PROGRAM DIRECTOR
The New Voice Festival

Leading International soprano Andrea DelGiudice has enjoyed a critically acclaimed career in Europe and the United States. Venues include the Scottish National Opera, Munich State Opera, Liege Opera, Opera Bonn, Edmonton Opera, Austin Lyric Opera, DiCapo Opera Theater and Arizona Opera. Her verismo roles include the Puccini and Verdi heroines alongside renowned artists such as Placido Domingo, Johan Botha, Sherill Milnes, Alexei Steblianko, and Nicola Martinucci.

The New Voice Composers In Residence Studio Director, Conductor, Vocal Coach

Jake Landau is a composer, music director, and pianist from New York. His music has been performed by the New York Philharmonic, Houston Grand Opera, and headlining stars of Broadway shows such as Phantom of the Opera (Jay Armstrong Johnson), Frozen (Ciara Renée), and Wicked (Sam Gravitte). Jake earned his Bachelor of Music degree under John Corigliano at The Juilliard School and his Master of Studies from Oxford University, and he currently holds teaching positions at both institutions.

Musical Theater Program Director,
Vocal Faculty

Ms. Detwiler has sung over thirty roles with regional companies on the West Coast, favoring Mahler, Strauss, Bel Canto and French repertoire. Critics have described her instrument as "amber-voiced", "a velvety mezzo soprano voice with excellent range", with performances being cited as "riveting" and holding "center stage commandingly."

Italian Language, Acting, Director

Yuri Napoli is a director, actor, and producer. He is a founding member and part of the board of the "Performing Artists From Zeffirelli Foundation" group. Additionally, he is the founder and artistic director of "IDS - Imprenditori di Sogni," which stands among the most active and important cultural organizations in Italy. His works have been staged in Italy, Spain, Germany, France, and Russia. He collaborates with the most significant international cultural institutions such as the Ministry of Culture of Italy, the United Nations, and, under the High Patronage of the European Parliament, serves as the artistic director of "Natale di Roma", recognized among the top ten spring events worldwide (as mentioned by the BBC). He is the founder, director, and head of the teaching staff at the Italian Drama School, one of the most prestigious acting schools in Rome.

Musical Theater Program Co-Director, Vocal Faculty

Devony Smith, mezzo soprano, hails from Watsonville, California and is currently based in Vienna, Austria. She will debut this season with Opera Modesto and Boheme Jersey Opera, and has appeared with the Brooklyn Art Song Society, Colburn Symphony Orchestra,New Orchestra of Washington, Midatlantic Opera Company, and Utopia Opera. She made her Lincoln Center solo recital debut as the Grand Prize Winner of the MIMF Art Song Competition; she participated in the prestigious Song Continues workshop at Carnegie Hall. Devony is a voice teacher at The Neighborhood Playhouse School.

Agent, Manager, and Consultant

Peter Randsman is the Founder and President of Randsman Artists Management INC. Peter’s stage credits include duetting the song “Liza Liza” with film legend Ruby Keeler on Broadway and a national tour of Kismet with Metropolitan Opera star John Reardon. Mr. Randsman sang with the New York City Opera for four seasons at the New York State Theater in Lincoln Center, and performed in LIVE FROM LINCOLN CENTER in the PBS telecast of Mefistofele with Samuel Ramey, conducted by Julius Rudel. Artistic Director positions included National Grand Opera at the Tilles Center at C.W. Post in Long Island, and currently with the New York Opera Collaborative. After nearly fifteen years as a professional singer/actor, Peter is now responsible for the careers of 50 internationally active opera singers through Randsman Artists Mangagement. Additionally, Mr. Randsman has taught master classes with over 20 major opera companies in the U.S. and all over the world; he also offers private role, aria, and audition preparation to artists.

Vocal Faculty

With nearly sixty roles to his credit, Jason Detwiler has become well-known for his magnetic and energizing stage performances. His voice and acting have been described as “emotionally fervid”, “richly expressive”, and “commanding”, garnering acclaim as Eugene Onegin, Conte di Luna (Il trovatore), Zurga (Les pêcheurs de perles), and John Proctor (The Crucible) among others. Last season saw the baritone take on Counts Almaviva and di Luna, Owen Hart, Germont, Scarpia, Lescaut, and the world premiere of Aeneas (in Jake Landau’s & Aeterna) in Idaho, New York, New Jersey, and Italy. This year marks his role and company debuts as Edgar (Tell Tale Heart)/Kinsman (Annabel) with Opera Modesto and Eisenstein (Die Fledermaus) with Mississippi Opera. The baritone has performed nationally and abroad with San Diego Opera, Virginia Opera, Wichita Grand Opera, Opéra Théâtre d’Avignon, Teatro Comunale di Narni, Opera Santa Barbara, Opera Parallèle, Syracuse Opera, Sacramento Opera, Opera San Jose, Opera Idaho, Shreveport Opera, Vallejo Symphony Orchestra, and the Boise Philharmonic, among others.

Conductor

Rider R. Foster studied vocal performance and conducting at Westminster Choir College, and has performed with myriad prominent conductors, choirs, and orchestras. As both a conductor and a soloist, his professional engagements have included all manner of civic ensembles, professional recordings, various opera companies including New York City Opera, and a multitude of sacred music ensembles in the New York Metropolitan area. He is the founding director and conductor of Clarum Sonum, a musical arts organization which includes an entirely volunteer choir dedicated to the performance of new music and collaboratively enriching local music programs both sacred and secular. He serves as a music director and conductor throughout the tri-state area, including as a conductor-in-residence at Off-Brand Opera and Madison Public Theatre. He is the chorusmaster of Light Opera of New Jersey and Teatro Lirico D'Europa. He is also a choral scholar at Christ Church in Ridgewood under the direction of William Trafka.

Pianist, Vocal Coach

Hailed as a pianist "in the league of Carnegie Hall," a "rising star" whose playing is "lush, sensual and colorful: like a painting" (Sulzbach-Rosenberger, Germany), a “powerhouse” (Victor Forman, CPR), and one who possesses an "extraordinary skill" (D. Frantztreb, SCC), Jennifer Reason is a vibrant and versatile performer in consistent demand. After giving her first solo recital at the tender age of five, solo/ensemble performance credits now cover 14 countries and 15 states, including ten European festivals, two appearances at Carnegie Hall, and an international conducting debut at St Peter’s Basilica, Vatican City. She is proud to be a recipient of the Sacramento Business Journal's Top 40 Under 40 award. (2016) 

Collaboratively, she works as both Music Director of the modern opera collective Rogue Music Project, as founding pianist of new music ensemble Citywater and as a pit musician for both Broadway Sacramento and Broadway SF. She is honored to have shared the stage with notable personalities such as Josh Groban, Wayne Brady, Dr. Cornell West, Governor Jerry Brown, Billy Bob Thornton, and members of Journey, Tower of Power, Santana, Sly and the Family Stone. 

Pianist, Vocal Coach

Chad Spears, a native of Boise, ID, has performed across the US, with additional appearances in Canada and Mexico. A  winner of numerous young artist competitions, he made his orchestral debut at the age of eighteen playing Edvard Grieg's Piano Concerto in A Minor with the Treasure Valley Youth Symphony. Since then he has been featured with the Washington-Idaho Symphony and the Coeur d'Alene Symphony as the soloist for Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No. 3, with the Spokane Symphony for Ravel's Piano Concerto in G Major and with the University of Idaho Orchestra performing Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2. Chad earned his Doctor of Music Degree in Piano Performance at Florida State University under the tutelage of Dr. Read Gainsford.

The New Voice Composers In Residence Studio Cellist

Born and raised in Glens Falls, New York, they began studying cello at the age of eight, and at the age thirteen began studying with Ann Alton at Skidmore College. They studied Early Music Performance and Musicology at McGill University in Montreal, where they studied modern cello with Elizabeth Dolin and baroque cello with Susie Napper. In 2011, Anthime relocated to New York City to study in the Professional Musical Theater Workshop at Circle in the Square Theater School. Anthime is an internationally sought-after performer and composer and maintains a rigorous international creative presence. Anthime is the composer-in-residence for Circle Theater of New York (CTNY) for whom they scored and performed The Mountain in June 2014, which was nominated for Best Original Music at the 2015 New York Innovative Theater Awards and won for Best Original Choreography, Trail of Crumbs in April 2015, Wellspring for the RADA festival in London in June 2016 and their newest score Strangers, the second co-production between CTNY and the Théâtre National du Luxembourg (TNL) in January of 2018. Anthime has also scored and collaborated on TNL’s productions of Codename Aschan in 2017 and L’Ecume des Jours in March 2018.  Other theater credits include Welcome to The Moon (NYC 2012), The UglyOne (NYC 2015), The Comedy of Errors (Sun Valley 2019)

The New Voice Composers In Residence Studio Violist

Alexia received her master's degree from Northwestern University, studying under the tutelage of renowned violist Helen Callus. She received her Bachelor of Music from the Juilliard School as a student of Misha Amory and Heidi Castleman. In February of 2017, Alexia debuted as viola soloist performing the Hoffmeister Viola Concerto with the Northwestern University Baroque Orchestra. In 2018 and 2019, Alexia performed with New York City Opera Orchestra in their productions of Donizetti and Rameau's "Pigmalione” and their 2019 world premiere production of “Stonewall.” She currently plays with New York City Opera and the Chicago Philharmonic. In 2023, Alexia was a soloist in the American Premiere of Pieta, a one-act opera by Jake Landau at Oklahoma City University. In 2019, Alexia performed the Elgar Cello Concerto with the Narnia Festival Orchestra in Amelia, Italy. In 2020, Alexia was featured as a soloist in the award winning NYC film premiere of a new one-act opera, Pieta, written by Jake Landau. 

Administrator

Veronica Shea is a singer, actor, director, producer, and digital marketer passionate about storytelling and sharing authentic onstage connection with audiences. Recent roles include Phyllis in Ridgewood Gilbert & Sullivan’s Iolanthe,  Blanche Ingram in Off-Brand Opera’s Jane Eyre, Musetta in Light Opera of New Jersey’s production of La Bohéme, La Direttrice in the NYC workshop of Pietà, Juno in & Aeterna at the Narnia International Vocal Arts Festival and The Egyptian Theater, Rosalinda in Eccentric Theater Company’s Die Fledermaus, Mabel in both Ridgewood Gilbert & Sullivan’s and Summit Chorale’s The Pirates of Penzance, and Julie Jordan in Off-Brand Opera’s Carousel. She is a Founder and the Artistic Director of Off-Brand Opera and runs the marketing firm Amplify Arts. veronicashea.com

Administrator 2023