Peterson (Hannah Leng)
Cancion De Falla and The Sweet Nightingale W. H. Andersen
Louise Loomis Award $50 ea. Tied
Sophia Bonnell (Corbett Thomas)
The Linnet’s Secret Alec Rowley and The Secret Oley Speaks
High School Division
Bass Excellence Award $1000
Talia Czuchlewski (Gao)
Apres un Reve Gabriel Fauré and Chiquitita la novia Fernando Obradors
Marilyn Bernard Award $600
Avery Ross
Mi sueño Arr. Edward Kilenyi and Amiamo Gaetano Donizetti
Carmoline Grady Award $500
Allison Lium (Higbie)
Les filles de Cadix Leo Delibes and Fairy Lullaby Amy Beach
Chris and Marilyn Barnes Award $250
Sofia Chalamidas
Sonntag Johannes Brahms and Triste Albert Ginastera
Donna McRae Award $200
Analise Granados
Se tu m’ami Alessandro Parisotti and Asturiana Manuel de Falla
Friends of the Albuquerque Guild of the Santa Fe Opera $175
Rose Carilli
Bachianas Brasilieras No. 5 Hector Villa Lobos and Das Verlassene Mágdlein Hugo Wolf
Albuquerque Music Teachers Award $150
Owen Margarett-Verrett
Pilgrims Song Petrov Tchaikovsky
Dios mio, que solos se quedan los Muertos Manuel de Falla
Honorary Mention
Marcos Cano
Asturiana by Manuel de Falla and Le Colibri by Ernest Chausson
Collaborative Piano Division
Bass Excellence Award $500 ea. Tied
Gabriel Higbie (Allison Lium)
Les Filles de Cadix by Leo Delibes and Fairy Lullaby by Amy Beach
Bass Excellence Award $500 ea. Tied
Reia Kishi Gray (Elsa Mota)
El Majo Discreto by Enrique Granados
Into the Night by Clara Edwards
Air and Hammers Award $300
Lily Shevitz (Paige Gutjahr)
El majo timido by Enrique Granados and Down in the Forest by Landon Ronald
Linda Liechty Award $250
Karen Zhang (Annelise Wall)
Tres Morillas by Federico Garcia Lorca and Where Corals Lie by Edward Elgar
Albuquerque Institute of Music Award $250
Peter Jakiche (Cleo Cummins)
Asturiana by Manuel de Falla and Scarborough Fair arranged by Jay Althouse
Albuquerque Music Teachers Association Award $150
Grace Gao (Talia Czuchlewski)
Apres un Reve by Gabriel Fauré and Chiquitta la Novia by Fernando Obrador
Julius and Robin Kaplan Award $100
Hannah Leng (Bonnie Li Peterson)
Cancion by Manuel de Falla and The Sweet Nightingale by W. H. Andersen
Music Education/Choral Division
Quintessence Choral Artists of the Southwest Award $500
Gilbert Chavez
Lagrimas Mîas~El anillo de hierro by Pedro Miguel Marques
Von Ewiger Liebe~Gesänge op. 43 by Johannes Brahms
New Mexico Performing Arts Award $350
Cameron Colson
Cantares by Joaquin Turina
To Daisies by Roger Quilter
Desca Music Award $150
Nicholas Gallegos
Noche Serena by Edward Kilenyi and Il mio bel foco by Benedetto Marcello (attr)
Young Artist Division
Bass Excellence Award $1000
Sophia Neal
Le Spectre de la Rose by Hector Berlioz and Las Locas Por Amor by Joaquin Turina
Polyphony Voices of New Mexico Award $500
Chandlar Head
Lied der Mignon ll Franz Schubert
La Partida Fermin Maria Alvarez
Brahms Award $250
Priscilla Gandara
Intima Tato Nacho
Von ewiger Liebe Johannes Brahms
Opera Southwest Award $250
Casey Hennigan
Dias Gigantes Manuel de Falla and Extase Henri Duparc
Vocal Artistry Division
Bass Excellence Award $1000
Lydia Grindatto
Cantares Joaquin Turina and Befreit Richard Strauss
Schubert Award $500
Jennifer Kuchar
Chiquitita la novia Fernando Obradors and Il pleure dans mon Coeur Claude Debussy
Chris and Marilyn Barnes Award $250
Mary Brzezinski
Viens, mon bien-aime Cecile Chaminade and El Mirar de la Maja Enrique Granados

2020 Performance Submissions

Junior Division
Bonnie Li Peterson (Hannah Leng) video
Cancion De Falla
The Sweet Nightingale W. H. Andersen

Julianna Jackson video
Spring is Singing in the Garden W. H. Anderson
Pampano Verde De la Torre

Sophia Bonnell (Corbett Thomas) video
The Linnet’s Secret
Alec Rowley
The Secret Oley Speaks

Zeda Kathleen Titus video
Under the Greenwood Tree Arturo Buzzi-Peccia
Homeward Bound Marta Keen
High School Division
Clare Adams Crow video
Se tu m’ami Alesandro Parisotti
El tra la la y el punteado
Enrique Granados

Rachel Anderson
Flower Drum Song Arr. Ruth Morris Gray video
Con amores, la mi madre Fernando Obradors video

Mareesh Bali video
The Wind Speaks George Alfred Grant
O Heart of Mine Henry Clough Leighter

Marcos Cano video
Asturiana Manuel de Falla
Le Colibri Ernest Chausson

Rose Carilli video
Bachianas Brasilieras No. 5 Hector Villa Lobos
Das Verlassene Mágdlein Hugo Wolf

Sofia Chalamidas video
Sonntag Johannes Brahms
Triste
Albert Ginastera

Olivia Chavez
Lasciatemi morire Claudio Monteverdi video
Sure on this Shining Night Samuel Barber video

Cleo Cummins (Jakiche) video
Asturiana Manuel de Falla
Scarborough Fair
Arr. J Alhouse

Talia Czuchlewski (Gao) video
Apres un Reve Gabriel Fauré
Chiquitita la novia Fernando Obradors

Gretchen Eberhardt
Beau Soir Claude Debussy video
El Majo discrete Enrique Granados video

Analise Granados video
Se tu m’ami Alessandro Parisotti
Asturiana Manuel de Falla

Paige Gutjahr (Shevitz) video
Down in the Forest Landon Ronald
Majo timido Enrique Granados

Allison Lium (Higbie) video
Les filles de Cadix Leo Delibes
Fairy Lullaby Amy Beach

Owen Margarett-Verrett
Pilgrims Song Petrov Tchaikovsky video
Dios mio, que solos se quedan los Muertos Manuel de Falla video

Maylin Murray Krezan (Marshall) video
La Maja Dolorosa, 2 Enrique Granados
Leibst Du um Schönheit Gustav Mahler

Adrianna Mae Ritch
L’heure exquise Reynaldo Hahn video
Nana Manuel de Falla video

Talia Morgana Roberts
Con amores, la mi madre Fernando Obradors video
The Little Irish Girl Hermann Lohr video

Kaleb Nathaniel Romero
El Capotin arr. Bruce Trinkley video
Burung Kakak Tua arr. Elaine Schram video

Ytzel Romo-Olivas
Preludios Manuel de Falla video
Homeward Bound Marta Keen video

Avery Ross video
Mi sueño Arr. Edward Kilenyi
Amiamo Gaetano Donizetti

Noah Snow
Donde Vas, Alfonso Doce? Arr. Bruce Trinkley video
Homeward Bound Marta Keen video

Evie Stearns
Ave Maria Franz Schubert video
He’s gone away American Folk Song video
Collaborative Piano Division
Hannah Leng (Bonnie Li Peterson) video
Cancion Manuel de Falla
The Sweet Nightingale W. H. Andersen

Corbett Thomas (Sophia Bonnell) video
The Linnet’s Secret Alec Rowley
The Secret
Oley Speaks

Peter Jakiche (Cleo Cummins) video
Asturiana Manuel de Falla
Scarborough Fair Arr. By Jay Althouse

Karen Zhang (Annelise Wall) video
Tres Morillas Federico Garcia Lorca
Where Corals Lie Edward Elgar

Gabriel Higbie (Allison Lium) video
Les Filles de Cadix Leo Delibes
Fairy Lullaby Amy Beach

Grace Gao (Talia Czuchlewski) video
Apres un Reve Gabriel Fauré
Chiquitta la Novia Fernando Obrador

Lily Shevitz (Paige Gutjahr) video
El majo timido Enrique Granados
Down in the Forest Landon Ronald

Reia Kishi Gray (Elsa Mota)
El Majo Discreto Enrique Granados video
Into the Night Clara Edwards video

Georgina Lavery (Priscilla Gandara)
Intima Tato Nacho video
Von Ewiger Liebe Johannes Brahms video

Mary Marshall
(Maylin Murray-Krezan) (Non competitive) video
La Maja Dolorosa 2 Enrique Granados
Liebst Du um Schönheit Gustav Mahler
Music Education/Choral Division
Gilbert Chavez
Lagrimas Mîas~El anillo de hierro Pedro Miguel Marques video
Von Ewiger Liebe~Gesänge op. 43 Johannes Brahms video

Cameron Colson
Cantares Joaquin Turina video
To Daisies Roger Quilter video

Nicholas Gallegos video
Noche Serena Edward Kilenyi
Il mio bel foco Benedetto Marcello (attr)
Young Artist Division
Priscilla Gandara
Intima Tato Nacho video
Von ewiger Liebe Johannes Brahms video

Julia Glunt
De Donde Venis Amore Joaquin Rodrigo video
The Lamplighter Roger Quilter video

Chandlar Head
Lied der Mignon ll Franz Schubert video
La Partida Fermin Maria Alvarez video

Casey Hennigan
Dias Gigantes Manuel de Falla video
Extase Henri Duparc video

Oskana Herrera video
Amor y Odio Enrique Granados
Vaga luna che in argenti Vincenzo Bellini

Elsa Mota (Reia Gray)
El Majo Discreto Enrique Granados video
Into the Night Clara Edwards video

Maya Munoz
La Madre Triste Gwyneth Walker video
Au bord de l’eau Gabriel Fauré video

Sophia Neal video
Le Spectre de la Rose Hector Berlioz
Las Locas Por Amor
Joaquin Turina

Lydia Raymond video
Estribillo Joaquin Rodrigo
Lied der Suleika Robert Schumann

Mitzy Sotelo
video
Von Ewiger Liebe Johannes Brahms
Al Amor Fernando Obradors

Jordyn Tatum
video
The Bird John Duke
Amor y Odio Enrique Granados

Annelise Wall (Karen Zhang) video
Tres Morillas de Jaén Federico Garcia Lorca
Where Corals Lie
Edward Elgar
Vocal Artistry Division
Mary Brzezinski video
Viens, mon bien-aime Cecile Chaminade
El Mirar de la Maja
Enrique Granados

Margot Friedii video
Algun Dia Jamie Leon Ferro
Frühlingsglaube Felix Mendelssohn

Lydia Grindatto video
Cantares Joaquin Turina
Befreit
Richard Strauss

Jennifer Kuchar video
Chiquitita la novia Fernando Obradors
Il pleure dans mon Coeur Claude Debussy

Ana Elisa Portes
Cuba dentro de un Piano Xavier Montsalvatge video
Auf der Donau Franz Schubert video

Amanda Rindlisbach video
El Mirar del la Maja Enrique Granados
Il Poveretto Giuseppe Verdi

Sarah Serna video
On Music Ben Moore
Serenata
Antonio de la Cruz
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