Meet our Faculty
Prof. Julie DeboerMezzo-soprano Julie DeBoer has performed everything from early music to new compositions on the operatic, concert, and recital stage. Recent operatic roles include Third Lady in The Magic Flute at Aspen Music Festival and Zita in both Gianni Schicchi and Buoso's Ghost, a
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sequel to Gianni Schicchi by composer Michael Ching, at Bay View Music Festival. DeBoer has performed both as an ensemble singer and as a soloist with many acclaimed choirs in Chicago, including Grant Park Chorus, Chicago Symphony Chorus, Music of the Baroque, Bella Voce, and the William Ferris Chorale. In 2015, she appeared as the alto soloist in Music of the Baroque's performance of the Allegri Miserere mei Deus, and in 2014 she was a soloist in Bella Voce's performance of Handel's Messiah with Chicago's premiere baroque period chamber ensemble, the Callipygian Players. Originally from Western Springs, Illinois, Ms. DeBoer graduated summa cum laude from Lawrence University with a bachelor's degree in voice performance. She holds a master's degree in voice performance from Northwestern University, where she performed the roles of Prince Orlofsky in Die Fledermaus, Nancy in Albert Herring, and the third spirit in The Magic Flute. Teaching both privately and in a classroom setting has always been her passion; she was an aural skills and music theory teaching assistant at Lawrence University, and she taught a private studio of fifteen undergraduate students at Northwestern University.
Dr. Christopher G. McGinleyDr. Christopher G. McGinley is a dynamic conductor and music educator based in the Twin Cities where he earned the DMA in conducting at the University of Minnesota and directs music at Trinity Lutheran Congregation. He is the Associate Director of Choral Activities at the University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire (music education and directing Novum Voce, Symphonic Choir, and The Singing Statesmen). His choirs are noted for their vibrant and nuanced interpretations of works from
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diverse eras and genres. A strong advocate for community music, McGinley has served intergenerational choirs in Philadelphia, Wisconsin, and Oregon. He holds degrees in conducting and music education from the University of Minnesota, University of Oregon, and 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. Diana CataldiDiana Cataldi, full lyric soprano, received her degrees in voice from CCM and The Ohio State University. Diana has performed oratorio with regional orchestras in Ohio and thoroughly enjoys chamber work collaborations with colleagues past and present. Operatically, she has performed the roles of Donna Anna in Don Giovanni, Amina in La Sonnambula, Contessa and Marcellina in Le Nozze di Figaro, Mercedes in Carmen, Hippolyta in A Midsummer Night's Dream, and Elisabetta in Maria Stuarda. Diana started a passionate career teaching applied voice in 2005 at Wright
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State University in Dayton, Ohio. In 2013, she relocated to Wisconsin to teach voice, Music Appreciation and Global Music at Viterbo University. In 2016, Diana found her home joining the faculty of UW-Eau Claire teaching voice and vocal pedagogy while she returns to school to study Communication Sciences and Disorders. In 2018, she became a founding member and secretary of the Western Wisconsin Chapter of The Voice Foundation.
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. Frank A. WatkinsAssociate Professor of music and Director of ChoralStudies at the University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire. A native of Omaha Nebraska, Watkins taughtsecondary choral music in 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). Watkins is in demand as guest conductor and clinician. Recent engagements include the 2013 Mid-Michigan Honor Choir, University of Nebraska Omaha
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Collegiate Choir Concert Series (2014), Dunn St. Croix Honor Choir (2015), Lakeland All-Conference Honor Choir (2015), University of Nebraska Omaha Middle School Honor Choir (2016), Eau Claire Chamber Orchestra (2016), Red Cedar Honor Choir (2017) and the Big Nine Festival Honor Choir (2017). Future engagements include the Great Northern Conference All- Conference Choir (2017), Clover belt All-Conference Honor Choir (2018), the 2018 Men’s Choir Festival in Stillwater, MN, and the High School Song Festival in Jackson, MS (2018). 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. 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 and Director of Choral Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. 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.
