Tenor Raúl Melo has enjoyed a career performing some of the most demanding roles of the Italian and French repertoire across four continents. His international career began when he was awarded the prize of “Best Lyric Tenor” in the 1992 Alfredo Kraus Competition, a prize personally bestowed upon Mr. Melo by the late great Spanish tenor. Beginning in the lyric repertoire, Mr. Melo’s repertoire has expanded to embrace the great heroic Verdi and Puccini roles: Carlo Don Carlo, Rodolfo Luisa Miller, Alvaro La Forza Del Destino; des Grieux Manon Lescaut, Cavaradossi Tosca, Dick Johnson La Fancuilla Del West, and Calàf Turnadot.

For nine seasons Mr. Melo has been a regularly invited guest artist with the Metropolitan Opera. He made his MET debut in 2005 as Duca Rigoletto and was heard in a 2008 Sirius Metropolitan Opera Radio live broadcast as Pinkerton Madama Butterfly. His other MET responsibilities have included covering the lead tenor roles in La Damnation de Faust, Hamlet, Romeo et Juliette, and La Rondine, as well as four Verdi titles: La Traviata, Un Ballo in Maschera, Rigoletto, I Vespri Siciliani, and Don Carlo, the last of which he covered during the MET’s 2011 tour to Japan. Mr. Melo also joined members of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra for the 2011 New York premiere of Allen Shawn’s work Hide Not Thy Face.

Mr. Melo has also been a frequent guest with other New York opera companies. For New York City Opera, Mr. Melo has performed such leading roles as Cavaradossi Tosca, Pinkerton Madama Butterfly, and Araquil in Massenet’s rarely-performed yet thrilling La Navarraise. For Teatro Grattacielo, which presents rarely-heard verismo operas in concert form, Mr. Melo has performed Vassili in Giordano’s Siberia, the King in the New York premiere of Franco Alfano’s Sakuntala, Giosta Berling in Zandonai’s I Cavalieri di Ekebu, Gennaro in Wolf-Ferrari’s I Gioielli Della Madonna, and Osaka in Mascagni’s Iris. In recent seasons, Mr. Melo has displayed impressive stylistic breadth with his role debuts as both Turiddu Cavalleria Rusticana and Canio Pagliacci, performing both in the same evenings (Amarillo Opera). Other North American companies with which Mr. Melo has performed include Washington National Opera, Dallas Opera, Seattle Opera, Palm Beach Opera, Florida Grand Opera, Spoleto Festival USA, Manitoba Opera, and Opéra de Québec.

Mr. Melo’s early career included several seasons in the major German theatres, including both of Berlin’s major opera houses (Deutsche Oper Berlin and Staatsoper unter den Linden), Düsseldorf’s Deutsche Oper am Rhein, Hamburg Staatsoper, Staatstheater Braunschweig, the Köln Arena, Oper Frankfurt, and the Semperoper Dresden, in repertoire including Alfred Die Fledermaus, Nemorino L’Elisir d’amore, Duca, Rigoletto, Rodolfo La Boheme to Don José Carmen among others. His European credits include performances at the Grand Théâtre de Reims, the Palais Princier de Monaco (the official residence of the Prince of Monaco), Brussels’ Vorst Nationaal Music Hall, Zürich Opera, Oslo’s Den Norske Opera, and Opera Ireland in Dublin. In 2003 Mr. Melo made his Italian debut as Don José Carmen at the Teatro Verdi di Salerno, and went on to debut with other distinguished Italian companies such as the Teatro San Carlo di Napoli and Teatro Massimo di Palermo (both as Rodolfo LA BOHÈME), the Teatro Regio di Parma (concert in honor of Verdi’s bicentenary), and the Teatro Comunale di Bologna on their inaugural tour of Korea (Duca RIGOLETTO).

Farther abroad, Mr. Melo has performed in Colombia (FOSBO Orchestra Bogotá, Rachmaninoff concert), Argentina (Teatro Colón Buenos Aires, Verdi Requiem), Israel (New Israeli Opera in Tel Aviv), China (Shanghai International Arts Festival, Macau International Music Festival), Hong Kong (Musica Viva Hong Kong), Japan (Tokyo), and South Korea (Teatro Comunale di Bologna tour, which played in Seoul, Busan, and Kwanju-san).

Mr. Melo has been a frequent guest of “A Prairie Home Companion with Garrison Keilor.

The Havana-born, American-educated tenor resides in New York.

An accomplished artist, known for her colorful, clear voice and thoughtful interpretation in both oratorio and opera, Teresa Buchholz is emerging as a promising mezzo-soprano in the world of singing. Most recently she’s performed the role of Anne in Virgil Thomson’s The Mother of Us All in a highly acclaimed production that took place in Hudson NY. This Fall she was also heard in Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 with The Orchestra Now at Bard College and performed the role of Berta in a New York City concert version of the rarely heard opera Il Grillo del Focolare by Riccardo Zandonai. Other recent performances include the role of Zofia in Monuiskzo’s opera Halka at the Bard Music Festival, the mezzo soloist in Verdi’s Requiem at the Lake Como Music Festival (Italy) and with the Spokane Symphony. As a soloist she has been heard in Bach’s Christmas Oratorio with the Rhode Island Civic Chorale and Orchestra, Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony at Lincoln Center with the National Chorale (NYC), at the Bard Music Festival on a program of verismo opera arias, as well as a staged version of Bach’s St. Matthew Passion with Gulfshore Opera (FL), Vivaldi’s Gloria with The Berkshire Bach Society (MA), and The Stamford Symphony (CT), Bach’s Magnificat with Voices of Ascension, (NYC), and Berlioz’s Les Nuits d’Été with the Bard College Orchestra. Other notable performances have included the role of Mrs. Lovett in Sweeney Todd with Opera Roanoke, Orlofsky in Die Fledermaus with Asheville Lyric Opera, Verdi’s Requiem with the New Jersey Choral Society, Mozart’s Requiem with the Tulsa Symphony, the Stamford Symphony, and Voices of Ascension (NYC), Brahms’s Alto Rhapsody at the Bard Music Festival, and a return to the Gateway Chamber Orchestra (TN) for Berio’s Folk Songs.

Some of her past performances include the role of Mercedes in Carmen with Roanoke Opera, and soloist performances in Beethoven’s 9th Symphony with the Symphony of Northwest Arkansas. C.P.E Bach’s Magnificat and Haydn’s Paukenmesse with The Fairfield Chorale, Michael Tippett’s A Child of our Time with the Rhode Island Civic Chorale and Orchestra, Mozart’s Requiem with Manhattan Concert Productions at Alice Tully Hall in New York City and the OK Mozart Festival in Barltesville, OK, and return to the Bard Music Festival to perform Chausson’s Chanson perpétuelle with piano quintet, which the New York Times hailed as “beautifully sung by mezzo-soprano Teresa Buchholz”. She also performed the mezzo solos in Bloch’s Sacred Service in a series of concerts in the summer of 2012 with the Collegiate Chorale and the Israel Philharmonic with Zubin Mehta conducting in Tel Aviv, Israel and Salzburg, Vienna. The previous year she made her Carnegie Hall debut with Mid-America Productions as mezzo soloist for Durufle’s Requiem.

After a successful solo debut with The Bard Music Festival in 2008, Teresa returned to the festival in August 2009 for a performance of Hans Eisler’s Tagebuch cantata. Other performances for the 2009-2010 season included solo engagements with The Duke Symphony (Dorabella in Cosí fan tutte), The Berkshire Bach Society (Bach’s Christmas Oratorio), and The East Texas Symphony (Handel’s Messiah) and a role with Teatro Grattacielo at Lincoln Center’s Rose Theatre (Serena in Wolf-Ferrari’s I Gioielli della Madonna).

Other appearances include a performance of Brahms duets (op. 20 and 61) and a Rhinemaiden in a concert of Wagner opera excerpts with the Bard Music Festival, the second soprano solos in Mozart’s Mass in C Minor with the AmorArtis orchestra in Norwalk, CT, as well as solo recitals at Messiah College in Pennsylvania and St. Bartholomew’s Church in NYC. Summer ‘08 marked her debut with Summer Opera Theatre in Washington DC as Carmen, where The Washington Times hailed her as “an outstanding Carmen, singing accurately and expressively while charging her character with smoldering sexuality.” Following that, her performance of Prokofiev arias for the Bard Music Festival was noted in the festival’s overall review in the New York Times. In 2008 she also debuted with Asheville Lyric Opera and The Opera Company of North Carolina as Alisa in a shared production of Lucia di Lammermoor. In April ’08 she returned to The Duke Symphony Orchestra for the role of Hansel in Hansel and Gretel, where her Cherubino in La Nozze di Figaro was greeted with enthusiastic acclaim in ’06, and following that in May of ‘08 she returned to the Berkshire Bach society for the role of Orfeo in a semi-staged performance of Gluck’s Orfeo ed Euridice.

As an experienced oratorio soloist, Teresa has had past appearances with the Fordham University Choir for Mozart’s Requiem, and with the New Jersey Philomusica as Alto Soloist in Michael Haydn’s Requiem and Mozart’s Dominican Vespers. She has also been heard with the Bard College Symphonic Chorus as Maria in Respighi’s Laud to the Nativity and at Lincoln Center with the American Symphony Orchestra in Franz Schreker’s opera Der ferne Klang and Schumann’s oratorio Das Paradies und die Peri. She has appeared frequently with the Berkshire Bach society, where her appearances have included Handel’s Israel in Egypt, Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater, and J. S. Bach’s Magnificat, Cantata BWV 72 (“Ich habe genug”). Other notable performances have included Mozart’s C minor Mass and J. S. Bach’s Mass in b minor, both with the Chorus and Orchestra of St. Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church of New York City, and Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater with the New York Collegiate Chorale. In making her Lincoln Center debut, Teresa was featured with the American Symphony Orchestra and Maestro Leon Botstein in a one-act opera by Paul Hindemith entitled Das Nusch-Nuschi.

A graduate of the Yale University Opera Program, Indiana University, and the University of Northern Iowa, Teresa has been delighted to have spent several summers as a young artist with the Santa Fe Opera, the Opera Theatre of St. Louis, and the Natchez Opera.

Ben Caron is a Los Angeles-based songwriter, New Age Pop artist and community organizer, who over the past five years has performed at LA’s favorite venues and whose international following enthusiastically helped him to record his debut and sophomore albums completely community-funded (by over 500 donors.)

An Iowa native, Ben attributes his eclectic musical style to his diverse life experiences, blending elements of pop, New Age, soul, folk, and gospel. Having grown up listening to all genres of music, and being greatly inspired by iconic pop, country and folk storytellers such as James Taylor, Elton John, and Garth Brooks, Ben learned popular songwriting through aural osmosis. Then at the age of 15, he picked up a guitar and taught himself to play by writing original music based on his life experiences. Needing to expand his horizons, at 18 years old Ben left Iowa to train classically in voice and acting at CSU, Los Angeles where he learned not only the essentials of good vocal technique but also the crucial necessity for authentic connection and a true inspiration in performance.

Ben began his career as a recording artist shortly after college, releasing his self-titled debut album in 2013. In 2014, he formed the singer-songwriter’s collective “The Sovereign Sons & Daughters” with whom he toured for 3 months, and in the Summer of 2014, Ben embarked on a crowd-funded solo tour of the UK. His recent acoustic EP, “CLIMB” debuted in January 2015 and for the rest of 2015 Ben lead The Joy Machine, a collective of local instrumentalists and vocalists whose mission was to spread joy, love, and connection through the power of live music. In 2016, with the help of The Joy Machine, Ben recorded and released the community-funded “King Benjamin’s Royal Heart,” a New Age-Pop concept album whose positive messaging has inspired countless listeners.

Ben currently performs both as a singer-songwriter and as a workshop leader, certified through the Yoga Alliance. His two ongoing series are “Ben Caron’s Royal Heart Tribe Experience,” a fun work/playshop that includes slow-flow yoga, beginner’s meditation, participatory music and guided movement, and “Ben Caron’s The Joy Machine,” a live concert event featuring inspiring originals, electric covers and incredible talent.

Steve Pence

Steve Pence is a frequent soloist with the Los Angeles Master Chorale, having recently appeared with them in Bach’s Magnificat, St. John Passion, St. Matthew Passion, and Handel’s Messiah. He has also performed solos in Bach’s B-Minor Mass with the Los Angeles Chamber Choir, in Elijahwith the Lark Society, and in Brahms’ Requiem with the Orange County Choral Society. Steve has performed several opera roles, including Alonzo in Hoiby’s The Tempest with USC Thornton Opera and Figaro in Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro with Pacific Repertory Opera. He lives in Long Beach with his wife and son.

Tenor Jason Francisco sings professionally with Los Angeles Opera and San Diego Opera. He has also soloed with Pacific Chorale, the John Alexander Singers, Pacific Symphony and the Corona Del Mar Baroque Orchestra.

Jason has appeared and/or toured with the Los Angeles Philharmonic under Gustavo Dudamel, the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra under John Mauceri and John Williams, the Boston Pops Orchestra under Keith Lockhart, Musica Angelica under Martin Haselbock, the Munich Symphony under Ludwig Wicki, and Andrea Bocelli. Jason is also featured as vocal soloist in Roger Bellon’s soundtrack of the film 186 Dollars to Freedom.

Hear more from Michael here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbixJ9Dc4GiJK_OsKYV6iXg

American Idol Michael Lynche is a new breed of soul singer with completely classic influences. Traces of Donny Hathaway, Al Green, Luther Vandross, Sam Cooke and James Brown all seem to flash in this uniquely talented performer. Undeniable charisma, well-crafted song arrangements and a voice soaked in soul give the big man class all his own. “Big Mike”—as he was known while winning over the hearts of a nation during his stint on American Idol—has talent so versatile, he’s played intimate jazz & blues clubs, 20,000 seat arenas and opera halls with 100 piece orchestras backing him. Through it all “Big Mike” has always had one singular goal: to spread a message of love wherever he goes.

A New York City resident for the last 15+ years, this Florida native rose from obscurity as a finalist on season 9 of the hit phenomenon, American Idol. After wowing millions of fans on American Idol with his comforting and powerful voice and performing throughout the United States as part of the American Idol LIVE! Tour, Big Mike has released 2 studio albums, toured as an opening act for Boyz II Men, Lalah Hathaway, Faith Evans, and Lyfe Jennings and toured the world with his honest storytelling brand of soul music.

Since 2012, Big Mike has been a frequent featured guest vocalist with Maestro Jeff Tyzik and his hit show — “Let’s Dance!”. With the perfect repertoire to showcase his dynamic song range, “Let’s Dance!” has been performed with orchestras all over the US and Canada, including the Dallas Symphony, Utah Symphony, Calgary Philharmonic, Toronto Symphony, Detroit Symphony Orchestra and many many more.

Tyzik has been an incredible mentor for Michael over the years, recognizing a passion and drive in the big man that has made his own career successful. The two have spent the last years collaborating on new, sensational soul inspired Pops concerts including “R&B Legends”, “Kings of Soul” and “Dancing in the Street – The Music of Motown”.

“Big Mike” brings an inspirational story and a searing, soulful, one-of-a-kind voice. He leaves you breathless and wanting more when the night is over. This extraordinary vocal talent seamlessly fuses classic R&B, thoroughly modern urban grooves, and swoon-worthy vintage soul into a fresh, unique sound. Big, yes—and beautiful, too; Michael Lynche makes music that’s unforgettable.

Rebecca Covington Webber was most recently seen in the Broadway production of Beautiful: The Carole King Musical where she played the role of Janelle Woods. She was also seen on Broadway in Motown the Musical where she portrayed Gwen Gordy, Cindy Birdsong of The Supremes, Gladys Horton of The Marvalettes and many others! Rebecca was also a part of the International and National tours of: Beautiful the Carole King Musical; Mamma Mia; Ain’t Misbehavin; Motown the Musical as well as Thorougly Modern Millie.

As a proud member of Actor’s Equity Association, she has also played some of her favorite roles in regional theaters across the U.S. including Nehebka in AIDA, Ronette in Little Shop of Horrors, Brenda in Smokey Joe’s Café and Charlayne in Ain’t Misbehavin. Originally from Lexington, Kentucky, Rebecca holds a Bachelor of Music from Belmont University in Tennessee and she now lives with her French Bulldog, Ella Frenchgerald and her husband, Donald Webber, Jr.!

Emily Drennan was most recently seen in the New York Spectacular starring The Rockettes this past summer at Radio City Music Hall after playing Tanya in Mamma Mia! in the Caribbean and Europe. She was also recently seen as a guest soloist at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, the John F. Kennedy Center and as Mezzo in Voca People Off-Broadway and its Dubai, Israel and Japan tours. With Voca People, she was also seen on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, The MDA Telethon and as a special guest with Sting. She has also been a guest on NBC’s Celebrity Apprentice singing along side Cyndi Lauper. Emily has been the guest soloist with numerous symphonies including: Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra (u/s both Ann & Liz Callaway); Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra with Sandi Patty; OKC Philharmonic; Winston-Salem Symphony; Hendersonville Symphony; Tulsa Signature Symphony; Colorado Springs Philharmonic and Muncie Symphony.

In New York, she has been seen on Broadway and Off-Broadway in the 75th Radio City Christmas Spectacular for which she was a soloist and also featured in the NBC and PBS Specials and Anniversary DVD; Toxic Audio which won The Drama Desk Award for Unique Theatrical Experience and Hunka Hunka Burnin’ Love. She was also in the Las Vegas company of Toxic Audio at Planet Hollywood and The Luxor Resort and Casino. Some of her favorite roles include: the Narrator in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat; Ann in Swing!; Amneris in AIDA; Sheila in Hair; Pattie in Smokey Joe’s Café; and Lily in Frog Kiss.

Originally from Oklahoma, Emily was a National Presidential Scholar in the Arts saluted at the White House and was a guest soloist at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Emily is a published ASCAP lyricist, composer, studio singer and recording artist for TV, Film and distribution with 2 Degrees (Economics, Spanish) and 4 minors (Finance, Marketing, International Business and Latin American Studies), summa cum laude, from Oklahoma State University. While there, she was named the Outstanding Senior in Business, Outstanding Senior in Economics and Outstanding Overall Senior and was recently named an OSU Hall of Fame Outstanding Young Alumni. Additionally, she is a music producer for various albums, projects and symphony shows and she can be heard on many TV toy commercials and her double-disc debut album, Two-Way Street, as well as her Mother/Daughter album, A Mother Daughter Christmas, which are both available on iTunes and on her official website.

There’s no need to sugar coat it since her impressive credits speak for themselves. Her colleagues praise her ability, her dedication and drive to perfecting her craft as a professional singer and knockout performer. With a voice that the London Jazz News says “unleashes enough voltage to light up the West End”, Shayna Steele has made her mark as an in-demand vocalist in the studio and on the stage.

At the age of 15, Broadway (Rent, Jesus Christ Superstar, Hairspray) and international vocalist Shayna Steele’s appearance on Ed McMahon’s Star Search was her first experience performing in front of a nationally televised audience. After losing by a 1/2 star, Shayna returned to her hometown of Biloxi, Mississippi to finish high school and pursue a music degree before exposing herself to the cutthroat “reality” of the business. “I was embarrassed and defeated. I wanted nothing more than to go home and crawl in a hole.”

A completely unexpected call in 2005 would drop her squarely in the middle of a genre she had absolutely no experience with: Electronica. Hearing that Moby “needed a screamer” for a track off his new album Hotel, a mutual friend recommended Steele, resulting in the disc’s second single “Raining Again”. Two years later, she was back, laying down vocals for “Extreme Ways (2007)” – Moby’s theme song to The Bourne Ultimatum, The Bourne Legacy and Jason Bourne – and in early 2008, “Disco Lies“, the first single off of Moby’s 2008 release Last Night. The song reached #1 on the US Billboard Dance charts and went on to be featured in J.J. Abram’s summer blockbuster Cloverfield and the movie The Backup Plan starring Jennifer Lopez. Her voice has remained highly in demand with vocals on Hairspray (movie soundtrack), Sex and the City 2, NBC’s Smash, 2008 Summer Olympic highlights on BBC and the 2021 release of  In the Heights (Motion Picture Soundtrack). Shayna has made television guest appearances on  HBO’s The Sopranos and she reprised her Broadway role with the “Dynamites” in NBC’s Hairspray Live.

After spending 8 years as a Broadway ensemble member in shows such as Rent and Hairspray and 6 years in the background supporting artists like Bette Midler, Rihanna, and Kelly Clarkson, Shayna stepped out on her own with the release of her 3rd studio album Watch Me Fly following the huge success of her album Rise (Ropeadope Records) in 2015 which reached #3 on the U.S. iTunes jazz charts. Her self-penned song “Gone Under” from that same album was personally selected by Michael League of Snarky Puppy to be arranged for their Family Dinner, Volume 1(Ropeadope Records). The song and Shayna’s performance was the first single to be released on the Grammy Award-winning band’s album, which has now reached over 1.8 million views on YouTube to date.

Shayna has appeared as a soloist and guest artist with over 40 symphony orchestras throughout North America. Her most recent solo concert Nothin’ But the Blues, written and conducted by Maestro Jeff Tyzik, is one of many highlights in her symphonic solo career. A Portland Press review of Shayna’s performance with the Portland Symphony Orchestra (Portland, ME) said her “…blues program ranked among the PSO’s best.” – Steve Feeney (May 24, 2021)

Shayna recently returned to school 25 years later to finish what she started. She is currently working on her Bachelor’s degree in Interdisciplinary Music Studies at Berklee College of Music where she is currently on the Dean’s List.  She continues to tour all over the world with her band playing her original music, is a regular guest artist with Grammy-award winning trumpeter Chris Botti and is recording her 3rd studio album, set for release in Spring of 2022.

David Burnham is now on the West Coast filming a new reality television show between his concert performances throughout North America. Your audience will remember David who played Fiyero in the Broadway production of Wicked for three years, and created the role in the original Los Angeles workshop and productions.

David was a member of the original Broadway cast of the 6-time Tony Award winning musical The Light in the Piazza, performing on both the Tony Awards on CBS and was featured on the PBS telecast Live From Lincoln Center.

David tours with five thrilling theatrical concert events including Mostly Broadway, Broadway Love Songs, Holiday shows and more! On film, David was the voice of the Prince in the Warner Bros. animated feature The King & I, and can also be heard as “Willy” in Disney’s Home On The Range. Recordings include the soundtracks to Ghepetto, The King & I, and Home on the Range. Also, the recordings Strouse, Schwartz, & Schwartz and Lerner, Loewe, and Lane. His voice was also recently featured on South Park.

David was the 2007 recipient of the prestigious “Helen Hayes Award” for best actor as well as the 2007 best actor “Garland Award” for his portrayal of Fabrizio Nacarelli in the national tour of The Light In The Piazza.

David first gained critical acclaim when, after a two-year search, he was chosen to replace Donny Osmond in the national tour of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (Dramalogue Award) a role which he has subsequently played four more times in productions all over the country.

At Boston’s North Shore Music Theatre, he created the role of Tom in the new musical Tom Jones as well as the role of Billy (opposite Maureen McGovern) in the new musical Letters from ‘Nam, a role which he reprised at The Kennedy Center and Seattle’s Village Theatre. In Chicago, he originated the role of Charlie in the world premiere of Peggy Sue Got Married, after touring the country as Peter in the national tour of Jesus Christ Superstar (opposite Ted Neeley).

Other stage productions include the Los Angeles premiere of The Road Theatre production of The Woman In Black (the Actor) directed by Ken Sawyer, Assassins (John Hinckley) at Reprise – with members of the original Broadway cast, Children of Eden (Caine – Robby Award) at Musical Theatre West, Godspell (Jesus) at the St. Louis MUNY, and Pirates of Penzance (Fredrick) at The Sacramento Music Circus.