Matt Cavenaugh

broadwayworld.com

theatermania.com

Sonia Rodríguez Bermejo, graduated from Ithaca College in 2001 with a Bachelor of music in Performance and Music Education.  In the five years since graduation, Sonia has performed with Cincinnati Opera, Opera Carolina, Chautauqua Opera, and Eastman School of Music Opera.   Prior to completing her Master of Music degree at the Eastman School of Music in 2004, Sonia was a winner in the Four City District of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions (MONA) and then in 2006 was a winner in the  North Carolina District MONA auditions.  While a student at Ithaca College and Eastman School of Music, Sonia won the concerto competitions and sang leading roles in the opera productions at both schools.    

Click HERE to hear Sonia sing!
This file is 6MB will take a little while to download.

Joseph R. Olefirowicz was born in Methuen, Massachusetts in 1972. He
holds the Bachelor of Arts degree in Direction for the Musical Stage
from Ithaca College where he studied voice with tenor, David Parks. After completing his degree program in 1994, he went to Germany as an
orchestra member with the European tour of Bernstein’s “On the Town.” In 1995, after tenure as assistant music director of the Capitol Theater in Düsseldorf and guest conductor of the Oswego Opera Theatre in Upstate NY, he was appointed music director of the German commercial musical theatres in Bochum, Stuttgart and Berlin: where he conducted productions of Starlight Express, Miss Saigon, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast (as guest) and the world premiere production of Disney’s The Hunchback of Notre Dame. In 1998, he passed the Colleague Examination of the American Guild of Organists and was also awarded the Outstanding Young Alumnus Award from Ithaca College. Since  conducting the opening gala of the 2002 European Press and Radio Ball at the Berlin State Opera (with Lucia Aliberti, soprano
& the Deutsches Filmorchester Babelsberg) he has concentrated on
building his career as a classical conductor, but also remains active
as a solo artist. In 2003, he gave his European opera debut with the
seldom-performed Cherubini opera Lodoïska. In Summer 2004 he served
in Budapest and London as Music & Choral Supervisor for the
NBC/Hallmark filming of Menken & Ahrens’ A Christmas Carol. He
received an Emmy Craft Citation from the Academy of Television Arts and
Sciences in Los Angeles for his artistic contribution to this film,
which won the 2005 Emmy Award for Outstanding Music Direction. Since
the 2004-5 Season, he serves as the 1st Kapellmeister of the State
Opera in Nordhausen, Germany where Madama Butterfly, Aida, Tosca,
Carmen, Der Freischütz, The Merry Wives of Windsor, Die lustige
Witwe, La Belle Helene and Benatzky's Die Drei Musketiere were on
his performance roster. The revival of Benatzky's Musketeers was
crowned by the press in Germany as "Operetta Production of 2006," and
Olefirowicz as "Operetta Conductor of the Year."

excerpt from: Klassik.com – Review from 23.12.2006

Nordhausen – Theater Nordhausen  on  21.12.2006
Ralph Benatzky’s “The Three Musketeers” – Historic Revue-Operetta revived

OPERETTA PRODUCTION OF THE YEAR 2006
The Three Musketeers in Thuringia’s Nordhausen

That one can also become addicted in Nordhausen, is to the credit of the conductor that is the motor of this new production and the best stroke of luck that any operetta production could have. Then when this production “Operetta Production the year 2006” is, then is Joseph R. Olefirowicz surely is “Operetta conductor of the year.” The young American, that was along at the baptism of Berlin’s production of Disney’s Hunchback and earlier in Stuttgart and Bochum conducting Broadway musicals for Stella, knows exactly how one should properly (!) play operetta of the 20’s. Not as waltz-schmaltz, (which since 1933 unfortunately and fatally soils the genre to this day) but rather as a transatlantic mix of Broadway and Berlin. As a rhythmic, through-pulsating Jazz-Revue. With all of the instrumental finesse of a roaring twenties score. Even when Olefirowicz had to somewhat reduce the orchestration for the Loh-Orchester Sondershausen (wherein a new version was created) one heard in Nordhausen an operetta sound that- from today’s perspective- wipes the slate clean from everything else that is associated with the genre. And that is good. Very good.

Kevin Venardos

ringling.com

Ithaca College Quarterly

As a singer/songwriter, John Conahan follows the tradition of thoughtful, piano-rooted songwriting. With bombastic vocals and piano playing, he is capable of introspective, sincere (yet angular) ballads, as well as the danceable and festive rockers. He’s shared the stage with folks like Jeffrey Gaines, Dispatch, Los Lobos and Rachael Sage and performs regularly at the Kimmel Center, World Café Live & the Tin Angel in his hometown of Philadelphia. John is well known for his witty stage banter and amiable, festive persona.

John has been featured on radio broadcasts throughout the world and noted as an exceptional and unique American songwriter. He has arranged, performed and recorded with an array of musicians such as Ravi Coltrane, George Crumb, Meredith Monk and Susan Werner. John has written and recorded film scores, collaborated with many notable dance companies and performed as a sideman for many different projects. You can listen to him and purchase his albums on iTunes and his websites, www.johnconahan.com and www.myspace.com/johnconahan.

JOHN CONAHAN – PRESS QUOTES“a captivating sound …introspective and sincere.” – Philadelphia CityPaper“Conahan delivers with startling passion and emotion, singing with flair and personality, complete with eclectic, rich piano playing. His sound is flawless.” – Copper Press

“John’s music caresses your soul while quenching your thirst for finely-crafted music.” – Music Morsels"What I enjoy most about John's performances is that he sings with a soulful passion that never fails to communicate. He feels deeply, delivers with both strength and sensitivity, and shares his natural joy for making music." – Andrea Clearfield, American composer

“Many of today’s singer songwriters blend blues, jazz, folk and country in a style that says, ‘I don’t have my own voice or know what my interests are.’ These songwriters master no style and create musical mush. John Conahan has none of these problems. His blues, jazz, pop, and vocal music all contain his unique vision.” – David Wannop, Music Journalist

Andy McCullough hails from Ithaca, NY where he studies at Ithaca College with the tenor, David Parks.  Andy has begun a budding opera career at Ithaca College, performing such lead roles as Camille de Rosillion In Lehar's The Merry Widow and  Nika Magadov  in  Menotti's  The Consul.   Andy spent last summer studying at the Chautauqua Opera Studio Program with Marlena Malas of the Julliard, Curtis, and Manhattan School of Music faculty.  Upcoming performances include the title role in Handel's Acis and Galatea  at Ithaca college in February. Further plans Include Graduate School auditions in March, and The Chautauqua program this summer.  He enjoys spending his free moments gellin' like a felon.

Summer of 2007 was Andy's second season with the Chautauqua Opera Studio Program.

NEWS: March 31, Andy has won FIRST PLACE in the Advanced A division
at the CYNFL NATS competition in Rochester, NY.

Andy has started his master's degree graduate study at The Juilliard School for fall 2007.  He has been cast as Basilio in Le Nozze di Figaro and Monostatoes in The Magic Flute with Juilliard Opera Theater. In spring of 2008 he will join former student Marc Webster in the Juilliard Opera Centers production of Our Town.

Andy McCullough (center) as Acis in Ithaca College Opera's 2007 production of Handel's Acis in Galatea.

Daniel Greenwood as Damon appears on left.

MICHAEL MAURY, pictured with Tommy Chong, from "That 70's Show, is a native of Nantucket, MA and a 1999 graduate of Ithaca College with a Bachelor of Music Degree in Education, and now resides in Los Angeles, CA where he is pursuing and creating a career as an actor in Television and Film.  Michael has appeared on a number of different national commercials some of which include Brinks Home Security, ESPN/Goodyear Tires (promotional campaign for “Baseball Tonight” on ESPN), 7-11, IBM, and most recently three different spots for Miller Genuine Draft (MGD).  He has also appeared on such shows as “That 70’s Show”, “Passions”, and most recently as Deputy Lloyd on NBC’s new break out hit “Heroes”.

Like so many actors, Michael must make ends meet with a survival job.  He does put his degree to use by teaching private piano, guitar, and voice to students of varying ages.

Marc Webster, bass, is a current member of the Juilliard Opera Center Studio.  In November he made his Juilliard debut as Mars in Orphee aux Enfers.  Having recently received his Masters degree from The Eastman School of Music, Mr. Webster just completed a residency with the Florida Grand Opera Studio, where he performed the role of Don Alfonso in Cosi fan Tutte.  He will begin another residency with Seattle Opera Studio in February, where he will be singing the role of Pistola in Falstaff.   Last summer Mr. Webster performed scenes from I Puritani (Sir Giorgio) with the Merola Opera Program at the San Francisco Opera Center.  While at Eastman, he performed the roles of Seneca in L’incoranazione di Poppea, Sarastro in Die Zauberflöte, Rambaldo in La Rondine, and Siroco in L’Etoile. 
He also performed the role of Colas in Bastien und Bastienne with the
Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra in 2006; Jesus in Bach’s St. John Passion
and Pater Profundis in Szenen aus Goethe’s Faust with the Eastman
Symphony Orchestra; and was the bass soloist in Bach’s St. Matthew
Passion with the Jacksonville Symphony.  Mr. Webster also recently
performed the bass solos in the Mozart Requiem, Handel Messiah,
Bach Magnificat and Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony.  He was the
recipient of the Lynne Clark Memorial Prize for winning first place in the Friends of Eastman Opera Competition in 2004, and was the first prize winner in the Jessie Kneisel Lieder competition in 2006. He was also the recent recipient of an Encouragement Award from The Metropolitan Opera National Council in the Four City District.  In April, Mr. Webster performed Opus 51 by Strauss with the Eastman Orchestra as winner of the Eastman Concerto Competition.  Upcoming engagements for Mr. Webster include the role of Sarastro at Wolf Trap Opera, excerpts fromthe role of Don Alfonso with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, a recital with New York Festival of Song with Stephen Blier, and his Alice Tully Hall debut as bass soloist in Bach’s BWV 4 with the Juilliard Choral Union.

In summer (2007) Marc will was a resident artist with the Wolf Trap Opera Company.

Jeremy Jordan graduated in May 2007 as a senior BFA Musical Theatre major from Corpus Christi, Texas. At Ithaca College, he has starred as Danny Zuko in Grease, Bobby Strong in Urinetown, General Schmitz in Seussical, and created the title role in the new musical Austin’s Bridge by Bill C. Davis and Brett Boles (c/o ’07). Professionally, he has worked in numerous entertainment venues including Busch Gardens Williamsburg and Point Sebago Resort. Aside from acting and singing, he likes movies, juggling, and chocolate milkshakes. Only recently a member of the David Parks School for Tenors, Jeremy, once perceived as a baritone, came to Sir Parks looking for a mentor, a friend, and a sympathetic ear… and though he found none of these (kidding!), his voice has made serious strides in directions he never thought possible. In the future, he would like to find a device to clone and shrink Dr. Parks so that he may reside in his pocket at all times.

Jeremy is living in NYC and pursuing the MT audition thing.

Sean Clark is a secondt year Opera Diploma student at the University of Toronto studying with Darryl Edwards. Originally from Detroit, Michigan, Mr. Clark currently holds an Undergraduate degree from Ithaca College and a Masters from Arizona State University. With the Lyric Opera Theatre at ASU, he has been seen as the Male Chorus in the Rape of Lucretia, Billy Crocker in Anything Goes, King Kaspar in Amahl and the Night Visitors, and the Chevalier in Dialogues of the Carmelites. In November '06, Mr. Clark sang the role of Alfred in Die Fledermaus for his first production at the Faculty of Music at the University of Toronto.

Rebecca Sach graduated from Ithaca College in 2002, with a BM in Vocal Music Education. Upon graduation, she moved to Tallahassee, Florida to pursue her MA in Arts Administration at Florida State University. While at Florida State, Rebecca worked in Special Events for the Vice President for University Relations and in Special Projects for the Dean of the School of Theatre. She was a School of Music Graduate Assistant, continued to study voice, performed in Der Vampyr with Florida State University Opera, and sang in the Chamber Choir under the direction of Andre Thomas. Rebecca was also the Producing Assistant and Company Manager for Florida State’s world premiere of Mark Medoff’s Prymate, which later opened on Broadway at the Longacre Theatre.

Upon completion of her degree in 2002, Rebecca moved to Washington, DC and accepted the position of Information Management Assistant with the Development Department of Washington National Opera. In January 2006, she was promoted to the Development Manager of Budgeting & Information Systems and works closely with the organization’s fundraising efforts and management of financial information.

Since graduating from Ithaca College in 2001, Nicole Vogel has been active as a teacher and performer.  Nicole received a Master of music in performance from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.  During the 2004-2005 season, Nicole was the mezzo-soprano resident artist at Opera Carolina in Charlotte, NC.  She has since sung roles with Opera Carolina, Greensboro Opera, Long Leaf Opera, The Martina Arroyo Foundation, and UNCG Opera Theatre.  Favorite roles include Jo March in Little Women, Cherubino in Le Nozze di Figaro, Dorabella in Cosi Fan Tutte, and the Mother in Amahl and the Night Visitors.  Nicole currently lives in the Denver, Colorado area with her husband and their yellow lab, Toby.

Ross Mizrahi has lived in Ithaca since 1995 when he moved here for his undergraduate degree in Music Education. He grew up in Boulder, Colorado, and found a love for singing as a high school sophomore. Since graduating from Ithaca College in 1999 he has taught at Lansing and Dryden Middle schools, worked as Music Director for 10 musicals at the high school and middle school level.  He was a founding member and toured full-time with Sons of Pitches, an a cappella group that originated at Ithaca College. Ross is currently a Masters in Music Education degree student at Ithaca College, and hopes to be teaching again full-time this fall. Although his middle name is Isaac, he is not,  repeat, NOT related to the fashion designer who went bankrupt, had his own Broadway show, and now lends his talents to Target stores nationwide, nor is he related to Dr. Parks’ cat, Isaac the Cat.

Ross is currently teaching in the Cortland Public School system.