Artistic Director
Edward Benyas, Conductor
Edward Benyas is the Emeritus Professor of Oboe and Conducting at SIU Carbondale, Music Director of the New Chicago Chamber Orchestra—with which he made his European conducting debut—Executive Director of the Cascade Symphony, and founder and Artistic Director of the Southern Illinois Music Festival, which presents three-dozen concerts annually each June. The Illinois Council of Orchestras named him “Conductor of the Year” in 2005, the Carbondale Chamber of Commerce presented him the inaugural “Keeping the Arts in Business” Award in 2007, the Southern Business Journal named him a “Leader Among Us” in 2012, he received the Legacy Award from Carbondale Community Arts in 2015, the Carbondale Lions Club gave him the David Kenney Award in 2017, and he was named the Southern Illinois University College of Liberal Arts Outstanding Scholar in 2018. A student of Ray Still, Robert Morgan, Victor Yampolsky, and the late Charles Bruck and Georg Tintner, Mr. Benyas holds graduate degrees in Orchestral Conducting and Oboe Performance from Northwestern University, as well as Bachelor and Juris Doctor degrees from the University of Michigan. He has conducted orchestras and opera companies throughout North America and in Europe and China. After conducting Mozart’s Magic Flute, Opera Wire wrote, “Edward Benyas indeed worked some ‘magic’ in the pit with his assured baton eliciting stylish results from a sizable orchestra. It is to Maestro Benyas’ great credit that the musical execution was of a very high order throughout.” His conducted repertoire includes nearly 400 works, including a dozen world premieres and several dozen complete operas and ballets. Mr. Benyas also enjoys an active career as an oboe and English horn player, having performed with the Chicago Symphony under Daniel Barenboim, the Lyric Opera under Zubin Mehta, the Milwaukee and Grant Park Symphonies, the Ravinia Festival Orchestra, at the Spoleto and Banff summer music festivals, as Principal Oboe of the Des Moines Metro Opera for six seasons and for Andrea Bocelli’s National Tour. He is a member of the state bar of Illinois and has been elected to the Jackson County Board and the Carbondale Elementary School District Board of Education. Southern Illinois University awarded Maestro Benyas its 2024 Distinguished Service Award at the May 10, 2025 Commencement at Banterra Arena, in recognition of his three decades of service to the university and the Southern Illinois community.
Opera Principals
Jesse Cunningham, Piano
Jesse Cunningham, a versatile pianist, vocal coach, and conductor, boasts an extensive repertoire and a history of collaboration with institutions such as Opera Theatre Saint Louis, SIFest, and Indianapolis Opera. Holding staff positions at schools like the University of Notre Dame, she achieved a milestone with her 2019 Carnegie Hall debut. Currently serving as Chorus Master and Collaborative Pianist at Winter Opera St. Louis, she manages a piano studio in Urbana, IL. Jesse's academic journey mirrors her dedication to music and technology. She holds a Doctoral degree in Vocal Coaching and Accompanying from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, complemented by Master's and Bachelor's degrees in Piano Performance from Florida International University. Notably, she earned an Associate in Computer Science specializing in Data Systems and Development from Parkland College in 2023. Jesse's commitment to excellence extends beyond rehearsals, as she thrives on problem-solving in all her endeavors.
Nyghél Byrd, Bass
Nyghél J. Byrd received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Music with extensive training in Music Education from Berea College in Berea, KY, and his Master of Music degree in Choral Conducting with extensive training in Opera and Musical Theater Performance from Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, IL. Byrd comes from a very musical family and has sung, played, and taught in various capacities. He has sung many roles in operas and musicals including Gustavo (Guglielmo) in ‘COVID [Cosi] fan tutte’, Tinman in ‘Oz: A Staged Concert,’ Father (Peter) in ‘Hansel and Gretel,’ Betto in ‘Gianni Schicci’, Father in the musical ‘Children of Eden’, and Coalhouse Walker, Jr. in the musical ‘Ragtime’. Byrd is an Instructor of Musical Theater Voice with the Dobbins Conservatory of Theatre and Dance at Southeast Missouri State University and is a music instructor and clinician throughout the Southern Illinois area.
Gina Galati, Soprano
Gina Galati made her professional debut as Musetta with the Wichita Grand Opera and has since performed leading roles in The Barber of Seville, La Bohème, I Pagliacci, Don Giovanni, Rigoletto, La Cenerentola, and more. Other career highlights include roles as Alexandria in the world premiere of O Pioneers, Rosalinde in Die Fledermaus, Violetta in La Traviata, and the Countess in The Marriage of Figaro. As Founder and General Director of Winter Opera St. Louis, Ms. Galati has an active career, performing across the country with companies such as Opera Naples, Opera Medellín, Union Avenue Opera, and Opera Company Brooklyn. She holds a Bachelor of Arts and Sciences in Music from Washington University, a Masters in Opera from the University of Kansas, and an Artist Diploma from the Academia Verdiana in Italy, where she studied under tenor Carlo Bergonzi. In addition to her opera career, Ms. Galati has performed with the St. Louis Symphony and other ensembles. She also supports charitable causes, raising thousands for organizations like the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and Habitat for Humanity.
Diana Higbee, Soprano
Diana Higbee is considered to be one of the most convincing Mozart singers of her generation. Among her major Mozartian roles are Donna Anna (Don Giovanni), Contessa (Nozze di Figaro), Pamina (Magic Flute), Fiordiligi (Cosi fan Tutte). A native French speaker, she specializes in the French repertoire: Micaela in Carmen, Gabrielle or Metella in La Vie Parisienne, Thaïs by Massenet or Pelléas et Mélisande by Debussy. In 2016 she founded the MUSICA Opera Festival and became a Cultural Ambassador for Le Mans, France. She is the first opera singer to sing the French National Anthem for the 24 hours of Le Mans car race for an audience of 250,000 and broadcast worldwide for 18 million viewers. In March 2024, Diana premiered the first ClipMe Video on the blockchain which received Best Innovative Artificial Intelligence Music Video. Diana Higbee has appeared Opera houses across France, including Montpellier, Toulon, Rouen, Rennes, Massy, Avignon, Besançon, Marseille, Nancy. In Europe at the Vienna Musikverein, Konzertgebouw Brugge, Den Nye Oper Norway, the Stadthalle Bayreuth, the Margräfliches Opernhaus, the Komische Oper de Berlin, Wiener Kammeroper, the Circulo de Bellas Artes in Madrid, Gulbekian Foundation in Portugal and Aix-en-Provence, Lourdes, Ambronay, Utrecht Festivals.
Emily Hughes, Mezzo-Soprano
Mezzo-Soprano Emily Hughes’ recent performances include her debut at Carnegie Hall as the alto soloist for Vivaldi’s Gloria, the title role of La Cenerentola with Bel Cantanti Opera, Zerlina with Bronx Opera, La Suora Zelatrice in Suor Angelica with Opera on the James, a staging of Jake Heggie’s song cycle Camille Claudel: Into the Fire with New Camerata Opera, Zerlina in Don Giovanni with Long Island Lyric Opera, and Musette in Leoncavallo’s La Bohème with Teatro Grattacielo, for which Opera News called her “delightful and coquettish Musette” a performance of “particular note.” Other roles include Ruggiero in Alcina, Rosina in Il barbiere di Siviglia, and the title role of Handel’s Teseo. Emily has been a young artist with Teatro Nuovo, Opera on the James, and Charlottesville Opera. A versatile performer, Ms. Hughes has sung with early music groups such as Artek and has also premiered many works, including Lingbo Ma’s The Pile at National Sawdust.
Theresa Kesser, Soprano
San Diego native Theresa Kesser is a soprano who recently performed the title role in The Infinite Energy of Ada Lovelacewith Marble City Opera. In 2022, she covered the title role of Salome at the Southern Illinois Music Festival, marking her shift to soprano repertoire. Theresa earned a Master of Musical Arts from Yale University in 2020, studying under Doris Yarick Cross. At Yale Opera, she performed roles in Florencia en el Amazonas, Eugene Onegin, and The Old Maid and the Thief, and participated in a workshop of The Snowy Day with Houston Grand Opera. She was a Studio Artist at Wolf Trap (2018-2019), covering roles in Romeo et Juliette and Ariadne auf Naxos, and appeared with the National Symphony Orchestra in Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms. Theresa holds a Master of Music from Indiana University and has performed leading roles in multiple opera productions.
Brooklyn Snow, Soprano
Praised for her “remarkably beautiful soprano voice and stunning combination of vocal athleticism and theatrical smarts,” soprano Brooklyn Snow has delighted audiences with her exceptional performances in both opera and musical theater. With a highly acclaimed debut at SIFest 2024 singing Susanna in the Marriage of Figaro, Brooklyn returns to SIFest 2025 as Adina in the Elixir of Love. Most recently, she sang Cinderella in Into the Woods with Union Avenue Opera, Adele in Die Fledermaus with Eugene Opera, Musetta in Eugene Opera’s La Bohème, Clara in The Light In the Piazza with Opera Santa Barbara, and debuted at Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall as the Soprano Soloist for the premiere of Dan Forrest’s choral piece, Jubilate Deo. Ms. Snow has performed a variety of roles including: Cunegonde from Candide, Anne in A Little Night Music, Nannetta in Falstaff, Maria in West Side Story, and all three heroines in The Tales of Hoffmann. Ms. Snow and her husband now reside in Nashville, TN with their two beautiful daughters.
Kate Slovinski, Opera Director
Kate Slovinski has served as the resident Properties Designer and Manager for Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville’s Department of Theater of Dance for fifteen years. A graduate of Eastern Illinois University at Charleston, Illinois where she earned her bachelor’s degree in Arts and Humanities with Specializations in Directing, Performance, and Theater History/Criticism. During her tenure she has also severed as a director including Cougar Theater Company Touring Manager/Director, Nunsense, Red Hot and Cole, Hairspray, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, Mama Mia! and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat as part of the SIUE’s annual Summer Theater Festival. In the greater Saint Louis Area, she is the Production Manager for Winter Opera Saint Louis and Union Avenue Opera Saint Louis. For Winter Opera and Southern Illinois Department of music she has directed and number of productions including titles, Anna Bolena, Orpheus in the Underworld, Trouble in Tahiti. At Opera Theater Saint Louis she served as Stage Manager for the Opera on the Go! touring program and has been a frequent Guest Lecturer for the Spring Training Program.
Kenneth Stavert, Baritone
Baritone Kenneth Stavert, praised for his "sense of theatricality," is a prominent performer across the U.S., Europe, and Asia. Known for his bold, dramatic style, he is celebrated as a "classic Verdi baritone" with resonance, flexibility, and vigor. Recent performances include Riff in West Side Story with the Indianapolis Opera, retuning to Vero Beach Opera as Masetto in Don Giovanni, a concert performance of Sweeney Todd with HALO Opera, and reprising Sharpless in Madama Butterfly at Pacific Opera Project in Los Angeles, the title role in Macbeth with Heartbeat Opera and Don Carlo in Ernani at the 2023 Southern Illinois Music Festival. Other notable performances include Marcello in La Bohème (Dayton Opera, Gulfshore Opera), Scarpia in Tosca (Opera In The Heights), and Ponchel in Silent Night (Opera San José), Schaunard in La Bohème and Belcore in L’elisir d’amore (Vero Beach Opera).
Jonathan Stinson, Baritone
Jonathan Stinson, baritone, has appeared in leading and supporting roles with opera companies throughout the United States and in Europe, including Cincinnati Opera, Lyric Opera of Kansas City, Central City Opera, Winter Opera St. Louis, Kentucky Opera, Opera Omaha, Opera Memphis, Dayton Opera, Cleveland Opera, and Ozarks Lyric Opera. Abroad, he sang the title role of Don Giovanni in Cortona, Italy, the title role of Rigoletto in Manchester, UK, and Guglielmo in Così fan tutte and the title role of Gianni Schicchi in Varna, Bulgaria. During the 2023-2024 season, Jonathan performed Marcello in La bohème at Delaware Valley Opera, Lescaut in Manon Lescaut with Winter Opera St. Louis, and appeared as a soloist with TACTUS chamber ensemble for Bach’s Johannes-Passion in Oklahoma City. This August, he will return to Delaware Valley Opera to sing Olin Blitch in Carlisle Floyd’s Susannah. Jonathan is a past Regional Finalist in the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions and received the “Bel Canto Award” at the Orpheus National Voice Competition. He is represented by MIA Artist Management.
Thomas Taylor, Tenor
Thomas M. Taylor IV is a Tenor known for his comedic demeanor, vocal power, and vibrant stage presence. Recently, Thomas performed his debut with Winter Opera St. Louis as Edmondo in the St. Louis premiere of Puccini’s Manon Lescaut. His performance was hailed by critics as “charming” and “…a rousing way to start the opera.” He appeared again with Winter Opera in January of this year as Hervey in Donizetti’s Anna Bolena, a role he reprises at SIFest 2025. Thomas also covered the role of Ruggero in SIFest’s production of La Rondine and as Samuel in MiOpera’s production of Pirates of Penzance in 2023. Thomas has also performed such roles as Gobin in La Rondine (2022), Flavio in Norma (2019) in which critics said he “shined as Pollione’s companion,” Chevalier de le Force in Sialogues of the Carmelites (2018), and Beadle Bamford in Sweeney Todd (2016). Thomas also performed as the Tenor Soloist for Handel’s Messiah at Greenville University (2019), and placed 2nd in the NATS advanced men’s division (2017).
Benjamin Werley, Tenor
Benjamin Werley, praised for his “gleaming, flexible tenor” (Opera News), discovered his passion for opera after attending a performance of Puccini’s Tosca. A graduate of the Jacob’s School of Music at Indiana University, he was a semi-finalist in the 2012-2013 Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions. Werley has participated in top young artist programs, including Merola Opera, Santa Fe Opera, and Opera Theatre of St. Louis. He has sung with renowned orchestras such as the Pittsburgh Symphony and Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra. Recent highlights include roles as Edgardo (Lucia di Lammermoor), Cavaradossi (Tosca), and Don José (Carmen). This season, he debuts at San Diego Opera as Narraboth (Salome), returns to Virginia Opera for Loving v. Virginia, and sings two roles with the Southern Illinois Music Festival. He will also perform as the tenor soloist for Verdi's Requiem with the Pittsburgh Concert Chorale.
OPERA YOUNG ARTIST
Chloe Beal, Soprano
Chloe Beal is a graduating senior of SIU’s School of Music in Voice Performance. Chloe has performed in two operas with SIU, Amahl and the Night Visitors in the chorus and Rose in The Little Prince. She will have her role debut as 2nd Lady and Papagena in Centralia Opera’s production of The Magic Flute. Chloe made her professional opera debut in SIFest's productions of La Rondine and Ernani in the chorus. In the fall of 2022, Chloe performed in a masterclass with the famous Christine Brewer at the NATS Central Region conference. She also placed 2nd place in the NATS Central Region Auditions in the Classical division. In the fall of 2025, Chloe will pursue her Masters of Music in Classical Performance in Chicago College of Performing Arts Conservatory at Roosevelt University.
Alexandra Billhartz, Soprano
An artist with a love of opera and Baroque music, soprano Alexandra Billhartz is a native of New Baden, IL. She is thrilled to be returning to SIFest this season as a Young Artist and covering the role of Adina! Recent operatic roles include Papagena (Die Zauberflöte), First Spirit (Die Zauberflöte), and Zerlina (Don Giovanni). She has performed with the Edwardsville Symphony as a guest soloist and served as the soprano soloist in a performance of Handel’s Messiah with Greenville University. Her performances of Zerlina have been interpreted as “lyrical and sensitive” by Jim Lowe. Broadway World recently said she “has the very face of a G&S maiden: lofted delicate brows that express a perpetual delighted surprise.” She teaches private lessons in voice, piano, and clarinet at the Highland Arts Center and Highland Music School in Highland, IL. Ms. Billhartz earned her BM in Vocal Performance from the University of Evansville in 2016, graduating summa cum laude, and her MM in Vocal Performance from Ball State University in 2019. Upcoming performances include singing Suor Angelica (Suor Angelica) with Opera al Mare, singing Caterina/Suzel Cover (L’Amico Fritz) and Barbarina/Susanna Cover (Le nozze di Figaro) with the Camerata Bardi Vocal Academy, and singing Susanna (Le nozze di Figaro) with Bach-Millennium Music.
Sophia Capra, Soprano
St. Louis native Sophia Capra, soprano, has served in professional choirs for over a decade. Since leaving St. Louis, she has joined several professional organizations, including the American Choral Directors Association and the Delta Epsilon chapter of Sigma Alpha Iota National Women’s Music Fraternity (ΣΑΙ), where she served as Sergeant-at-Arms and later, President. Sophia’s performance credits include a featured artist performance at ΣΑΙ’s 2022 National Convention in Greensboro, NC, where she performed for over five hundred ΣΑΙ members and alumnae. She has also played Zita in Gianni Schicchi, The Countess in Marriage of Figaro, and Rosalinde in Die Fledermaus.
Spencer Domer, Tenor
Comfortable from the stage to the podium, conductor and tenor Spencer Domer is excited to return to the SIFEST this summer! As a singer, he has performed in over twenty operas in leading, compromario, and ensemble roles. As a conductor, Spencer has served as the Assistant Conductor of collegiate ensembles and operatic productions. He also serves as the Artistic Director of the Riverbend Youth Chorale, based in Alton, Illinois. Spencer was recently named as a National Finalist for Opera Conducting by the prestigious American Prize competition for his work on Albert Herring at Chicago Summer Opera.
Jessica Farfán, Mezzo-Soprano
Jessica Farfán is a native to Carpentersville, IL. She recently graduated from the Dobbins Conservatory of Theater and Dance at Southeast Missouri State University with a BFA in Musical Theatre and a BA in Spanish. She recently played the Mother in Hansel and Gretel and Mercédès in Carmen at Southeast Missouri State University. Some of her other credits include Kim McAfee in Bye Bye Birdie, Irene Molloy in Hello, Dolly! and Effy in The Spitfire Grill. She is so excited to be a part of her first Southern Illinois Music Festival!
Grace Yukiko Fisher, Soprano
Japanese-American soprano Grace Yukiko Fisher is a St. Louis native that has performed extensively in the metro-region for over a decade. She has performed with Union Avenue Opera, Winter Opera St. Louis, and Opera Edwardsville in their festival seasons as well as concertizing and performing for private events. Ms. Fisher holds a Bachelor of Arts in Music, vocal performance, from Mckendree University and a Master of Music in vocal performance along with a Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in vocal pedagogy from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. Ms. Fisher has served as a teaching assistant at SIUE and as an adjunct professor of voice at Blackburn College where she was awarded the E. Ann Reichmann Outstanding Adjunct Award in 2022. She currently serves as an adjunct professor of voice at St. Louis University and as the Director of Opera and Musical Theater Workshop at St. Charles Community College.
Harrison Gilberti, Baritone
Harrison Gilberti (Baritone) is a first year graduate student studying Vocal Performance at Southern Illinois University, where he was just seen as the Pilot in the school of music’s production of The Little Prince. Harrison received a Bachelor’s of music in Voice Performance from Baldwin Wallace University, where he had the privilege of participating in their productions of Le nozze di Figaro (Bartolo) and The Merry Widow (Count Danilo). This Summer, Harrison will return to College Light Opera Company, in Falmouth Massachusetts, to participate in their 2025 Season in Pirates of Penzance (Pirate King), Anastasia (Gleb) and The Sound of Music (Captain Von Trapp).
Carley Jo Goggans, Soprano
Carley Jo Goggans is an American conductor and classical soprano with a background in musical theatre. As a musical theatre performer, she has portrayed a wide range of roles, with favorites including The Witch in Into the Woods, Milly Pontipee in Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, and Jo March in Little Women. As a classical performer, Carley Jo frequently performs chamber music and has been a featured soloist with various choral groups, the Rhodes College Orchestra, and the Versa’tile Chamber Ensemble. As a conductor, she has led numerous orchestras and choral ensembles. She has both performed with and conducted ensembles across the United States, as well as in Germany, Italy, Czechia, and most recently, Estonia. She just completed a Master’s degree in Choral Conducting at Southern Illinois University, and was the featured vocal soloist at the university’s commencement before 10,000 guests.
Mason Kurtz, Tenor
Mason Kurtz is originally from Altamont, IL and completed his BM in vocal performance at Eastern Illinois University. He will begin his graduate studies at DePaul University starting Fall 2025 to pursue his MM in vocal performance. Mason has experience in opera and musical theatre. Previous roles include: La théière (L’enfant et les sortileges), Mikael Maier (Lilacs and Lillies) and understudy for Ferrando (Così fan tutte) at Vienna Summer Music Festival; as well as Abel (Children of Eden), Thomas Bouché (Down in the Valley), and understudied the roles of Arpad, Kodaly, and Sipos (She Loves Me) at Eastern Illinois University.
Dani Lorin, Mezzo-Soprano
Dani Lorin, a native of Los Angeles, recently earned a BFA in Musical Theatre from the Dobbins Conservatory of Theatre and Dance. They are overjoyed to have the chance to perform their first opera as a Young Artist at SIFest this summer. Some of their past musical theatre credits include A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder (Sibella), The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Olive), and the world premiere of the play Girlhood (Piper). Dani recently performed at 54 Below in New York City as a soloist and looks forward to moving to Manhattan this fall.
Javi Ojeda, Bass
Javi Ojeda is from Edwardsville, Illinois and is a student at SIUE where he is studying Classical Vocal Performance. He studies with Dr. Marc Schapman and formerly studied with Dr. Emily Truckenbrod. Javi is grateful for the opportunities that SIUE has offered him as a student and the connections he has made during his studies. He has participated in and received high marks at the National Association of Teachers of Singing competitions including a second-place finish in the Central Region competition. Javi recently participated in the Interharmony music festival in Acqui Terme, Italy. Javi’s roles include Uberto from La Sera Padrona, Il Maggiordomo from La Rondine, and L’Oste from Manon Lescaut. He has sung in the choruses of Manon Lescaut, Macbeth, La Rondine, Ernani, Ragtime, and The Desert Song. Javi has also featured as a soloist in Faure’s Requiem, and Handel’s Messiah with the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis where he is a member of the Schola Cantorum.
Luke Poston, Bari-Tenor
Luke Poston, Bari-tenor; has been performing opera professionally going on eight years. They have performed as notable characters such as: Freddie Falcone in The Bat’s Revenge, Figaro in The Marriage of Figaro, King Balthazar in Amahl and the Night Visitors, and was recently the Pilot in SIUC’s production of The Little Prince. Mx. Poston also has a passion for choir, singing with both SIUC’s Concert Choir and SEMO’s Choral Union. When not performing they enjoy teaching private voice lessons, music history, and tend to their ever-growing plant collection.
Joel Rogier, Baritone
Noted for his “fine voice and comic timing” and his “robust and confident demeanor,” baritone Joel Rogier is dedicated to sharing the joy of singing with audiences of all ages. He returns to SIFest after appearing as Périchaud in La rondine in 2023. This summer, Rogier will perform with Union Avenue Opera in Salome (as 1st Soldier) and My Fair Lady. Earlier this season, Rogier portrayed Boatswain Bobstay in H.M.S. Pinafore and the Speaker in Die Zauberflöte at Winter Opera St. Louis. Rogier frequently tours with Opera for the Young, most recently as Papageno in The Magic Flute.
Seth Tanner, Baritone
Seth Tanner, baritone, is a recent graduate of Southern Illinois University, having received his Master of Music in May 2025. He has called the theater his home for a long time. He has played Melchior in Amahl and the Night Visitors, Businessman in The Little Prince, and Figaro in Le Nozze di Figaro. Seth also has several musical theatre credits. When not on stage, he teaches music theory and aural skills, and crafts intricate artwork using his 3D Printer. He also regularly performs with SIUC’s Concert Choir and SEMO’s Choral Union and is excited to be part of SIFest 2025.
Emily Wadley, Mezzo-Soprano
Emily Wadley is a voice teacher in the Paducah, Kentucky and Carbondale, Illinois area. Wadley is a recent graduate of Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, receiving her M.M. in Vocal Performance and was a graduate assistant for voice studies. There, she has participated in operas such as Amahl and the Night Visitors and The Little Prince. Recently, she has music directedthe School of Theatre and Dance’s Fall 2024 musical The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical. Previously, she attended Murray State University where she received her B.S. in Music with a Minor in Theatre. There, she was involved in operas and musicals such as The Telephone, The Medium, The Pirates of Penzance, Mamma Mia, All Shook Up, Company, and Legally Blonde. She also participated in plays such as Faith Healer and Androcles and the Lion. Outside of her scholarly career, she has been involved in shows with Market House Theater in Paducah, Kentucky. There, she participated in the musical School of Rock and the play Girls Weekend.
Jeremy Zuhlke, Tenor
Jeremy Zuhlke has studied music for several years years, beginning as an instrumentalist in Arizona to now working in opera and studying voice. This will be his his second time with the SIFest. He has performed in several choruses including Anna Boleyn, Die Zauberflöte, and La Rondine.
INSTRUMENTAL ARTISTS
Michael Barta, Violin
Violinist, Michael Barta, studied at the Franz Liszt Academy in Budapest, Hungary and received his degree with highest honors. He was chosen concertmaster of the World Youth Orchestra in 1971 under Karel Ancerl. In 1973, he won the 2nd prize at the Joseph Szigeti International Competition in Budapest and the Gold Medal of the Ysaye Society in Brussels, Belgium. In 1974 he received a prize as Finalist of the Tchaikovsky International Competition in Moscow, Russia. He held the title Soloist of the National Philhamonia in Hungary and was first violinist of the Kodály String Quartet. In the United States he became professor of violin at Central Michigan University. Since 1985 he serves as Professor of Violin and Chamber Music at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. Mr. Barta has performed in 32 countries, including most of Europe, China, and Japan. He performed at such venues as Carnegie Hall and Alice Tully Hall in the United States, Wigmore Hall and Queen Elizabeth Hall in London, Radio France in Paris, and many others. He recorded on the Hungaroton, Serenus and Melodia labels and at the Scottish BBC in Edinburgh, Radio France, Radio Bremen, Sender Freies Berlin, Südwestfunk, and Radio Bartók Budapest. He served on the summer faculty of the Central Catalonia Music Festival and Academy and the Festival of the Pyrenees in Spain and regularly teaches masterclasses at conservatories in Hungary, Bulgaria, Italy, Malta, Latvia and Austria. He is co-founder of the Southern Illinois Chamber Music Society, and also performers as the Assistant Concertmaster of the Illinois Symphony and Chamber Orchestra and as Concertmaster of Sinfonia de Camera in Champaign-Urbana, Illinois under the direction of Maestro Ian Hobson.
Liam Battle, Cello
Liam Battle is a cellist, curator and composer based in Cleveland who focuses heavily on the study and performance of contemporary classical music. Liam’s work is focused on illuminating modern aesthetics. Most of this work takes place through performance and artistic direction with the Antigone Music Collective. Through the Antigone Music Collective, Liam regularly performs and curates modern music at nontraditional concert locations. The work of the AMC is dedicated to showing the importance of live modern classical music, creating social concert experiences, and putting the work of living composers in dialogue with great composers of the 20th century. Outside of the performance Liam enjoys writing music, writing about music, and talking about music.
Jim Beers, Percussion
Jim Beers, percussion, is thrilled to return for his 16th season with the Southern Illinois Music Festival. A native of Chester, IL, Jim moved to Carbondale to study at Southern Illinois University where he earned both his M.M. (2014) and B.M. (2010) in Percussion Performance. He currently teaches drum set at Southeast Missouri State University, percussion at Rend Lake College and John A. Logan College, and works with the local drum line at Carbondale Middle School. Jim works as a freelance percussionist throughout the Southern Illinois region and, in addition to serving as principal percussionist of the Southern Illinois Symphony, is a member of SIU’s faculty jazz group the New Arts Jazztet. He maintains a busy schedule performing with multiple ensembles spanning a variety of genres including orchestral, musical theater, blues, country, jazz, rock, soul/funk, cajun/zydeco, and traditional West-African drumming.
Gabriela Benyas, violin
Gabriela Benyas recently graduated from Columbia University, on the Dean’s List every semester, with a B.A. in History and a Minor in Hispanic Studies. Her senior thesis analyzed the relationship of the artists Pablo Casals and Manuel da Falla to the Franco dictatorship in Spain. She studied violin with Professors Michael Barta and Munro Otani and served as Co-Principal Second Violin of the Columbia University Orchestra. Last summer she performed with Musica Le Mans in France, and has been a featured chamber musician at music festivals in Spain and Italy. Gabriela has appeared twice at Carnegie Hall with her chamber ensembles and at Alice Tully Hall with the Columbia University Orchestra. She was previously Concertmaster of the Southern Illinois Symphony, First Violin of the SISO String Quartet, and a three-year participant in the Illinois All-State and Honors Orchestras. She co-founded the Crown Quartet in January 2023, which has since performed at the Columbia Presidential Inauguration in October 2023 and two Columbia Commencement ceremonies before crowds of 30,000 gusts in May 2023 and 2025. She begins work as a paralegal with BraunHagey & Borden in Manhattan this August.
AJ Bernal, Horn
AJ Bernal is a freelance horn player and piano technician based in Carbondale, IL. He currently serves as second horn for CityMusic, Cleveland and the Paducah Symphony Orchestra where he has had the opportunity to work with premiere performers from across the country. Since moving to Carbondale last summer, AJ began Maroon Resonance, Southern Illinois’s newest music non-profit organization. This has kept AJ active in chamber music, presenting four chamber recitals in addition to his orchestral duties. In 2023, AJ had his international debut as a soloist at the International Horn Symposium in Montréal where he performed a rediscovered work by Costa Rican composer Fulvio Villalobos-Sandoval. AJ holds a D.M.A. and Certificate in Music Theory Pedagogy from the University of Kentucky (‘24), an M.M. from Southern Illinois University (‘21), a B.M.E. from Indiana State University (‘18) and recently earned a certificate in piano tuning and repair from the Piano Technician’s Academy. AJ is excited to be back for his sixth Southern Illinois Music Festival!
Ben Carter, Viola
Violist Ben Carter was born and raised in Greer, South Carolina. He is a First Prize winner of the King’s Peak International Music Competition, and a second prize winner of the Charleston International Music Competition. He has appeared with the Charleston Symphony Orchestra, the Greenville Symphony Orchestra, and the Augusta Symphony Orchestra, and has performed with members of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra. He has also been a member of the Antigone Quartet since August 2024, and performs new music with them regularly. The Antigone Quartet was praised by Cleveland Classical Magazine as having “...technical mastery, rich tone, and fluid character transitions” in their performance of Charles Ives’ Second String Quartet. Ben Carter’s primary teachers include Daniel Sweaney and Jeffrey Irvine.
William Cernota, Cello
William Cernota, violoncello, has been a member of the Chicago Lyric Opera Orchestra since 1982. Since 1994 he has been a member and Chair of the Lyric Opera Orchestra Members Committee. From 1982 to 1996 he was a substitute cellist with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. While a student of Chicago Symphony Principal Cellist Frank Miller, he was Principal Cellist of the Chicago Civic Orchestra where he performed as soloist in Richard Strauss’s Don Quixote and Ernest Bloch’s Schelomo. He has also been Principal Cellist of the Chicago Chamber Orchestra, Concertante di Chicago, Chicago Opera Theater, Peninsula Music Festival, and is currently Principal Cellist of the Southern Illinois Music Festival. He has performed annual recitals since 2011 on international broadcasts from WFMT Chicago with pianist Eric Weimer. He was a soloist on two European tours of the Chicago Chamber Orchestra and is a member of the music faculties at Loyola University Chicago and Southern Illinois University Carbondale School of Music. Following graduation in Ideas & Methods and Biology from the University of Chicago, he served three years in the Peace Corps, Sierra Leone as a biology teacher and band director. He appears in contemporary music concerts and has also performed on baroque cello. He performed Witold Lutosławski’s works for solo cello at Orchestra Hall, Symphony Center in Chicago with the composer in attendance. With pianist Joy Doran, he issued a CD: On or About December 1910. He also works as a research scientist at Fermalogic Incorporated in Chicago and completed the Masters in Engineering Degree at University of Illinois Chicago. He resides in Chicago with his wife Maria, daughter Naomi, and cellist son-in-law Aleksei.
Kurt Civilette, Horn
Kurt Civilette is a freelance performer and teacher based in Lansing, Michigan. He serves as principal horn with the South Bend and the Midland Symphonies and 3rd horn with the Flint and Ann Arbor Symphonies. He has performed with Chicago, Detroit, Saint Louis, Utah, North Carolina, Grant Park, Jacksonville and Santa Fe Symphonies, with Lyric Opera Chicago, Michigan, Opera Theater and Santa Fe Opera, and as guest principal with the Ann Arbor, Flint, Kalamazoo, Saginaw, Windsor, and West Michigan Symphonies and Michigan Opera Theater. He is the horn instructor at Lansing Community College and Michigan State University’s Community Music School. For 15 years from 1995-2010, Kurt was full-time 3rd horn/associate principal with New Mexico Symphony in Albuquerque, substitution as interim principal horn for the entire 2001-02 season. Before winning the permanent job in New Mexico, he held temporary positions as principal horn with Charleston, Savannah and Honolulu Symphonies, and played many jingles and recording sessions. During the summers, Kurt plays principal horn with the Southern Illinois Music Festival and Baroque on Beaver Island Festival. He has appeared in various US and international summer festivals including Spoleto Festival in USA and Italy, the Assisi Festival in Italy, the Kumamoto Festival in Japan, and Music from Angel Fire.
Mel Goot, Jive with Jazz
Pianist Mel Goot was born in San Diego, and spent his early years in Mexico City. Self-taught, he was still a teen when he played his first professional job and record date with the Teddy Picou Quartet. Mel later attended San Diego State University, where, for four years, he was the top pianist with the award-winning SDSU Jazz Ensemble. Following college, he gave jazz history presentations and jazz improvisation clinics at schools under the auspices of the National Endowment for the Arts. Mel Goot has appeared at various national and international festivals, including Monterey, San Diego, Los Angeles, Riverside, Reno, San Felipe, Borrego Springs, Cairo, and Tijuana. He has performed with artists such as Charles McPherson, Mark Dresser, Nathan East, Hollis Gentry III, Daniel Jackson, Luis Gasca, Cal Tjader, Poncho Sanchez, John Heard, Carol Kaye, Dee Dee McNeil, Kevyn Lettau, Peter Sprague, Jaime Valle, Abraham Laboriel, Leon Pettis, Bobby Shew, and Dave Valentin. Mel has also performed with big bands behind Solomon Burke, Jerry Lewis, Sammy Davis, Jr. and Steve Allen. In 1995, Mel began playing piano with the New Arts Jazztet, an SIUC faculty group, and is currently on “tenured reserve player” status for them. He remains active performing solo as well as with various groups and artists. From schools throughout the region, he is honored to assemble the youth jazz groups for the “Jive with Jazz” concerts of the SIMFest.
Liz Hartman, Bass
Cryptic sightings of multi-genre bassist Liz Hartman (MLIS, CA) have been reported in Southern Illinois since 2014. Hartman has been seen serving as Principal Bass of Southern Illinois Music Festival and Southern Illinois Symphony Orchestra, as well as performing in chamber, jazz, noise, and fusion groups. Most sightings originate from musical pits throughout the Heartland; some eyewitness statements even recount the cryptic attempting to sing, most notable as a member of the progressive rock trio Porch Fire. It is rumored that Hartman hails from the Hoosierland where, as the legend goes, they played with orchestras in state competitions before moving to Illinois for graduate studies. By day, some say they’ve seen the cryptic masquerading as a Librarian at Carbondale Public Library.
Eunice Koh, Cello
A versatile cellist from Singapore, Eunice Koh believes in sharing memorable and diverse experiences with a global audience through the curation of engaging programs and cross-cultural collaborations. She is also passionate about sharing her experiences through maintaining extensive chamber music activities and performing with different musical genres locally and internationally. Eunice was invited to perform in a recital at the South Carolina Chamber Music Festival, and premiered a newly commissioned work, Festivals: from Sounds of Singapore by Chee-Hang See. Eunice is a firm believer of exploring various styles and genres of performing. As an avid advocate for world music, she regularly curates solo and chamber programs that represent different heritages. Eunice is a member of fusion ensembles, Stringwerkz, a Chinese string quintet, and Open Score Project, a syncretic ensemble that uniquely converges different music cultures in Singapore. She is also the cellist of Some Strings Attached, an ensemble that values creativity, flexibility, and diversity in their music programming, juxtaposing classical and popular styles. She graduated from University of South Carolina (DMA), Southern Illinois University (MM), and Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, Singapore - Royal College of Music, London (BM). Her teachers include Claire Bryant, Eric Lenz, Zhao You Er, Amanda Truelove, and Chen Yang Guang.
Amelia Korbitz, Violin
Amelia Korbitz is an American violinist with a passion for new music and collaboration through chamber music. She is the executive director and founder of the Antigone Music Collective, an organization committed to performing music by underrepresented composers and making classical music accessible to modern audiences. Amelia’s solo performance highlights include “Spring” with the West Suburban Symphony and “Winter” with the SIFest Orchestra from Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, and Piazzolla’s Los Cuatros Estaciones Porteñas with the CCM Philharmonia Orchestra. She has also performed in the Richmond Symphony Orchestra, the Southern Illinois Music Festival, and as Concertmaster at Musica Le Mans in France. Amelia earned her Bachelor of Music degree at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music under the tutelage of Dr. Won-Bin Yim with a Spanish language minor from the University of Cincinnati. She began her Master of Music studies in last Fall at the Cleveland Institute of Music under Dr. Olga Dubossarskaya Kaler.
Korcan Köstük, Violin
Korcan Köstük, born in 1995 in the vibrant tapestry of Turkey, discovered his love for the violin early on. His journey began at Dokuz Eylül University State Conservatory, where he embraced the instrument's melodic possibilities. Continuing his musical pilgrimage, he pursued his undergraduate studies at Ankara University State Conservatory, studying under the guidance of the esteemed Orhan Ahiskal. After completing his undergraduate program, Korcan's thirst for musical growth led him to the University of South Carolina, where he earned his Master's degree and graduate certificate. Guided by the accomplished Ari Streisfeld, he refined his skills and expanded his artistic horizons. Undeterred by the culmination of his Master's journey, Korcan chose to continue his education in a Doctoral program at USC while doing concerts with orchestras and his chamber ensemble “Some Strings Attached.”
Kiril Laskarov, Violin
Kirik Laskarov is in his 25th season as Concertmaster of the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra. A native of Bulgaria, he received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the State Academy of Music in Sofia and a Master’s degree from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale where he studied with Michael Barta. Laskarov has appeared as a soloist with the Arkansas Symphony, Las Vegas (NV) Philharmonic, Monroe (LA) Symphony, Southern Illinois Symphony, Abilene (TX) Philharmonic, Symphony Irvine (CA), and Texarkana (TX) Symphony and also as a guest concertmaster with the Arkansas Philharmonic, Monroe (LA) Symphony, Texarkana (TX) Symphony, and McCall (ID) Festival Orchestra. Kiril is Associate Concertmaster and a frequent soloist with the Southern Illinois Music Festival, where he has performed concerti to great acclaim by Sibelius, Mendelssohn, and Tchaikovsky.
Chris Leverenz, Bass
Chris Leverenz is a 2006 Southern Illinois University graduate currently living in Lexington, Kentucky. After graduating from SIU Chris attended the College-Conservatory of Music at the University of Cincinnati where he earned his Masters and Doctorate in double bass performance. Chris has performed with the Kentucky Symphony Orchestra, Springfield (Ohio) Symphony Orchestra, Virginia Symphony Orchestra, Richmond Symphony Orchestra, Virginia Arts Festival and the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra. While living in Virginia he served as Adjunct Professor of Double Bass at Christopher Newport University teaching bass, string masterclass, string pedagogy, jazz combo, and directed the jazz big band. Chris spent four years living in Germany performing with the Deutsche Philharmonie Merck and Heidelberger Kantanenorchestre. Chris is currently attending the University of Kentucky, GoBigBlue, pursing a degree in Music Education. Chris has always enjoyed returning to Southern Illinois and has performed with the Southern Illinois Music Festival in ten prior seasons including the inaugural SIFest of 2005. Chris looks forward to hiking in Giant City, eating Quatro’s pizza, and making beautiful music with the Southern Illinois Music Festival once again.
Alisha Owner, Viola
Alisha Owner is a violist, violinist, and high school orchestra director in Fort Worth, Texas. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Music Performance from Baylor University in Waco, TX and her master’s and doctoral degrees from Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. Alisha has held the position of principal violist in the Civic Orchestra of Chicago and the Waco Symphony, and section viola in the Richmond Symphony. She has performed with the Chicago Symphony, the Virginia Symphony, and most recently the Fort Smith Symphony. Alisha just finished her thirteenth year of teaching orchestra in the Texas public school system, and she is married to her husband Tim, a trombonist. They have two beautiful daughters, ages 8 and 5, and have recently begun taking family camping/road trips, which they have all enjoyed very much.
Tim Owner, Trombone
Originally from Australia, Dr. Timothy Owner moved to the United States in the fall of 2004 to pursue a Masters Degree in Trombone Performance at Northwestern University. Since that time, he has built an exciting career performing on Alto, Tenor and Bass Trombones as well as Bass Trumpet and Euphonium in some of the United States’ finest orchestral and chamber ensembles. He has been a member of the Buffalo Philharmonic, San Francisco Symphony and Virginia Symphony Orchestras as well as the Civic Orchestra of Chicago. In 2023 he obtained his Doctor of Musical Arts from the University of North Texas. He has acted as interim professor at the University of North Texas (2023/2024) and Baylor University (2025).
David Peshlakai, Cello
David Peshlakai was born and educated in Michigan. He received his Bachelor of Music from Michigan State University and his Master of Music from the University of Michigan. David Peshlakai was Principal Cellist with the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra from 2004 to 2017 where he held the Diether Haenicke Principal Cello Chair. Mr. Peshlakai is also in great demand as an extra cellist with several regional orchestras throughout Michigan, including performing as principal cellist with the Battle Creek, Flint, Jackson, and Lansing Symphonies. He has performed in many chamber recitals and festivals throughout Michigan and the Midwest. His coaches have included members of the Juilliard, Alban Berg, Concord, Vermeer, Emerson, Muir, and Kronos String Quartets. Mr. Peshlakai has been teaching cello at Hillsdale College since 1992. In 2010 he was invited to teach at Kalamazoo College as well. he previously taught at Albion and Alma Colleges and Grand Valley State University.
nina saito, violin
Nina Saito is a freelance musician and violin teacher in the Chicago area. Some of the groups with which she plays include Milwaukee Ballet Orchestra, Elgin Symphony, New Philharmonic Orchestra and Chicago Sinfonietta. She was also the former co-concertmaster of Music Theater Works. Nina has performed throughout the country touring as a member of the New York City Opera National Company and Western Opera Theater (San Francisco). She formerly played with the Sarasota Opera and with the New World Symphony in Miami Beach, Florida. Nina has played many summer festivals including the AIMS Orchestra in Graz, Austria and the Spoleto Festival both in Spoleto, Italy and Charleston, SC. She received her BM from Northwestern University and her MM from the University of Houston.
Kristin Sarvela, Oboe
A native of Southern Illinois, Kristin Sarvela joined the faculty of Sam Houston State University as Assistant Professor of Oboe and Music Theory in 2021. Previous appointments include Professor of Oboe and Music Theory at Eastern Illinois University and Instructor of Oboe at the University of Illinois at Springfield. She earned a Bachelor of Music in Oboe Performance from the University of Illinois with a Minor in Mathematics, a Master of Music in Oboe Performance from the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University with a Masters Minor in Music History, and a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Oboe Performance and Literature from the University of Illinois with a Cognate in Musicology. Dr. Sarvela has an active performing career and has held many positions in orchestras around the Midwest, including principal oboe of the Danville Symphony Orchestra, second oboe in the Sinfonia da Camera, English horn in the Heartland Festival Orchestra, and oboe and English horn in the Southern Illinois Symphony Orchestra. She has participated in Le Domaine Forget, Ad Astra, Outside the Box, Madeline Island, and Southern Illinois Music Festivals and has performed with such artists as Menahem Pressler, Emmanuel Ax, and the Mark Morris Dance Group. She has performed in such halls as the Schermerhorn Symphony Center and Carnegie Hall.
Charles Shapera, Bassoon
Charles Shapera is Principal Bassoon of the New Chicago Chamber Orchestra and the Southern Illinois Music Festival. He is a founding member of the Oak Street Winds and the NCCO Wind Quintet, and has performed with those ensembles at chamber music festivals in Italy and Luxembourg. He is formerly Principal Bassoon of the Green Bay Symphony and currently serves as Executive Director of Temple Har Zion in River Forest, Illinois. Next season he performs Haydn’s Sinfonia Concertante with the Skagit Symphony for his first solo appearance in the Pacific Northwest, alongside fellow SIFest artists Amelia Korbitz, Edward and Maya Benyas.
Abby Simoneau, Flute
Dr. Abby Simoneau, a New Hampshire native, received her Doctor of Musical Arts at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. She is on faculty at Alamance Community College, Guilford College, and Central Carolina Community College. Abby earned her Master of Music degree in Flute Performance from Southern Illinois University Carbondale and her Bachelor of Arts from the University of New Hampshire. She also performs regularly with the Western Piedmont Symphony, Salisbury Symphony, Piedmont Wind Symphony, Hickory Choral Society, Carolina Ballet, North Carolina Opera, the North Carolina Symphony, and Musica La Mans. Abby is thrilled to be back for her 13th season with SIFest!
Juan Carlos Siviero, Viola
Juan Carlos Siviero was born in Argentina. He studied viola with several teachers in Buenos Aires before moving to Chicago to pursue advanced degrees. He received a Master in Viola Performance from Roosevelt University under the tutelage of Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s violist Richard Ferrin. Juan Carlos also earned a Performance Certificate at DePaul University where he studied with Rami Solomonof, former principal viola of the Lyric Opera of Chicago orchestra. Juan Carlos has been a member of several ensembles: National Symphony of Argentina, 1st Latinoamerican Youth Orchestra, Symphony Orchestra of Tucuman, Civic Orchestra of Chicago, South Bend Symphony, Rockford Symphony and many others in the American Midwest. Currently, Juan Carlos is a member of the Villages Philharmonic Orchestra, Space Coast Symphony Orchestra, The Gainesville Orchestra and many other groups in and around Central Florida. Juan Carlos enjoys teaching viola and violin as well as playing chamber music.
Kelly Sulick, Flute
Flutist Kelly Sulick currently teaches at the University of Virginia and at Longwood University, and serves as Principal Flute in the Charlottesville Symphony. She earned her Doctorate of Musical Arts from the Peabody Conservatory, her Master of Music degree in Flute Performance from the University of Southern California, and a Bachelor of Music degree in Flute Performance and a Bachelor of Arts degree in English Language and Literature from the University of Michigan, where she graduated with highest honors and was name a James B. Angelo Scholar for her academic achievements. A champion of new music, she has commissioned and recorded dozens of works for solo flute with electronics, and has premiered several additional works for solo flute and chamber ensemble. She can be heard on the Centaur, Equilibrium, Other Minds, Naxos, and Ravello record labels, including on William Bolcom’s Songs of Innocence and of Experience under Leonard Slatkin, a Naxos release that received four Grammy awards including Best Classical Album. Her CD of American works for flute and piano, recorded with pianist John Maywood, was recently released on Centaur Records.
Metiney Suwanawongse, viola
Metiney Suwanawongse currently serves as Principal Viola with the Chattanooga Symphony and Opera, acting Principal Viola of the Chattanooga Bach Choir, and as Section Viola with the Huntsville Symphony Orchestra. Metiney also enjoys performing as a substitute violist with the Nashville and Alabama Symphony Orchestras, as well as the Nashville Opera and the New Hampshire Music Festival. Past engagements include a section position with the West Virginia Symphony Orchestra, and appearances with the Illinois Symphony Orchestra, Pensacola Symphony Orchestra, the Florida Orchestra, and Paducah Symphony Orchestra. In addition to her Classical work, she has performed with a range of popular artists including Bernadette Peters, Michael Bublé, LeAnn Rimes, and the Eagles.
David Tuttle, Clarinet
David Tuttle is an active freelance musician who has performed with the Lyric Opera of Chicago, the Milwaukee Symphony, the Honolulu Symphony, Ars Viva Chicago, and the Lake Forest Symphony. He has been performing as an extra player with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra for 50 years! He can be heard on the Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s recordings of Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring, Wagner’s Prelude and Love Death, and Prokofiev’s Scythian Suite. In addition to his extensive freelancing, David currently serves as principal clarinetist in the New Chicago Chamber Orchestra, Light Opera Works, and the Southern Illinois Music Festival, for which he is also personnel manager. He is the founder and director of Chicago Winds, Inc., which has presented more than 2,000 programs in Chicago Public Schools. Tuttle has been on the roster of Vandoren Performing Artists since 2011.
Joe Walczyk, Trumpet
Joe Walczyk is an active trumpet player in both the classical and commercial music scenes. After receiving his master's degree from Southern Illinois University in 2020, Joe moved to northern Virginia where he taught and regularly. While maintaining his playing and teaching career, Joe also acted as operations manager and DJ for Summit Events from 2021-2023. Joe's recording career includes soundtracks for Novel Effect, multiple rock bands, projects for classical composers, and the virtual ensemble Cinematic Brass, who recorded the Big Ten Saturday Night theme for NBC. He is currently working on his D.M.A in trumpet performance at West Virginia University where he teaches trumpet and chamber music. Joe is excited to return for his fifth year with the Southern Illinois Music Festival!
Robert Weiss, trombone
Robert Weiss is Professor Emeritus of Southern Illinois University Carbondale where he taught for 29 years, the last 13 of which he was Director of the School of Music. Prior to that he taught in the public schools of Puerto Rico and Quincy, Illinois. Bob is currently (and for 44 years) Director of Music of First United Methodist Church in Carbondale, Illinois, and remains active as a performing trombonist. He has Bachelors and Masters degrees in Music Education from the University of Illinois and a Ph.D. in Education from Southern Illinois University Carbondale.