Erika Fiebig (Apr 8) is a Seattle native and started cello at five. She studied at Oberlin College, coaches the Bellevue Youth Symphony, and plays in the Ballard Civic Orchestra and subs with Yakima Symphony Orchestra. Teachers are Richard Aaron and Rajan Krishnaswami. Find her in the pit at many local theaters and in a quartet at many local weddings!
Katie Hochman (Apr 18), soprano, can be heard regularly giving recitals with Ladies Musical Club of Seattle. She has also enjoyed singing opera and oratorio with Puget Sound Concert Opera (PSCO), Opera Theater Oregon, Portland Opera, Utah Opera, Columbia Chorale and Southwest Washington Symphony (SWS). Highlights include the title role of Massenet’s Cendrillon and Héro in Berlioz’s Beatrice et Bénédict performed with PSCO and Exultate, jubilate performed with SWS.
Sharon Jung (Apr 18) was born and raised in the Pacific Northwest. Her parents were Juilliard graduates, and she was exposed to classical music from the time she was born. She started playing the oboe when she was ten years old at the request of her father. She pursued a career in nursing but has kept playing the oboe as a passion. She has studied with LMC members Gail Perstein and Bernard Shapiro. She currently studies with Dan Williams. Along with LMC performances, she plays in small ensembles and in orchestras in several churches in Pierce County.
Claudia McCormack-Kester (Apr 21), mezzo-soprano, is a versatile singer, who enjoys taking her audience on a musical journey from the deep and profound, to the unexpected comedic moment. She has appeared with such notable companies as the Seattle Opera, 5th Avenue Theatre, Tacoma Opera, Rainier Symphony, and NW Chorale. Claudia has performed for the Bellevue Botanical Garden as part of their Garden d’Lights annual celebration and was featured in KING 5’s Toys for Tots live broadcast. She has also been a featured artist on KOMO’s NW Afternoon. Claudia performs regularly as part of the Ladies Musical Club Concert Series as well as their Opera Workshop, where she has delighted in roles such as Prince Orlofsky (Die Fledermaus), Grisele (La Perichole), and Cherubino (The Marriage of Figaro). Most recently, Claudia performed the role of Hansel (Hansel and Gretel) with Spotlight Repertory NW, as part of Seattle’s Festival Italianio.
Yuly Kopkin (guest artist, Apr 21) is a Seattle-based collaborative pianist, choral conductor and singer. Conservatory educated in Russia, he holds a degree of Master of Music from the University of Washington on a Fulbright scholarship. Yuly established himself and gained recognition as choral conductor before his creative focus shifted towards collaborative piano. Vita in Canto, an internationally acclaimed university choir he founded in 2003 in his birth city of Ekaterinburg, Russia, was a prize-winner at a number of national and international choral festivals and also enjoyed the most enthusiastic reception during their two concert tours of the USA. Yuly is a staff accompanist at the University of Washington School of Music and Shoreline College. His past and ongoing collaborative piano engagements include such established organizations as Seattle Opera and Lyric Northwest Opera as well as leading Puget Sound area choral ensembles, including Seattle Pro Musica, Seattle Choral Company, and Ancora Choir. Yuly maintains an active schedule as freelance collaborative pianist for voice and instrumental recitals as well as productions of musicals and operas. Among his notable collaborations are partnerships with saxophonist and Yamaha Artist Sergei Govorov and internationally acclaimed Chinese pipa artist Carrie Wang. Yuly is the music director at Christ Our Hope Catholic Church, a music minister at Seattle Preparatory School, and a chorister at St. James Cathedral Cantorei, the cathedral’s professional choral ensemble.
Stasia Kulsa (Apr 8, 18), flutist, has a Master of Arts in Music from Washington State University that she completed under the guidance of Dr. Sophia Tegart. In addition, she has undergraduate degrees in Music Performance and Mechanical Engineering from WSU. While at WSU, she performed with the Symphonic Wind Ensemble, Orchestra, the Latin Jazz Ensemble, and the Crimson Flute Choir. Since graduating, she has been performing with the Bremerton WestSound Symphony and working as an Acoustics Engineer at Blue Origin.
Joan Lundquist (Apr 18) has served as a collaborative pianist for Seattle area musicians and organizations for 40 years. Since moving to the area from Humboldt State University in northern California, where she was staff accompanist, Joan has worked with the Northwest Boychoir, Seattle Choral Company, has taught at Seattle University and Northwest University, and has worked with several area private music teachers. Ms. Lundquist is the retired Director of Music at Immanuel Lutheran Church in downtown Seattle and currently is the rehearsal accompanist for the Seattle Choral Company.
Mara Mihali (Apr 13) is a Romanian soprano and a senior in Computer Science at the University of Washington. She began her musical training as a violinist, which fostered a deep passion for classical music and led her to pursue classical singing under the guidance of Pamela Casella. Her performance experience includes singing with the UW Opera Workshop as Maggie in A Chorus Line and performing with the UW Recital Choir. Most recently, she appeared as the soprano soloist in selections from Handel’s Messiah for a Bellevue Opera Christmas concert.
Valentina Rodov (Apr 13, 21) was born and raised in Moscow, Russia, and received her music education as a concert pianist from the famous Moscow Conservatory. She performed solo and in chamber groups prior to emigrating to the United States. Once in the USA, Valentina decided to become a lawyer, which she successfully accomplished upon graduating from law school in Los Angeles and passing the California Bar. Valentina practiced law as a business litigator in Southern California for over twenty years until she and her husband moved to Seattle. With great support and encouragement from the Seattle music community, Valentina came back to piano playing, and soon became a frequent and critically acclaimed recitalist and chamber music performer at various venues in the Seattle area.
An outstanding member of the Northwest musical community for over 20 years, Regina Thomas (Apr 18) has performed with a variety of companies including Kitsap Opera, Willamette Concert Opera, Bellevue Opera, Puget Sound Concert Opera, Seattle Opera, and the Seattle Opera Guild. Currently Artistic Director of Puget Sound Concert Opera, Regina has served as Seattle Opera Guild’s VP of Education and is a past President and trustee of concerts for LMC. Favorite operatic roles include Adriana Lecouvreur, Suor Angelica, Tosca, and Judith (Bluebeard’s Castle). Concert work includes Schumann’s Frauenleibe und-leben, Elgar’s Sea Pictures, and Wagner’s Wesendonck-Lieder; soprano solos in Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9, Fauré Requiem, and Berio’s Folk Songs for voice and chamber ensemble.