DR. BRIANA SOSENHEIMER has directed and assistant directed over 30 different productions with Indianapolis Opera, Pittsburgh Festival Opera, Chicago Summer Opera, Ball State University, Anderson University, Indiana Wesleyan University, and Georgia Southern University. Her comedic staging has been praised by the PA Theater Guide as “pure fun”. With a passion for opera outreach, she has pastiche composed four operas for children which have been performed across the country. Her opera for children The Three Little Hoosier Pigs was part of Indianapolis Opera’s 2020-21 season.

As a soprano, she has sung internationally in Austria, Canada, Italy, South Africa, and throughout the United States. This includes performing principle roles in productions of Le nozze di Figaro, La Boheme, Werther, and Carmen. She has also appeared as a soloist in oratorios including Handel’s Messiah, Mozart’s Requiem, and Coronation Mass. As a recitalist, Dr. Sosenheimer delves into contemporary works and late German lieder. She is a former member of the Bowling Green Children’s Opera and Indianapolis Opera Ensemble that presented educational outreach programs and performed children’s operas throughout the Midwest.

As a former member of In Sync Dance Theatre, Dr. Sosenheimer had the opportunity to perform with Chicago Tap Theatre. Choreographed productions include GREASE The Musical, The Little Mermaid, and South Pacific. Dr. Sosenheimer is a member of The Southern Open Rhythm Collective promoting the education and appreciation of the art of tap dance.

Dr. Sosenheimer graduated from Hope College with a B.M. in vocal performance and minor in dance. She holds a M.M. in Vocal Performance from Bowling Green State University and a D.A. in Vocal Performance and Stage Direction from Ball State University. She most recently earned a Level I certification in Somatic Voicework - The LoVetri Method for vocal training in Contemporary Commercial Music styles. She has served as the Stage Director for the I.O. Resident Artist Ensemble and the Resident Assistant Director at Indianapolis Opera as well as held faculty positions at Purdue University Fort Wayne and Taylor University in Indiana. Currently, she serves as an Assistant Professor of Music (Voice) and Director of Singers' Workshop at the Hurley School of Music.

Voice: Technique & Pedagogy Broadway Belting

KEN CHAN has appeared at venues such as Carnegie Weill Recital Hall and Steinway Hall with performances broadcast on radio stations GPB, IPR, NPR, and New York City's WQXR.  He has served as Music Director of Opera Centenary, Associate Music Director for the Lyric Boze Theater at Anderson University and as instructor or collaborative pianist at Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, IUPUI, Ball State University and Georgia Southern University.  

He has also coached and collaborated with artists at Indianapolis Opera and Savannah VOICE Festival. After studying political science at Cornell University, he subsequently earned a M.M. at Manhattan School of Music that was followed by additional studies at Indiana University where he was awarded full scholarship in the doctoral program.

He serves on the faculty of the Hurley School of Music at Centenary College as a Lecturer of Music, Staff Accompanist and Administrative Assistant to the Dean.

Accompanist

Technique & Pedagogy

Broadway Belting

ALEX RYBECK is a music director, composer, arranger and pianist, best known for his work in concerts and cabarets, on recordings, and in the theater. Broadway credits include MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG (directed by Hal Prince), GRAND HOTEL (directed by Tommy Tune), and others. He has also worked with Susan Stroman (FLORA THE RED MENACE) and Patricia Birch (REALLY ROSIE). Regionally, his work on WHAT THE WORLD NEEDS NOW, starring Sutton Foster, won him personal praise from Burt Bacharach.

After growing up in the suburbs of Washington, DC, and attending Oberlin College, he moved to New York City, where he was mentored by Leonard Bernstein, Stephen Sondheim, Arthur Laurents and Stephen Schwartz while attending NYU’s Graduate Musical Theater Writing Program.

Among the many artists he has worked with are such legends as George Abbott, Metropolitan Opera diva Roberta Peters, “Voice of Hollywood” Marni Nixon, Eartha Kitt, The McGuire Sisters, Julie Wilson, and Kitty Carlisle Hart. He has also enjoyed meaningful collaborations with Faith Prince, Liz and Ann Hampton Callaway, Jane Olivor, Melissa Errico, Karen Mason, Sharon McNight, Jeff Harnar, Donna McKechnie, Jason Graae, Lee Roy Reams, Tovah Feldshuh, Rita Gardner, Roslyn Kind, Amanda McBroom, and many, many others. His original song “What a Funny Boy He Is” was recorded by the late Nancy LaMott.

He has received numerous awards and honors (MAC, Bistro, Nightlife, Billboard, and Broadwayworld.com) as music director and songwriter.

As a highly sought-after coach, he has taught master classes in NYC, L.A., and DC, as well as at Yale, Harvard, Northwestern, Queensland Conservatorium (Brisbane) and the New Zealand Singing School.

Arranger/Accompanist/Music Director

NITA WHITAKER is an actress, singer, author and producer originally from Shreveport, Louisiana.  She was crowned Miss Louisiana in 1984 and soon after began seeking a career in music.  She entered the wildly popular entertainment competition show, Star Search hosted by Ed McMahon, and soon was named its Female Grand Champion, winning each week for a full three months.  In 1994 Whitaker indepentantly recorded and released her debut album which was followed, in time, by three more.   She has performed in four world premiere musicals,RAGTIME, TEN COMMANDMENTS THE MUSICAL, BREAKING THROUGH, and BORN FOR THIS which garnered her the NAACP Best Supporting Actress award winner for her role of Mom Winans in 2019.  In 2021 she made her Broadway debut as Wiletta Mayers in Alice Childress’ TROUBLE IN MIND.  

Whitaker is also a favorite singer of legendary producer David Foster. She sang the original demos for Whitney Houston’s standards, “I Will Always Love You”, “I Have Nothing” and “I Look to You”.  Whitaker has performed with some of the most famous voices of our time including duets with Andre Bocelli, Michael Bolton, Micheal McDonald and Josh Groban.  She has also worked with greats Carol Bayer Sager, Walter A. and Kenny “Babyface” Edmonds, Burt Bacharach, James Ingram, Steve Tyrell, Patti LaBelle, Lionel Ritchie, Yolanda Adams, Nathan East, and Barbara Streisand. She has entertained thousands from her own intimate one woman shows to charity galas and corporate events.  

This former ICU registered nurse continues to champion literacy through her 501c3 non-profit In A World With Books (www.inaworldwithbooks.org) which has put 18,500 new books in the hands of 8500 underserved children and counting. Her expansive talent and humor continues to find new avenues to be expressed having appeared in movies, television shows and multiple studio recordings.  Nita has contributed articles for Inspired Women online magazine, and penned an independent award-winning memoir entitled: Finding My Voice: My Journey from Grief to Grace, a book in written in honor of her late husband, legendary voice over actor Don LaFontaine, and her librarian mother, Ola Mae Whitaker. Her newest book release, When Your Hand is in the Lion’s Mouth: The Life and Wisdom of a Man named Green, is available online everywhere in print and audiobook.

Still the greatest delights of her life are her robustly talented daughters Skye and Liisi LaFontaine as they continue to soar. The best is yet to come.

www.nitawhitaker.com

Voice: Performance

Technique & Lyric Interpretation