Coaching faculty
Dean Williamson, Vocal Coach, Head of Music
Dean Williamson, currently music director of Nashville Opera, is widely known throughout the United States for his perceptive and commanding conducting. His versatile career in standard and contemporary repertoire has earned the conductor worldwide acclaim. As a co-founder and music director of the Seattle Opera Young Artists Program he led all of the program’s productions until 2007. From 2007 until 2010 he was artistic director of Opera Cleveland. His productions there garnered critical praise in publications such as Opera News, Opernwelt, and Opera Now. He has conducted at many regional companies, including Seattle Opera, Minnesota Opera, Opera Colorado, Arizona Opera, Wolf Trap Opera, Opera Theatre of St. Louis, Lyric Opera of Boston, San Francisco Opera/Merola, Chautauqua Opera, Des Moines Metro Opera, and Manitoba Opera. Upcoming projects include the NY premiere of Catan’s Florencia en el Amazonas in his debut with New York City Opera, the world premiere of Paterson’s 3 Way in Nashville and BAM, La Cenerentola in Arizona, Cipullo’s Glory Denied and the release of 2 new studio opera recordings by Carly Simon and Michael Nyman in Nashville.
Dean Williamson, currently music director of Nashville Opera, is widely known throughout the United States for his perceptive and commanding conducting. His versatile career in standard and contemporary repertoire has earned the conductor worldwide acclaim. As a co-founder and music director of the Seattle Opera Young Artists Program he led all of the program’s productions until 2007. From 2007 until 2010 he was artistic director of Opera Cleveland. His productions there garnered critical praise in publications such as Opera News, Opernwelt, and Opera Now. He has conducted at many regional companies, including Seattle Opera, Minnesota Opera, Opera Colorado, Arizona Opera, Wolf Trap Opera, Opera Theatre of St. Louis, Lyric Opera of Boston, San Francisco Opera/Merola, Chautauqua Opera, Des Moines Metro Opera, and Manitoba Opera. Upcoming projects include the NY premiere of Catan’s Florencia en el Amazonas in his debut with New York City Opera, the world premiere of Paterson’s 3 Way in Nashville and BAM, La Cenerentola in Arizona, Cipullo’s Glory Denied and the release of 2 new studio opera recordings by Carly Simon and Michael Nyman in Nashville.
Michael Sakir, Vocal Coach
Praised for his "artistic authority," "fluidity of expression," and "great delicacy of feeling," Michael Sakir has served as Music Director of Opera Memphis since August 2017. In addition to conducting nearly a dozen operas in Memphis, he has been deeply involved in the company's groundbreaking civic engagement programs, community partnerships, and commissioning projects. Sakir also serves as Principal Guest Conductor of the Opera Company of Middlebury.
In the 2019-2020 season, Sakir makes his Seattle Opera debut conducting Jerre Dye and Zachary Redler's The Falling and the Rising - a new opera co-commissioned with the United States Department of Defense and based on interviews with wounded American veterans. He also returns to Intermountain Opera Bozeman to conduct Mozart's Le nozze di Figaro.
Recent guest conducting engagements include Des Moines Metro Opera, Opera Orlando, Shreveport Opera, Brevard Music Center, Northwestern University, American Opera Projects, Opera in the Ozarks, and Opera North (NH). Sakir has held chorus master, assistant conductor, and coach positions for nearly three dozen productions with Santa Fe Opera, Washington National Opera, Florida Grand Opera, Sarasota Opera, Des Moines Metro Opera, Pensacola Opera, and Opera Boston.
Sakir holds degrees from the Oberlin Conservatory of Music and The Boston Conservatory. He was a participant in the 2017 OPERA America Leadership Intensive. He is a native of Northern California.
Praised for his "artistic authority," "fluidity of expression," and "great delicacy of feeling," Michael Sakir has served as Music Director of Opera Memphis since August 2017. In addition to conducting nearly a dozen operas in Memphis, he has been deeply involved in the company's groundbreaking civic engagement programs, community partnerships, and commissioning projects. Sakir also serves as Principal Guest Conductor of the Opera Company of Middlebury.
In the 2019-2020 season, Sakir makes his Seattle Opera debut conducting Jerre Dye and Zachary Redler's The Falling and the Rising - a new opera co-commissioned with the United States Department of Defense and based on interviews with wounded American veterans. He also returns to Intermountain Opera Bozeman to conduct Mozart's Le nozze di Figaro.
Recent guest conducting engagements include Des Moines Metro Opera, Opera Orlando, Shreveport Opera, Brevard Music Center, Northwestern University, American Opera Projects, Opera in the Ozarks, and Opera North (NH). Sakir has held chorus master, assistant conductor, and coach positions for nearly three dozen productions with Santa Fe Opera, Washington National Opera, Florida Grand Opera, Sarasota Opera, Des Moines Metro Opera, Pensacola Opera, and Opera Boston.
Sakir holds degrees from the Oberlin Conservatory of Music and The Boston Conservatory. He was a participant in the 2017 OPERA America Leadership Intensive. He is a native of Northern California.
Voice Faculty
Gwendolyn Detwiler, Professor of Voice
Soprano Gwen Coleman Detwiler has been praised by music critics for possessing a voice of “divine beauty” with “sparkling coloratura” and “impressive high-flying top notes” (Opera News). Her solo concert work includes appearances with the San Francisco Opera Orchestra, Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, San Antonio Symphony Orchestra, Louisville Orchestra, Colorado Symphony Orchestra, Bangor Symphony Orchestra, and the Western New York Chamber Orchestra. Dr. Detwiler made her European debut as the soprano soloist for the Klassiche Musikfest’s performances of Haydn’s Die Jahreszeiten and Beethoven’s Mass in C at the Esterhazy Palace in Eisenstadt, Austria. Her opera role repertoire includes Gilda in Rigoletto, Adele in Die Fledermaus, Blonde in Die Entfuhrung aus dem Serail, the Governess in Turn of the Screw, Monica in The Medium, and the title role in Cendrillon among others. Dr. Detwiler can be heard on the Newport Classic’s CD recording of Moore’s The Ballad of Baby Doe and as the leading soprano, Suleika, on Centaur Record’s world-premier recording of Schubert’s Der Graf von Gleichen.
Dr. Detwiler is currently an associate professor of voice at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM). She has served on several summer festival faculties: SongFest at Colburn in Los Angeles, CA; the Spoleto Festival in Italy; the Vianden International Music Festival in Luxembourg; and the Miami/Savannah Choral and Voice Festival. Her vocal students have sung on the some of world’s most illustrious stages from the New York Metropolitan Opera to the stages of Broadway. Dr. Detwiler performs and provides vocal master classes throughout the United States and Europe. She currently lives in the greater Cincinnati area with her husband, Jim, and two children, Jacob and Katelyn.
Soprano Gwen Coleman Detwiler has been praised by music critics for possessing a voice of “divine beauty” with “sparkling coloratura” and “impressive high-flying top notes” (Opera News). Her solo concert work includes appearances with the San Francisco Opera Orchestra, Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, San Antonio Symphony Orchestra, Louisville Orchestra, Colorado Symphony Orchestra, Bangor Symphony Orchestra, and the Western New York Chamber Orchestra. Dr. Detwiler made her European debut as the soprano soloist for the Klassiche Musikfest’s performances of Haydn’s Die Jahreszeiten and Beethoven’s Mass in C at the Esterhazy Palace in Eisenstadt, Austria. Her opera role repertoire includes Gilda in Rigoletto, Adele in Die Fledermaus, Blonde in Die Entfuhrung aus dem Serail, the Governess in Turn of the Screw, Monica in The Medium, and the title role in Cendrillon among others. Dr. Detwiler can be heard on the Newport Classic’s CD recording of Moore’s The Ballad of Baby Doe and as the leading soprano, Suleika, on Centaur Record’s world-premier recording of Schubert’s Der Graf von Gleichen.
Dr. Detwiler is currently an associate professor of voice at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM). She has served on several summer festival faculties: SongFest at Colburn in Los Angeles, CA; the Spoleto Festival in Italy; the Vianden International Music Festival in Luxembourg; and the Miami/Savannah Choral and Voice Festival. Her vocal students have sung on the some of world’s most illustrious stages from the New York Metropolitan Opera to the stages of Broadway. Dr. Detwiler performs and provides vocal master classes throughout the United States and Europe. She currently lives in the greater Cincinnati area with her husband, Jim, and two children, Jacob and Katelyn.
Christopher Michel, Professor of Voice
Lyric baritone, Christopher Michel, is a a tenured faculty member at Sam Houson State University. His students’ professional engagements include Houston Grand Opera, Glimmerglass Festival, Sarasota Opera and Opera in the Heights, Lone Star Lyric Opera, Syracuse Opera and Des Moines Metro Opera. In the last ten years, he has had over 25 finalists in the TEXOMA Regional Competition of the National Association of Teachers of Singing. In 2014, Professor Michel had two students invited to sing in the highly competitive National Opera Association Aria Competition, which was held in New York City. Professor Michel’s students have pursued graduate studies at such prestigious institutions such as Cincinnati Conservatory of Music, Manhattan School of Music, University of Tennessee, University of Houston, University of Alabama and Baylor University.
A highly regarded performer in opera, oratorio, orchestral concerts, and art song, Christopher has appeared on the operatic and concert stages throughout Alabama, Florida, Virginia, Ohio, Texas, Arkansas, Mississippi, and Indiana.
Lyric baritone, Christopher Michel, is a a tenured faculty member at Sam Houson State University. His students’ professional engagements include Houston Grand Opera, Glimmerglass Festival, Sarasota Opera and Opera in the Heights, Lone Star Lyric Opera, Syracuse Opera and Des Moines Metro Opera. In the last ten years, he has had over 25 finalists in the TEXOMA Regional Competition of the National Association of Teachers of Singing. In 2014, Professor Michel had two students invited to sing in the highly competitive National Opera Association Aria Competition, which was held in New York City. Professor Michel’s students have pursued graduate studies at such prestigious institutions such as Cincinnati Conservatory of Music, Manhattan School of Music, University of Tennessee, University of Houston, University of Alabama and Baylor University.
A highly regarded performer in opera, oratorio, orchestral concerts, and art song, Christopher has appeared on the operatic and concert stages throughout Alabama, Florida, Virginia, Ohio, Texas, Arkansas, Mississippi, and Indiana.
Acting Faculty
Benjamin Wayne Smith
Artistic Director and Acting Coach
Stage Director Benjamin Wayne Smith has led twenty new productions since 2000, ranging from Pergolesi’s La serva padrona to Benjamin Britten’s The Turn of the Screw. Ben has directed for Seattle Opera's Young Artist Program, Tacoma Opera, Asheville Lyric Opera, Opera Theatre of Pittsburgh, The Intermountain Opera Association, the Young Artist Program at Pittsburgh Opera, the University of Cincinnati/CCM, Baldwin Wallace University and The Opera Theater of Lucca, Italy. In 2010, Ben finished his tenure as the Resident Assistant Director at Seattle Opera where he worked on eleven productions over two years. He continues to work as an assistant director for Washington National Opera at The Kennedy Center where we was honored to work on two productions with Placido Domingo. Other assisting credits include Cincinnati Opera, Michigan Opera Theater, Pittsburgh Opera and the Opera Theatre of Pittsburgh. Ben is on faculty at the University of Memphis where he produces and directs the operas and teaches acting.
Artistic Director and Acting Coach
Stage Director Benjamin Wayne Smith has led twenty new productions since 2000, ranging from Pergolesi’s La serva padrona to Benjamin Britten’s The Turn of the Screw. Ben has directed for Seattle Opera's Young Artist Program, Tacoma Opera, Asheville Lyric Opera, Opera Theatre of Pittsburgh, The Intermountain Opera Association, the Young Artist Program at Pittsburgh Opera, the University of Cincinnati/CCM, Baldwin Wallace University and The Opera Theater of Lucca, Italy. In 2010, Ben finished his tenure as the Resident Assistant Director at Seattle Opera where he worked on eleven productions over two years. He continues to work as an assistant director for Washington National Opera at The Kennedy Center where we was honored to work on two productions with Placido Domingo. Other assisting credits include Cincinnati Opera, Michigan Opera Theater, Pittsburgh Opera and the Opera Theatre of Pittsburgh. Ben is on faculty at the University of Memphis where he produces and directs the operas and teaches acting.
Artistic staff
Sarah Bouse
Assistant Artistic Director and Pianist
Sarah Bouse, who has loved teaching piano since high school, graduated magna cum laude from Belmont University in 2013, after which she moved to Houston, Texas to attend Rice University. Sarah completed a Master of Music in Vocal Coaching degree at the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University in May 2016. She was privileged to study under Thomas Jaber, who continues to influence her teaching and performing. Sarah was privileged to represent Rice University and make her Kennedy Center debut in the Conservatory Project concert in Washington, D.C. in February 2016. She joined the adjunct faculty of Houston Community College in January 2017, where she continues to teach as an adjunct faculty member. In Spring 2018, she developed the curriculum for Music Literature, a course she has continued to teach in Fall 2018 and Spring 2019. In January 2019, Sarah joined the music faculty at Lone Star Community College - Montgomery, where she teaches class piano. During the summer, she serves as assistant director at Accademia Vocale Lorenzo Malfatti in Lucca, Italy, where she continues to develop her Italian language skills and enjoys all the beautiful parts of Italian culture.
Assistant Artistic Director and Pianist
Sarah Bouse, who has loved teaching piano since high school, graduated magna cum laude from Belmont University in 2013, after which she moved to Houston, Texas to attend Rice University. Sarah completed a Master of Music in Vocal Coaching degree at the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University in May 2016. She was privileged to study under Thomas Jaber, who continues to influence her teaching and performing. Sarah was privileged to represent Rice University and make her Kennedy Center debut in the Conservatory Project concert in Washington, D.C. in February 2016. She joined the adjunct faculty of Houston Community College in January 2017, where she continues to teach as an adjunct faculty member. In Spring 2018, she developed the curriculum for Music Literature, a course she has continued to teach in Fall 2018 and Spring 2019. In January 2019, Sarah joined the music faculty at Lone Star Community College - Montgomery, where she teaches class piano. During the summer, she serves as assistant director at Accademia Vocale Lorenzo Malfatti in Lucca, Italy, where she continues to develop her Italian language skills and enjoys all the beautiful parts of Italian culture.