Faculty

Sharon North Jones - President & Executive Director, Voice

M.M.(Voice and Opera Performance), Northwestern University B.M.E., University of Nebraska at Omaha

President and Executive Director, SNJ Studio of Music and co-founder and Executive Director, Performer's Edge Academy of Performing Arts. President, Diva Productions, Chicago, IL. Performances with the Alabama Symphony, Opera di Cornetto, Chicago Composers Consortium, Opera Omaha, Circle Theater, Firehouse Theater, Omaha Community Playhouse, Opera Ensemble of Chicago, Voices of Omaha, The Steinway Society. Concert appearances throughout the United States. Adjudicator for University of Nebraska at Omaha Scholarship Competition, All-State Choir, Singsation Show Choir Festival; adjudicator and Director of Contests, Society of American Musicians. Clinician: vocal master classes, audition prep clinics, opera and music theater scenes workshops, children's theater productions.

Joel Johnston - Director of Ensembles, Voice

M.M., University of Nebraska at Lincoln B.M.E., University of Nebraska at Lincoln

Co-founder and Artistic Director, Performer's Edge Academy of Performing Arts; Director of Ensembles, SNJ Studio of Music; Artistic Director, Show Choir Omaha!; Conductor, Southeast Iowa Men's Chorus. Chair of Choral Affairs, Nebraska Music Educators Association; Past President, Nebraska Choral Directors Association; Facilities Chairperson for the 2006 Regional American Choral Directors Convention.

Free-lance conductor, presenter, choreographer and adjudicator, with 21 years of experience in music education.NMEA Outstanding Music Educator of the Year, 2003.Has conducted more than 40 choral clinics and festivals in the Midwest including Omaha Community Playhouse, Butler Show Choir Showcase.

Donovan Johnson - Assistant Director, Piano

A.A., Waldorf College

Additional studies, University of Nebraska at Omaha. Nebraska State Certified Teacher of Piano, MTNA, NMTA, NFMC, OMTA. Co-founder, Prairie Desert Music Co., Omaha. Author, Adult Piano Method In

The New Age Style. Composed and recorded three albums: Pieces of Life, Midwestern Landscapes,

Gallery. Performances include concert tour for UUSC tsunami relief effort, appearances on NBC

television, performance with national recording artist, Lalomi Washburn. Upcoming concert tour of

London.

Erinn Machacek - Voice

M.M., University of Nebraska at Linclon B.M.E., Doane College

Additional studies, Dorian Opera apprentice program. Director of Vocal Music, Bryan High School, Omaha.Director of Vocal Activities, Lutheran Church of the Master. Member of Omaha Chamber Singers under the direction of David Batter. Featured vocalist for the Lou Arnold Orchestra.

Carrie Boomgaarden

B.M.E., University of Kansas M.M. Candidate, University of Kansas

Taught conducting and rehearsal techniques at the University of Kansas. Director of Vocal Music at Beadle Middle School since 2005. Specializes in the adolescent changing voice and anatomy and physiology of the voice.

Michelle Baldwin

M.M., University of Nebraska at Omaha B.M.E., Nebraska Weslyan University

Veteran music educator with Master of Music Degree in Music Education. Over twenty years of teaching experience. Former Vocal Music Director, Conestoga Public Schools, private voice teacher 1989 to present.

Andres Silva - Piano

B.M., University of Nebraska at Omaha

Concert pianist with degree in piano performance. Spanish language liaison for Omaha Public School and director of the Dual Language Choir at Beverage Middle School.

Katie Silva - Piano

B.M., University of Nebraska at Omaha

Earned dual degree in music composition and Spanish language. Professional pianist and accompanist in Omaha area. Teaches for OPS in the Dual Language Program at Crestridge Magnet Center.

Darren Mill - Guitar

Certification: Guitar Institute of Technology

Music educator for over fifteen years. Active performer and recording engineer in Omaha area.

Member of the band Manna.

Katie Erikson - Voice

B.M., University of Nebraska at Lincoln

Elizabeth Cartwright - Voice

M.A., Univeristy of Nebraska at Lincoln B.A., Mercyhurst College, Erie, PA

M.A. candidate, University of Nebraska at Lincoln. Active soloist in opera, jazz, and country music. Roles include: Mrs. Peterson in Bye, Bye Birdie and 2nd Lady in Mozart's The Magic Flute. Performances for Omaha Beef and the Lancers. Featured vocalist with Pink Kadilac.

Doran Schmidt - Voice/Piano

B.F.A.(Music Theater), Missouri State University

Doran has performed professionally with Tent Theatre, Springfield Regional Opera, and Swan Repertory Company, and at various other locations, including Missouri State University. She studied voice with Paula Patterson at MSU from 2005-2009 with an emphasis in musical theatre repertoire, but was also trained technically and classically. Since graduating, she has been performing in Cathy Rigby’s Peter Pan as Wendy Darling at the Mansion Theatre in Branson, MO. She also teaches musical theatre at the Omaha School of Music and is the pianist for Dietz United Methodist. A classically trained pianist since the age of four, she has accompanied dance, voice, and choral music at MSU and Central Middle School, and taught private piano lessons for three years. She was the musical director for the Performing Arts Institute at Missouri State University, and choreographed for the MSU Opera workshop as well as Central Middle School’s swing choir for three years.

Marilyn Ingram - Voice

B.A., California State University

Graduate of California State University with a Bachelor of Arts in Music (voice.)

California State University, Northridge, CA, Secondary Teaching Credential (Music, English)

(Lifetime Teaching Credential – K-12 - in Music),Outstanding Student Teacher of the Year.

Church choir director and worship leader (California); Show Choir coach and adjudicator (Nebraska.)

Performances include: Chalice, Joey Hamby Trio, Cantare Chamber Ensemble, Clarion Chamber Chorale.

Recordings: Chalice on Maranatha label, Studio back-up singer for Christian artists.

Ryan Rhodes - Voice

B.A. (Music Theater), University of Central Oklahoma

Ryan is an Equity actor and accomplished singer and choreographer with a BA in Music Theater from the University of Central Oklahoma. His performance credits include shows at Busch Gardens, Premier Cruise Lines and almost a decade as a performer and the director of Walt Disney World's Voices of Liberty.

Britania Redington - Voice

M.M., Univerity of Nebraska at Lincoln B.M., University of Nebraska at Omaha

Britania received her MM in Voice Performance form UNL. She is an accomplished soprano who's opera roles include Susanna in Le Nozze di Figaro, Despina in Cosi fan tutte and Suor Angelica in Suor Angelica, Poppea in L'Incoronazione di Poppea, among many others as well as numerous music theater roles and solo engagements.

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