Pacific Opera Theatre 03/21–03/24/2024

UNIVERSITY OF THE PACIFIC CONSERVATORY OF MUSIC PACIFIC OPERA THEATRE PRESENTS

ALCINA

Music by George Frideric Handel

Libretto based on Ludovico Ariosto’s Orlando Furioso adapted from the libretto for Riccardo Broschi’s L’isola d’Alcina

First performance in London at Covent Garden Theatre on April 16, 1735

STAGE DIRECTOR/PRODUCER

James Haffner

ASSISTANT TO THE DIRECTOR

Sean Powell

ASSISTANT MUSIC DIRECTOR

Margaret Perry

COSTUME DESIGN

Jonathan Singer

SCENIC DESIGN

Brian Johnson

STAGE MANAGER

Jordan Bell Souza

CONDUCTOR/MUSIC DIRECTOR

Eric Dudley

PRODUCTION MANAGER/ SOUND DESIGN

Andrew Mell

LIGHTING DESIGN

Don Myers

MAKEUP/HAIR DESIGN

Jennifer Johnson

ASSISTANT STAGE MANAGER

Samantha Perrego

WARDROBE ASSISTANT

Andrea Reposa

THE COMPANY

Alcina ..............................................................................................

Kailey Diggs

Morgana .......................................................

Juliette Frédière (March 21 & 23)

Oberto ...............................................................

Jordan Yang (March 22 &24)

Charlize Price (March 21 & 23)

Ria Patel (March 22 & 24)

Oronte ................................................................................

Michael Megenney

Ruggiero .........................................................................................

Bradamante ......................................................................

Mia Janosik

Elizabeth Neumeyer

Melisso .................................................................................

Landon Horstman

Angelica ....................................................................................

Lilac Robertson

Astolfo ................................................................................................

Leo Hearl

Ensemble/Chorus .....................................

Magdalena Bowen, Molly Bolewski, Emma Bradley, Rose Krueger,* Shannon Lyons, Michelle Miracle, Katie Pelletier,* Leo Hearl, Ian Orejana,* Jordan Reece Guitang,* Austin Nie, and Lilac Robertson

*Act III finale soloist

Pacific Opera Theatre is the resident student opera ensemble at University of the Pacific. The program boasts a long history of successfully training singeractors for the professional arena.

PACIFIC OPERA THEATRE ORCHESTRA

Eric Dudley, conductor

Violins I

Emma Northcutt

Jamie Lue

Laura Jeannin, guest artist

Violins II

Mereth Niemoeller

Lizzie Mendoza

Sam Weiser, guest artist

Violas

Abby Van de Water

Ealaph Tabbaa

Cellos

Bailey LaBrie

Nicholas Trobaugh

Doug Machiz, guest artist

Bass

Kathryn Schulmeister, faculty artist

Oboes

Jenna Bosnick

Bennett Lopez, guest artist

Harpsichord

Eric Dudley

ARTISTIC AND PRODUCTION STAFF

Director/Producer ......................................................................

James Haffner

Music Director/Conductor ..............................................................

Assistant Music Director

Costume Design ......................................................................

Eric Dudley

Margaret Perry

Jonathan Singer

Scenic Design ..............................................................................

Stage Manager ......................................................................

Assistant Stage Manager .....................................................

Brian Johnson

Jordan Bell Souza

Samantha Perrego

Production Manager/Sound Design .............................................

Andrew Mell

Lighting Design ................................................................................

Makeup/Hair Design ..............................................................

Don Myers

Jennifer Johnson

Wardrobe Assistant ..................................................................

Andrea Reposa

Assistant to the Director ................................................................

Sean Powell

ALCINA

Synopsis

The powerful enchantress Alcina lures heroic figures to her enchanted island and turns them into rocks, streams, trees, or wild beasts when she tires of them. Her latest captive, Ruggiero, is betrothed to Bradamante but has forgotten his past under Alcina’s spell.

Disguised as her brother Ricciardo, Bradamante sets out with her governor Melisso to find Ruggiero and happens to be shipwrecked on Alcina’s island. (What are the chances?!) Alcina’s sister Morgana is immediately attracted to “Ricciardo,” casting aside her lover Oronte, Alcina’s general, who in revenge tells Ruggiero that Alcina is in love with “Ricciardo.” A subplot concerns the young Oberto, who is also on the island searching for his father, Astolfo, whom Alcina has transformed.

Through a magic ring that Melisso gives to Ruggiero, he sees that Alcina’s island is actually a desert populated by monsters. “Ricciardo” reveals herself as Bradamante, but Ruggiero suspects it is one of Alcina’s illusions. He eventually believes Bradamante, and they plot their escape. Alcina futilely calls on her spirits to prevent Ruggiero’s flight.

Alcina pleads with Ruggiero, who rejects her, but revealing her genuine love for him is her undoing—all of her magical powers, dependent upon illusion, slip away. When Ruggiero smashes the urn holding those powers, all of her lovers are returned to human form, including Oberto’s father, and they all celebrate the triumph of love over magic.

—adapted from a synopsis by Jane Vial Jaffe

Act I, Scene 1

A deserted island enclosed by steep hills

Act I, Scenes 2–7

The palace of Alcina

Act I, Scenes 8–13

An anteroom leading to Alcina’s apartments

Act II, Scenes 1–3

A room in Alcina’s palace

Act II, Scenes 4–12

The royal gardens

Act II, Scene 13

Alcina’s secret subterranean lair

Act III, Scene 1–10

The entrance to Alcina’s palace

Act III, Scene 11

The royal gardens

ARTISTIC AND PRODUCTION STAFF

James Haffner (stage director/producer) is a professor of opera at University of the Pacific’s Conservatory of Music. He is a graduate of the Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music and holds a master of fine arts degree in directing and an artist’s diploma in opera stage directing. He is also a certified teacher of the Michael Chekhov acting technique and an artistic associate with the Great Lakes Michael Chekhov Consortium.

Haffner’s production of Rossini’s La Cenerentola took first place in the 2001 National Opera Association Production Competition and was a finalist both at the regional and national levels in the Kennedy Center/ American College Theatre Festival (KC-ACTF). La Cenerentola holds the distinction of being the first opera to be invited to perform in the KC-ACTF national festival. Haffner’s work has been further recognized by the KC-ACTF with encore productions of his reworking of Berlin to Broadway with Kurt Weill and the West Coast premiere of Glen Roven’s musical Heart’s Desire. Recognition from the National Opera Association includes his productions of Nicolai’s The Merry Wives of Windsor and Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas. Additional significant credits include the German premiere of Kushner’s A Bright Room Called Day; Das Mahagonny Songspiel, which was presented as part of the premiere Brecht Fest at the Berliner Ensemble; and Dido and Aeneas with the first annual Museumsinsel Fest, Berlin.

Haffner has served as the producing artistic director of the Stockton Opera Association since 2007 and has worked with both the Bay View and Bear Valley Music Festivals. He is a member of the Lincoln Center Directors’ LabWest and has served as an adjudicator for the Irene Dalis Vocal Competition (Opera San Jose). A Fulbright Scholar, he has taught at the Technische Universität, Berlin, as well as the University of Kentucky–Lexington, Miami University (OH), Webster University, and the California State University–Fullerton.

At the Conservatory, Haffner teaches opera theatre workshop (beginning and advanced sections), introduction to lyric diction, opera literature, and opera production. He also produces and directs the Pacific Opera Theatre productions.

ARTISTIC AND PRODUCTION STAFF

Eric Dudley (conductor/music director) joined University of the Pacific’s Conservatory of Music in 2019. He previously taught at Mannes College/ The New School for Music in New York and at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music.

Dudley leads a multifaceted career as a conductor, composer, vocalist, and pianist immersed in the creation of music both past and present. As an original member of the Grammy Award–winning vocal octet Roomful of Teeth, Dudley toured worldwide with the group and appears extensively on their acclaimed recordings.

Dudley moved to the Bay Area from New York in 2016 as interim music director of the orchestra program at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. He is currently in his sixth season as artistic director of the San Francisco Contemporary Music Players, the largest and longest-standing ensemble dedicated to the performance of new music on the West Coast.

While in New York, Dudley performed and conducted with organizations as diverse as Ekmeles and Tenet vocal ensembles, the Choir of Trinity Wall Street, Ensemble Signal, Bard Summerscape Opera, the American Symphony Orchestra, and the New York Philharmonic. Prior to that he was an assistant conductor for the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra under Paavo Järvi. His guest-conducting engagements have included the Ojai Festival in California, Ensemble L’Instant Donné in France, the National Symphony Orchestra at the Kennedy Center, and the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra in Australia. As a pianist and chamber musician, Dudley has performed with members of Novus New York and the Cincinnati and Princeton Symphony Orchestras. His own music has been premiered and recorded by Roomful of Teeth and Quey Percussion.

Brian Johnson (scenic design) has designed and built over a hundred stage productions in Stockton since first volunteering to do some scenic painting on Stockton Civic Theatre’s stage in 2007. He is honored to have joined James Haffner’s creative team at University of the Pacific in 2015 and is thrilled to still be a part of it. The collaboration on Handel’s Alcina has been every bit as rewarding to him as that on Sondheim’s Into the Woods in 2023. Johnson wishes to thank James Haffner, Don Myers, Andrew Mell, and his mom and dad for their love and support.

ARTISTIC AND PRODUCTION STAFF

Jennifer Johnson (makeup/hair design) has been involved with theater in the Central Valley since 2003. She has enjoyed working as the costume shop coordinator for San Joaquin Delta College for over ten years. Johnson received her Bachelor of Arts degree in theater arts and Master of Arts degree in education from University of the Pacific. Before her employment at Delta, she spent time in Utah as an apprentice to a master tailor. She has designed costumes, hair, and makeup for venues such as Delta College, University of the Pacific, Livermore Shakespeare Festival, Stockton Opera Association, and Stockton Civic Theatre. Some of her costume designs include those for A Little Night Music, Forbidden Planet, Animal Farm, The Glass Menagerie, Hansel and Gretel, and The Winter’s Tale. Johnson’s hair and makeup designs have been seen in shows such as Dido and Aeneas, Beggar’s Opera, and Brigadoon.

Andrew Mell (production manager/sound design) serves as director of operations and assistant professor of practice in jazz and music industry studies at University of the Pacific. He has worked in many areas of the music industry, having held the position of artistic operations coordinator for the Eugene Symphony, stage manager for the Stanford Jazz Festival, and a recording engineer for the University of Oregon. As a bassist, Mell has performed across the country at renowned venues with jazz, Latin, classical, and popular music groups. He has shared the stage with celebrated artists such as Emilio Solla, Marcus Lewis, Jeffery Jenkins, and Mitch Towne. Mell holds degrees from Willamette University (BA 2017), the University of Oregon (MM 2019) and the University of Nebraska Lincoln (DMA 2023). He has held the position of bass instructor at Willamette University and taught in the jazz and music technology departments at University of Nebraska Lincoln.

Don Myers (lighting design) has served as lighting designer for the Stockton Opera Association and Faye Spanos Concert Hall since 1989. He has also designed for a number of theater companies including the Woodland Opera House, Sacramento’s 24th Street Theatre, Light Opera Theatre Sacramento, Davis Musical Theatre Company, Stagedoor Comedy Playhouse, and the Sacramento Community Opera Theatre. As an actor, some of Myers’s favorite roles include Alain in The Amorous Flea, Scarecrow in The Wizard of Oz, Clive in See How They Run, Geoffrey in Stepping Out, and John Box in Box and Cox. He performs regularly with the Chautauqua Children’s Theatre Company.

Samantha Perrego (assistant stage manager) is excited to return as assistant stage manager during her last year at Pacific and after being involved in theater productions on and off the stage for the past eight years. She is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Music degree in music education. After graduation, she hopes to continue being involved in theater production while inspiring her students in the classroom as a music educator.

ARTISTIC AND PRODUCTION STAFF

Margaret Perry (assistant music director) is a group piano and piano pedagogy coordinator and teacher at University of the Pacific. She also teaches aural perceptions and is a rehearsal pianist for the opera department. She has performed throughout the United States and Italy as a soloist and collaborative pianist. She was ensemble artist pianist for the Utah Symphony and Opera. Locally, she has been a pianist for the Stockton Symphony, Stockton Opera Association, Stockton Civic Theatre, and Stockton Chorale. Perry earned her bachelor’s degree in piano performance and pedagogy from Brigham Young University, where she also received her master’s degree in piano performance. She received her Doctor of Musical Arts degree in piano performance from the University of Arizona.

Sean Powell (assistant to the director) is a third-year student of math and English at Pacific. In high school he participated in shows such as The Addams Family, Almost Maine, and Peter and the Starcatcher. Powell sang in choir throughout high school and his two preferred instruments are his voice and piano. He is excited to return to the theater scene in this production of Alcina.

Andrea Reposa (wardrobe assistant) is a fourth-year music therapy major at Pacific. This is her third time as a wardrobe assistant for Pacific Opera Theatre. Her experience working in the costuming department has been artistically fulfilling and she hopes you enjoy the magic of the opera.

Jonathan Singer (costume design) has been working as the costume designer at the Delta College Theatre program since 2017. A native of Stockton, he received an Associate of Arts degree and participated in actor’s training program at Delta before pursuing a Bachelor of Arts degree from CSU Stanislaus. Singer earned his Master of Fine Arts degree in costume design and technology from the University of Minnesota and returned to the Central Valley and Bay Area where he has designed numerous shows over the years. Some of the notable ones include Livermore Shakespeare Festival’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream and The Importance of Being Earnest. His recent shows at Delta include Working, Baltimore, Pippin, The Winter’s Tale, and Cinderella.

Jordan Bell Souza (stage manager) is a senior music education major at Pacific, her primary instrument being voice. She has studied under Daniel Ebbers for the past four years and has recently been awarded the opportunity to perform in the 2024 Honors Recital here at University of the Pacific. In addition to performing, she also enjoys working backstage. In 2022 she was the assistant stage manager for The Threepenny Opera and she performed in Into The Woods in the spring of 2023 as a part of Pacific Opera Theatre. She also enjoys performing as a member of Pacific Singers. Souza serves as music director of multiple groups including the Unitarian Universalist Stockton choir, Pacific’s honors vocal group, and Sigma Alpha Iota–Eta Omega chapter.

MEET THE CAST PACIFIC OPERA THEATRE ENSEMBLE

Molly Bolewski (chorus), mezzo-soprano, is a second-year graduate student, pursuing a master’s in music education at Pacific. Before moving here to pursue higher education, she taught private voice and middle/high school choir in Nashville, Tennessee. She also served as music director for shows such as Mamma Mia!, Footloose, You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown, Addams Family JR., Annie JR., The Lion King JR., and Beauty and the Beast JR. She studied voice in spring 2023 with Virginia Kelsey. She currently studies choral conducting with Darita Seth and choral arranging with Eric Dudley.

Magdalena Bowen (chorus) is in her first year at University of Pacific, where she studies with Daniel Ebbers. She has been a member of University Chorus and is currently a member of Pacific Singers. She has competed in various singing competitions including the Sacramento Master Singers competition where she placed in 2019, 2020, and 2022 and the National Association of Teachers of Singing competition where she placed in 2018. She has performed in her local community in Sacramento since the age of eight as part of school choirs and as a soloist.

Emma Bradley (chorus) is very excited to perform for the first time with Pacific Opera Theatre. She is a music therapy student who transferred to Pacific in the fall of 2022 after receiving associate’s degrees in music, psychology, and political science. Her primary instrument is piano and she is currently studying with Sonia Leong, though she moonlights as a soprano with the Pacific Stocktones, a student-run a cappella group. She would like to thank the Pacific Opera Theatre community for being so welcoming and providing her with the unique opportunity to be involved with such an incredible production.

Kailey Diggs (Alcina), soprano, is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in vocal performance at University of the Pacific under the vocal guidance of Daniel Ebbers. As a winner of the 2023 Conservatory Concerto Competition, she will showcase her winning piece, “Nun eilt herbei” from Nicolai’s The Merry Wives of Windsor and perform the soprano solo in Poulenc’s Gloria. Beyond solo achievements, she toured Europe with the Sacramento Master Singers, excelling in the “Laudate Dominum” from Mozart’s Solemn Vespers. Boasting over a decade in musical theater, Diggs has portrayed leading roles in timeless classics such as The Sound of Music and West Side Story.

Juliette Frédière (Morgana) is a senior vocal performance major. A young soprano, she currently studies with Robin Fisher and coaches with Eric Dudley. She has also studied with Virginia Kelsey, Burr C. Philips, and Daniel Bishop. She hopes to continue to work in musical theater and opera as she pursues a graduate degree, as this path has already taken her to the stages of Carnegie Hall, Disney Concert Hall, and the Sydney Opera House.

MEET THE CAST

PACIFIC OPERA THEATRE ENSEMBLE

Jordan Reece Guitang (chorus), baritone, debuts at Pacific in the production of Alcina. Previously he has performed the baritone role of Papageno in Mozart’s The Magic Flute at San Francisco State University. He has studied voice with Nikolas Nackley (San Francisco State University, 2021–22). At Pacific he studies with Eric Dudley while pursuing a Bachelor of Music degree in vocal performance. He also has eight years of experience as a church organist.

Leo Hearl (Astolfo) is a third-year music therapy major at Pacific with his primary instrument being voice, which he studies with Eric Dudley. For the last three years, he has been a member of the Pacific Singers and Pacific Opera Theatre and the student-run a cappella group the Pacific Stocktones, with which he has held various positions on the executive board. He is also a member of the coed music fraternity Mu Phi Epsilon. He played the Steward in Into the Woods last year and is excited to be a part of Alcina this season.

Landon Horstman (Melisso) is a first-year music education major with a choral concentration at University of the Pacific. He is an active member of the Pacific Singers, Pacific Stocktones, and National Association for Music Education. He studies classical voice as a baritone with Daniel Ebbers. Previously cast as Bert in his high school’s production of Mary Poppins, he is delighted to make his main-stage debut with Pacific Opera Theatre.

Mia Janosik (Ruggiero), a third-year student and mezzo-soprano, studies vocal performance under Daniel Ebbers at Pacific. She has previously been seen performing with Pacific Opera Theatre as part of the Women’s Ensemble in The Threepenny Opera (2022), Cinderella’s Stepmother in Into the Woods (2023), as well as numerous scenes programs. Some of her most recent accomplishments include placing first in the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) California Capital Chapter lower collegiate treble voice division and placing second in the Mu Phi Epsilon Sacramento Alumni Chapter Scholarship Competition.

Rose Krueger (chorus) is a first-year student at University of the Pacific, pursuing a Bachelor of Music degree in music management. Her primary instrument is voice, and she is currently studying with Daniel Ebbers. Her first appearance with Pacific Opera Theatre was in 2023 Opera Follies. She also enjoys being a part of Pacific’s Jazz Voice Studio and the Vocal Jazz Ensemble, led by Melissa Fulkerson.

Shannon “Shazza” Lyons (chorus) is a third-year music therapy major at University of the Pacific where she has studied voice under Eric Dudley, Melissa Fulkerson, and Robin Fisher. Hailing from Waukegan, Illinois, she is thrilled to have the opportunity as an ensemble member in her first opera production at Pacific.

MEET THE CAST PACIFIC OPERA THEATRE ENSEMBLE

Michael Megenney (Oronte), tenor, uses music to collaborate with different is in his third year at University of Pacific, where he is working towards a bachelor’s degree in music performance. He has been studying voice for six years and has had the privilege of performing in multiple programs, ensembles, and productions throughout his time at Pacific. Some of his most praised performances include his most recent role as Jack from Pacific’s production of Into the Woods and The Fox from Opera Modesto’s original opera film, The Race.

Michelle Miracle (chorus) is a transfer student from Cabrillo College now studying voice at University of the Pacific with Daniel Ebbers. She enjoys singing in choirs, as she is a regular in Cantiamo! Cabrillo, the Cabrillo Chorale and Symphonic Chorus, and the PUCC Chamber Choir. Her soprano voice can often be heard as a soloist in groups. Her other love is teaching young students to sing and to read music.

Elizabeth Neumeyer (Bradamante), mezzo-soprano, is in her first year at University of the Pacific, majoring in music performance. As a native New Yorker, Neumeyer has appeared in various engagements throughout the state, most recently making her opera debut as Dritte Dame in Mozart’s The Magic Flute. Neumeyer was also acknowledged by the Babylon Chorale as their 2023 summer scholarship winner as well as an eVoco Voice Collective 2023 young artist award recipient. At Pacific, Neumeyer is a classical voice student under the direction of Daniel Ebbers and is elated to be making her principal opera role debut as Bradamante in Alcina.

Austin Nie (chorus), baritone, is proud to perform in his first opera production. He is a first-year music industry studies major involved in various musical ensembles at University of Pacific, ranging from Pacific Singers, Vocal Jazzerslays, and Pacific Stocktones to the Pacific Repertoire Orchestra. He was the double bassist for a production of Urinetown and has worked as a stagehand for many shows. Off the stage, Nie is passionate about music production and would like to pursue a career in the music industry as a mixing engineer.

Ian Orejana (chorus), tenor, is a second-year music composition major here at University of the Pacific. Originally from Seattle, he has seen music play a big part in his life as he has been in multiple choirs and theater productions since his youth. He participates in multiple groups here at Pacific—Pacific Singers, Pacific Stocktones, and the Vocal Jazzerslays—all of which he enjoys immensely. He would like to express his thanks to his family for their unwavering support and the cast and crew for making him feel welcomed. He studies voice under Darita Seth.

MEET THE CAST

PACIFIC OPERA THEATRE ENSEMBLE

Ria Patel (Oberto), soprano, made her theatrical debut with Pacific Opera Theatre in The Threepenny Opera and then went on to play Rapunzel in its production of Into the Woods. She also sings lead soprano in Pacific’s Vocal Jazz Ensemble, performs chorally with Pacific Singers, and is a member of the professional music fraternity Mu Phi Epsilon. Patel is a third-year music performance major and Spanish minor studying voice with Daniel Ebbers. Katie Pelletier (chorus) studies music performance at University of the Pacific. With vocal training from Daniel Ebbers and a passion for vocal pedagogy, she aspires to teach, perform, and produce music.

Charlize Price (Oberto) is a third-year transfer student from Modesto Junior College majoring in vocal performance at University of the Pacific and currently studying with Daniel Ebbers. Her past work includes the roles of Sleeping Beauty and Birds in Pacific Opera Theatre’s spring 2023 production of Into the Woods. Price has been nominated for several MAMA awards both as a soloist and lead singer in multiple bands, one of the nominations including Best Singer/Songwriter. She currently holds the Modesto Area Music Award for Best Indie/Alternative Band/Artist with her now retired band Portrait of Elysia for their first EP album titled Something Will Come.

Lilac Robertson (Angelica) is a senior composition major at University of the Pacific, who also studies voice under Eric Dudley. She has been learning music and singing since elementary school, and is interested in theatrical styles of vocal performance. They have been in many musical theater productions all throughout their life but took a break from acting for their first two years of college. They have since returned to that world, with Pacific Opera Theatre, and fallen in love with it all over again.

Jordan Yang (Morgana) is a Hmong American from Sacramento. Since the age of twelve, she has sung at numerous events, including notable appearances like the Hill Tribe Fusion’s fashion show: Journey. Beyond solo performances, she actively engages in Pacific Opera Theatre and chamber choir. Noteworthy among her recent achievements at Pacific are roles in the annual Opera Follies and her portrayal of Cinderella in Stephen Sondheim’s Into the Woods during the spring of 2023. Currently in her final semester at University of the Pacific, she has been pursuing a bachelor’s degree in music performance studying voice under the guidance of Daniel Ebbers.

GUEST INSTRUMENTALISTS

Bennett Lopez is a freelance oboist and English horn player based in California. Pairing his drive to perform and to teach, he has worked with organizations delivering masterclasses, educational talks, and coaching in schools and arts groups alike. He currently teaches in the Washington Unified School District in California. Lopez earned a master’s degree in oboe performance at the Thornton School of Music at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles under the guidance of Allan Vogel and Joel Timm. Previously, he received his bachelor’s degree in music education from University of the Pacific where he was a Presser Undergraduate Scholar.

Violinist Laura Jeannin performs regularly on period and modern instruments in the United States and around the world. Newly appointed music director of Sacramento Baroque Soloists, she has appeared as a soloist with Juilliard415 and New York Baroque Inc., and she has performed with Portland Baroque Orchestra, Bach Collegium San Diego, Archetti, Clarion Music Society, Ars Minerva, Lyra Baroque Orchestra, San Jose Baroque Orchestra, San Francisco Bach Choir, UC Berkeley Chorus, and many more. Her summer festival appearances include Lake Tahoe Music Festival (as concertmaster), American Bach Soloists, Tafelmusik Baroque Summer Institute, Berkeley Festival and Exhibition, and the Bear Valley Music Festival. A dedicated teacher, Jeannin teaches privately in Pleasant Hill and regularly coaches the Sacramento Youth Symphony Summer Workshop.

Violinist Sam Weiser, currently the first violinist of the Carpe Diem String Quartet, is a lifelong chamber musician and advocate of contemporary music. He holds a number of positions around the Bay Area, including assistant concertmaster of the California Symphony, member of One Found Sound, and violinist in SFSound. Formerly, he was a member of the awardwinning Del Sol Quartet. Weiser has performed all over the country, from the Herbst Theatre and the Kennedy Center to a raft floating along the Yampa River. He has premiered over 150 new works by composers such as Vijay Iyer, Huang Ruo, and Chen Yi.

Cellist Douglas Machiz is in high demand as both a classical and contemporary musician. He cofounded the Friction Quartet, a nonprofit performing arts organization whose mission is to modernize the chamber music experience and expand the string quartet repertoire. He is also a member of San Francisco Contemporary Music Players. An active educator, he is on faculty at the Crowden School, where he teaches private cello lessons and ensembles. Machiz first came to the Bay Area to attend San Francisco Conservatory, where he earned his Professional Studies Diploma. He also holds a master’s degree in cello performance from the University of Texas at Austin.

GUEST INSTRUMENTALISTS

Bassist Kathryn Schulmeister is a member of several contemporary music ensembles including the renowned Australian ELISION Ensemble, Fonema Consort (NYC), and the Echoi Ensemble (LA). Equally passionate and experienced as an orchestral musician, she served as a core member of the Hawaii Symphony Orchestra for three seasons from 2014 to 2017 and has performed with the Ojai Festival Orchestra, Phoenix Symphony, New West Symphony, California Chamber Orchestra, Lucerne Festival Alumni Orchestra, Pacific Lyric Opera, Maui Chamber Orchestra, and Hawaii Opera Theatre.

Schulmeister received her Doctor of Musical Arts degree in contemporary music performance from the University of California San Diego, Master of Music degree from McGill University, and Bachelor of Music degree from the New England Conservatory of Music. In fall 2023, Schulmeister joined the faculty of University of the Pacific’s Conservatory of Music as assistant professor of practice in string bass.

PACIFIC FACULTY COACHES

Voice and Opera Faculty

Daniel Ebbers, program director

Eric Dudley

Robin Fisher

James Haffner

Darita Seth

Instrumental Faculty

Ann Miller, violin, program director for strings

Igor Veligan, viola

Vicky Wang, cello

Kathryn Schulmeister, double bass

Kyle Bruckmann, oboe

Jonathan Latta, program director for ensembles

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Coming soon .

Mar. 25, 7:30 pm, Recital Hall

Pacific Double Bass Studio Recital

Apr. 3, 7:30 pm, Recital Hall

Pacific Horn Studio and Horn Ensemble Sadie Glass, director

Apr. 7, 2:30 pm, Faye Spanos Concert Hall Strata Trio

Nathan Williams, clarinet

James Stern, violin, viola

Audrey Andrist, piano

To view our upcoming events, scan the QR code or visit Pacific.edu/MusicEvents.

music.pacific.edu