Alumni News | May 2022

Join us in congratulating our accomplished alums, who’ve shared with us news of their recent successes.

Cellist Dmitri Atapine ’05MMA ’06AD ’10DMA and pianist Hye-Yeon Park ’05MM ’06AD were named artistic directors of the Friends of Chamber Music Kansas City. Atapine and Park were selected though a national search to become the second artistic directors in the organization's 46-year history.

Maggie Burk ’19MM was appointed Director of Choral Activities at Carthage College in Kenosha, Wis., where she will oversee a thriving choral program, conduct the school’s flagship Carthage Choir, oversee the Lakeside Choral Festival, and serve as Artistic Director for the school’s annual Christmas Festival. Burk earned her doctor of musical arts degree from the University of Michigan in April.

Vocalist Michael Chioldi ’94MM was featured in the title role on Odyssey Opera’s debut recording of Saint-Saëns Henry VIII. The recording includes rediscovered music that has been omitted for more than a century.

Mélanie Clapiès’14MM ’15AD will join the faculty at Butler University in August as Assistant Professor of Violin.

Emily Cedriana Donato ’19MM was featured as the soprano soloist with Voices of Ascension in a performance, in New York City in April, of J.S. Bach’s B-minor Mass.

Violinist Gerald Elias ’75MM released a two-CD recording of Pietro Castrucci’s 12 Sonatas, Op. 1.The historically informed, first complete recording of the sonatas reached the No. 1 spot among new chamber music releases on Amazon and is available for streaming on and download from major listening platforms.

Pianist David Fung ’11MM ’13MMA ’17DMA joined the piano faculty at the University of British Columbia and was appointed curator of the Spirio Piano Series at the Chan Centre for the Performing Arts in Vancouver. He also joined the roster of Arabella Arts. Fung continues to work with leading orchestras and presenters around the world, most recently as soloist with the orchestras in Cleveland, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Detroit, and the Orchestra of Saint Luke's.

The latest jazz release from Jeff Fuller ’69MM & Friends is Keep Hope Alive, a collection of tunes developed during the pandemic. A portion of the proceeds from sales of the CD will go to Ukrainian war relief efforts.

Robert Hart 74MM’s oratorio Contemplating Fire: Joan of Arc will premiere in October at the Central Auditorium in Midland, Mich. The story touches on timeless themes—love and betrayal, power and its denial—as Joan, alone in her prison cell, reflects on the visions, victories, and conflicts that have her facing death.

Soprano Leah Hawkins ’15MM received a $10,000 Richard Tucker Career Grant from the Richard Tucker Music Foundation. Other career grant winners were countertenor Aryeh Nussbaum Cohen and baritone Sean Michael Plumb.

Simon Karakulidi ’21MM ’22MMA won second prize in the solo category and third prize in the concerto category at the 23rd Waring International Piano Competition in Palm Desert, Calif.

Pianist Henry Kramer ’13AD ’19DMA joined the faculty at the University of Montreal.

In May, trombonist Brittany Lasch ’12MM performed the world premiere of fellow YSM alum Reena Esmail ’11MM ’14MMA ’18DMA's Sonata for Trombone and Piano with pianist Thomas Weaver. Lasch and Esmail reconnected as S&R Foundation Award winners in 2019, after which Lasch commissioned the work.

In April, violinist Daniel Lee ’04MM ’06AD performed as a guest director and soloist with the Washington Bach Consort in a program of concertos by J.S. Bach and G.P. Telemann. He is also the new concertmaster of the resident baroque orchestra at the Washington National Cathedral.

In February, Scott Leger ’18MM won the Assistant Principal/Third Horn position with the Louisville Orchestra.

Violinist Gregory Lewis ’19MM ’27DMA was awarded the $6,000 second prize at the WMC McLellan Competition in Winnipeg, Canada. After a recorded preliminary round and live semifinal recital round, Lewis performed Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra in the final round in April.

Kramer Milan ’16MM ’17MMA was appointed Assistant Professor in Percussion and Music Technology at Boise State University.

Mezzo-soprano Martina Myskohlid ’21MM finished her first year as an artist-in-residence at the Atelier Lyrique de l’Opéra de Montréal. Season highlights included singing with the Orchestre Métropolitain, Orchestre Symphonique de Laval, and Orchestre de l’Agora in a variety of repertoire across stages and venues in Québec. Honoring her heritage, she appeared in two benefit concerts for Ukraine. In May, Myskohlid covered the role of the Second Lady at the Opéra de Montréal in Barrie Kosky’s production of Die Zauberflöte.

Vocalist Molly Netter ’14MM collaborated with composers on three significant works in March 2022. She performed Steel Hammer by YSM alum Julia Wolfe ’86MM with the Bang on a Can All-Stars as part of the composer’s yearlong residency at Carnegie Hall, gave the world premiere of Illuminate by incoming YSM faculty composer Katherine Balch ’16MM with the California Symphony, and made her solo debut with the New York Philharmonic singing YSM faculty composer David Lang ’83MMA ’89DMA’s prayers for night and sleep.

Sun-A Park ’16AD ’17MMA was appointed Assistant Professor of Piano at the University of Central Florida in Orlando.

Soprano Nola Richardson ’20DMA’s recent performance highlights include appearing as the soprano soloist in J.S. Bach’s St. Matthew Passion with the Portland Symphony Orchestra, Haydn’sThe Creation with the Akron Symphony Orchestra, Orff’s Carmina Burana with the Master Chorale of South Florida, and Handel’s Messiah with the Kansas City Symphony and the American Bach Soloists. She is also featured on a new recording of J.S. Bach’s St. John Passion with the Cantata Collective and conductor Nicholas McGegan.

Ronaldo Rolim ’20DMA was appointed Professor of Piano at the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, Wash.

Alexa Stier ’21MM ’27DMA won the Maurice Ohana Prize at the International Piano Competition of Orléans.

Elizabeth De Trejo ’01MM, founder and executive director of the International School of Voice, received an award in 2021 for excellence in teaching at the Curtis Institute, where she is a member of the voice faculty.

Dr. Carol Williams ’97AD was appointed Organist and Artist in Residence at Peachtree Christian Church in Atlanta. Dr. Williams will appear as a featured artist at the National American Guild of Organists’ convention in July.

Donna Yoo ’09MM was appointment Dean of Artistic Administration and Operations at the Cleveland Institute of Music. Yoo previously served as Director of Admissions at YSM.

Submit your news by July 1 to be included in our next update.