Meet our Faculty
Dr. Frank a. watkinsFrank A. Watkins is an Associate Professor of Music and Director of Choral Studies at the University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire. A native of Omaha, Nebraska, Watkins taught secondary choral music in the state of Texas for six years. He holds degrees in piano performance from Jackson State University (BM), the University of Arkansas (MM), and choral conducting from Northwestern University (MM) and Michigan State University (DMA).
Dr. Watkins is in demand as a guest conductor and clinician. Recent engagements include the University of Nebraska Omaha Collegiate Choir Concert Series (2014), Dunn St. Croix Honor Choir (2015), Lakeland All-Conference Honor Choir (2015), |
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University of Nebraska Omaha Middle School Honor Choir (2016), the Eau Claire Chamber Orchestra (2016), Red Cedar Honor Choir (2017), the Big Nine Festival Honor Choir (2017), the Great Northern Conference All Conference Choir (2017), Cloverbelt All-Conference Honor Choir (2018), and the 2018 Men's Choir Festival in Stillwater, MN. He has presented workshops on choral methods for the International Music and Christian Arts Conference, Michigan State University, and the Ohio State University. In 2015, he presented at both the Wisconsin Music Educators State Convention and the National Collegiate Choral Organization National Conference.
In 2016 Dr. Watkins completed a summer research trip to Corsica studying ancient Corsican polyphony. In 2017, Watkins led an International Fellows Trip to Dakar, Senegal to study the use of hip-hop and rap as a form of non-violent political protest. Watkins' research interests include the intersectionality of race, class, and gender in the music of African-American Women in the 21st century.
Watkins joined the faculty of the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire in 2014. In 2016, he was appointed Conductor and Music Director of the Eau Claire Chamber Orchestra.
A dynamic young conductor, Watkins' love and passion are teaching. He believes that in order to educate, you must first inspire! It is his goal to make an impact...not just an impression on the lives of those that follow his baton.
In 2016 Dr. Watkins completed a summer research trip to Corsica studying ancient Corsican polyphony. In 2017, Watkins led an International Fellows Trip to Dakar, Senegal to study the use of hip-hop and rap as a form of non-violent political protest. Watkins' research interests include the intersectionality of race, class, and gender in the music of African-American Women in the 21st century.
Watkins joined the faculty of the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire in 2014. In 2016, he was appointed Conductor and Music Director of the Eau Claire Chamber Orchestra.
A dynamic young conductor, Watkins' love and passion are teaching. He believes that in order to educate, you must first inspire! It is his goal to make an impact...not just an impression on the lives of those that follow his baton.
Dr. Christopher G. McGinleyDr. Christopher G. McGinley is a dynamic conductor and music educator based in the upper Midwest where he serves as Associate Director of Choral Activities at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and Music Director at Trinity Lutheran Congregation in Minneapolis. His choirs are noted for their vibrant and nuanced interpretations of works from diverse eras and genres. A strong advocate for community music, McGinley has served intergenerational choirs in Philadelphia, Wisconsin,
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and Oregon. He holds degrees in conducting and music education from the University of Minnesota, the University of Oregon, and the University of Delaware and pursued further studies in conducting at the Frost School of Music. His conducting mentors include Kathy Saltzman Romey, Matthew Mehaffey, Karen Kennedy, Sharon Paul, and Paul D. Head.
Dr. Mark R. MowryTenor Mark Mowry has performed a diverse range of opera, concert, and recital repertoire which reflects his broad musical interests. He has sung leading roles in such operas as Britten's Albert Herring, Curlew River, and The Turn of the Screw, Handel's Acis and Galatea, Mozart's Così fan tutte and Idomeneo, Prokofiev's The Love for Three Oranges, Smetana's The Bartered Bride, and Stravinsky's The Rake's Progress. He sang the role of Enrico Carouser in the world premiere of
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Edwin Penhorwood's opera Too Many Sopranos. As concert soloist, he has been heard in the music of Bach (Magnificat, St. John Passion, St. Matthew Passion), Britten (Rejoice in the Lamb, St. Nicholas, War Requiem), Handel (Messiah), Haydn (Creation), Mendelssohn (Elijah), Mozart (C Minor Mass, Coronation Mass, Requiem, Solemn Vespers), Sir John Stainer (Crucifixion), and Vaughan Williams (Hodie), among others. An advocate of the song genre, Mowry has participated in numerous master classes devoted to the subject and led by such noted musicians as Graham Johnson, Roger Vignoles, and Hâkan Hagegârd; his own recital appearances have occurred both at home in the U.S. and, more recently, in the United Kingdom - first at Jubilee Hall in Aldeburgh, England, for the Aldeburgh Festival. and then for his debut recital at London's Wigmore Hall, for which Graham Johnson was pianist. In addition, Mowry's various musical activities have taken him to the cities of Chicago, Dublin, Lucerne, Milan, Moscow, Munich, New York, Salzburg, Tokyo, and Washington D.C.
In recent years, Mowry's students have won many awards at competitions such as Wisconsin NATS, Schubert Club Auditions, and at district and regional rounds of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions. In addition, his students are regularly accepted into prestigious graduate programs in voice performance; graduates in the past three years have received invitations to attend and/or are currently attending University of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music, University of Michigan, Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, University of Colorado-Boulder, University of Houston, San Francisco Conservatory, Mannes School of Music, The Juilliard School, Academy of Vocal Arts, and The Curtis Institute.
Mowry received the Doctor of Music degree from the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University, where he studied with Virginia Zeani, James King, and James McDonald. He received the Master of Music degree from Northwestern University, and the Bachelor of Arts degree from Luther College.
In recent years, Mowry's students have won many awards at competitions such as Wisconsin NATS, Schubert Club Auditions, and at district and regional rounds of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions. In addition, his students are regularly accepted into prestigious graduate programs in voice performance; graduates in the past three years have received invitations to attend and/or are currently attending University of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music, University of Michigan, Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, University of Colorado-Boulder, University of Houston, San Francisco Conservatory, Mannes School of Music, The Juilliard School, Academy of Vocal Arts, and The Curtis Institute.
Mowry received the Doctor of Music degree from the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University, where he studied with Virginia Zeani, James King, and James McDonald. He received the Master of Music degree from Northwestern University, and the Bachelor of Arts degree from Luther College.
Dr. KENNETH j. pereiraBaritone Kenneth J. Pereira's repertoire encompasses opera, oratorio, art song, musical theater and the Great American Songbook. His operatic roles include Puccini's Marcello in La Bohème, Sharpless in Madama Butterfly, the title role in Gianni Schicchi, and Mozart's Il Conte Almaviva in Le Nozze di Figaro and Guglielmo in Così fan tutte among others. Dr. Pereira has appeared regularly as a soloist with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Maestro Raymond Leppard in works by Beethoven and Haydn. He is also a featured soloist on that orchestra's 2008 recording of classical and traditional Christmas music.
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Recent performances include his debut with the Chippewa Valley Symphony Orchestra as the baritone soloist for Beethoven's Symphony No. 9, as well as opera and oratorio appearances with the Borgarmaria Lyric Opera and Yuba-Sutter Master Chorale. He recently made his international debut singing scenes from Verdi's La traviata and Donizetti's L'elisir d'amore in gala performances with OperaMaya (Mexico). In addition to those performances, he served as a teaching artist for the company's young artist program. Dr. Pereira has also performed in concert opposite internationally acclaimed sopranos Sylvia McNair and Carol Vaness.
Born and raised in northern California, Dr. Pereira graduated Magna cum Laude from California State University, Stanislaus. He holds a Doctorate of Music in Voice Performance and Literature from Indiana University's Jacobs School of Music, where he also completed a Master of Music Degree in Voice. As an Associate Instructor of Voice at IU, Dr. Pereira taught studio voice and served as the teaching assistant for the graduate and undergraduate opera workshops. He has studied voice with Joaquina Calvo Johnson and Andreas Poulimenos.
Born and raised in northern California, Dr. Pereira graduated Magna cum Laude from California State University, Stanislaus. He holds a Doctorate of Music in Voice Performance and Literature from Indiana University's Jacobs School of Music, where he also completed a Master of Music Degree in Voice. As an Associate Instructor of Voice at IU, Dr. Pereira taught studio voice and served as the teaching assistant for the graduate and undergraduate opera workshops. He has studied voice with Joaquina Calvo Johnson and Andreas Poulimenos.
Dr. CHRISTINE AMONPraised for her “sweet, powerful voice”, Grand Rapids, MI native Christine Amon is a versatile mezzo-soprano excelling in opera, musical theater, and art song. Last season, she made company debuts as Erika in Samuel Barber's Vanessa with Toledo Opera, and as Carrie Pipperidge in Carousel with Union Avenue Opera of St. Louis. Recent engagements also include the role of Hansel in Hansel and Gretel with Opera Louisiane and Opera Memphis, Gretchen in The Student Prince with Opera Grand Rapids, and Edith in The Pirates of Penzance with Nashville Opera.
An Opera Memphis favorite, Ms. Amon has appeared in recent seasons |
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as the wife in The Music Shop, and Pitti-Sing in Ned Canty's production of The Mikado. She also created the role of Mich in Mich and the Moon (music by Jack Perla; libretto by Jerre Dye) in the premiere of The Ghosts of Crosstown. In 2012, Christine was a finalist in the prestigious Lotte Lenya Competition hosted by the Kurt Weill Foundation for Music. In addition, she's been awarded first place in the The Beethoven Club of Memphis Young Artist Competition, Opera Grand Rapids Collegiate Vocal Competition, and the Dr. Marjorie Conrad Art Song Competition.
PROF. EMILY STERNFELD-DUNNEmily Sternfeld-Dunn, soprano, is a strong advocate for new music and unconventional performances of art song and opera. Ms. Sternfeld-Dunn regularly gives recitals across the country featuring works of contemporary American composers. Significant performances with Hartford Opera Theater include Laetitia in Menotti’s The Old Maid and the Thief and Aunt Polly and Susy Harper in Tom Sawyer, a new work commissioned by the company. She has performed as a soloist with the Mid Columbia Symphony, Wichita Symphony Orchestra, Connecticut
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Concert Opera, the Idaho Washington Symphony, and the Palouse Choral Society. Ms. Sternfeld-Dunn was a finalist in the Art Song and Oratorio categories of the American Prize in 2014.
As an educator Ms. Sternfeld-Dunn has taught voice and piano lessons for the last sixteen years. She has been on faculty teaching voice at Southwestern College, Washington State University and Wichita State University while maintaining a private studio. Her students have performed professionally within both the classical and music theater genres. Regionally her students perform with Music Theater Wichita, Wichita Grand Opera, Wichita Chorale, Crown Uptown, and Roxy’s. Ms. Sternfeld-Dunn’s students are nationally competitive, having won awards through KCATF and NATS.
Ms. Sternfeld-Dunn has a Bachelor of Arts degree in music with an emphasis in piano performance from California State University, Hayward where she graduated magna cum laude. She also has a Master of Arts degree in music with emphases in piano and vocal performance from Washington State University, Pullman. Ms. Sternfeld-Dunn holds a Graduate Professional Diploma in vocal performance from The Hartt School. She lives in Wichita, KS with her husband and daughters.
While living in Hartford, Ms. Sternfeld-Dunn founded Hartford Opera Theater, which has since produced over 30 operas and remains a vibrant and exciting musical highlight of the greater Hartford region. She also regularly produces recitals of new music; most recently incorporating contemporary dance during her performance of “Too Few the Mornings Be,” a song cycle by the living American composer Ricky Ian Gordon.
Ms. Sternfeld-Dunn has a Bachelor of Arts degree in music with an emphasis in piano performance from California State University, Hayward where she graduated magna cum laude. She also has a Master of Arts degree in music with emphases in piano and vocal performance from Washington State University, Pullman. Ms. Sternfeld-Dunn holds a Graduate Professional Diploma in vocal performance from The Hartt School. She lives in Wichita, KS with her husband and daughters.
As an educator Ms. Sternfeld-Dunn has taught voice and piano lessons for the last sixteen years. She has been on faculty teaching voice at Southwestern College, Washington State University and Wichita State University while maintaining a private studio. Her students have performed professionally within both the classical and music theater genres. Regionally her students perform with Music Theater Wichita, Wichita Grand Opera, Wichita Chorale, Crown Uptown, and Roxy’s. Ms. Sternfeld-Dunn’s students are nationally competitive, having won awards through KCATF and NATS.
Ms. Sternfeld-Dunn has a Bachelor of Arts degree in music with an emphasis in piano performance from California State University, Hayward where she graduated magna cum laude. She also has a Master of Arts degree in music with emphases in piano and vocal performance from Washington State University, Pullman. Ms. Sternfeld-Dunn holds a Graduate Professional Diploma in vocal performance from The Hartt School. She lives in Wichita, KS with her husband and daughters.
While living in Hartford, Ms. Sternfeld-Dunn founded Hartford Opera Theater, which has since produced over 30 operas and remains a vibrant and exciting musical highlight of the greater Hartford region. She also regularly produces recitals of new music; most recently incorporating contemporary dance during her performance of “Too Few the Mornings Be,” a song cycle by the living American composer Ricky Ian Gordon.
Ms. Sternfeld-Dunn has a Bachelor of Arts degree in music with an emphasis in piano performance from California State University, Hayward where she graduated magna cum laude. She also has a Master of Arts degree in music with emphases in piano and vocal performance from Washington State University, Pullman. Ms. Sternfeld-Dunn holds a Graduate Professional Diploma in vocal performance from The Hartt School. She lives in Wichita, KS with her husband and daughters.