Bios

Marion Russell Dickson is nationally known for her beautiful, clear, and florid light-lyric soprano, with which she combines her joy for life and love during performances. Opera News noted Dr. Russell Dickson as one of four standout performers as Patience, noting: "Marion Russell's clarion Patience," in Eastman Opera Theatre's Production of Gilbert and Sullivan's Patience. As a 2009 Guest Artist with New York City based Distinguished Concerts International, New York, Dr. Dickson had the thrilling experience of giving her Carnegie Hall Recital Debut. Marion Dickson won the First Place Helen Boatwright Award Recipient of the 2000 Civic Morning Musical Competition held in Syracuse, New York, and performances as a soloist across the country include locations such as Houston, , Santa Fe, New Mexico, Rochester, New York, Charleston, West Virginia, Princeton, New Jersey, and New York City. Dr. Dickson enjoys performing soloist works in oratorios, operas, and recital settings. Her experiences as a concert soloist include Boccherini's Se d'un amor tiranno, G 557, Pergolesi's Stabat Mater, Haydn's The Creation, Vivaldi's Gloria, Bach's Cantata Wachet Auf, BWV 140, Mozart'sRequiem, Mozart's Missa Brevis, Handel's Messiah, DuBois' The Seven Last Words of Christ, and Mozart's Vesperare solennes de confessore. Houston's newest orchestra, the Houston Latin Philharmonic Orchestra, under Dr. Glenn Garrido, invited Marion Dickson to perform as a soloist with them on their inaugural concert in May of 2013. She also performed on Houston Public Radio Station's The Front Row with St. John Flynn, singing a composition written for her by Houston Dr. Reynaldo Ochoa. Ms. Dickson has received the honor of American dedicating songs to her, including Dr. Roger Keele and Richard Faith. Recently named as a Fellow for the University of Houston Cynthia Woods Mitchell Center for the Arts, Marion Dickson is a graduate of the esteemed at the University of Houston, having recieved her Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Voice Performance, Pedagogy and Voice Science in 2014. Under Professor Buck Ross, Marion recently performed in two operas that won first place with the National Opera Association, including the leading role of "Lusya" in Moores Opera Theatre's production of Shostakovich's Moscow, Cheryomushki, and the supporting roles of "Trang," and "Nurse," in the second- ever production of Daron Hagen's Amelia, with the latter conducted by Dr. Brett Mitchell. Marion Dickson was the Soprano I soloist in Mozart's oratorio Davide Pentitente under the direction of Dr. Charles Hausmann. Her final recital at Moores featured a performance of early music, including Air de cours with lutanist Bruce Brogdon, and a modern world premiere of Friedrich Zachow's cantata, Confitebor Tibi Domine, TV 2(a), under the direction of Dr. Hyeok Lee, a Zachow scholar. Marion Dickson holds a Master of Music Degree in Performance and Literature and a Performer's Certificate from Eastman School of Music, and she received her Bachelor of Music Degree in Voice Performance from Westminster Choir College. As part of ongoing study and performance opportunities, Ms. Dickson has had the joy of performing in Master Classes for artists including Cynthia Clayton, Tim Jones, Hector Vasquez, Zehava Gal, Carol Webber, Joyce Farwell and John Wustman; coaches include Dalton Baldwin, Brian Suits, Tom Jaber, Russell Miller, John Greer and Benton Hess. Having taught collegiately for over a decade, Dr. Dickson's responsibilities have included Studio Voice, Diction, Master Classes, Opera Workshop, and Art Song Literature. Collegiate positions at universities include the University of St. Thomas, in the Arts District of Houston, Sam Houston State University, Lone Star College-Kingwood and Lone Star College-Montgomery, Houghton College in Houghton, New York, Nazareth College in Rochester, New York, and Eastman School of Music (Graduate Assistant). Her students have participated in Young Artist Programs such as Opera in the Ozarks and the American Institute of Musical Studies in Gratz, Austria. Dr. Dickson's students also participate and have won both Chapter and Texoma Regional NATS Auditions, as well as the Classical Singer Competition, with one student making it to the semi-final round in New York City. Dr. Dickson's students have been accepted to graduate programs in Voice Performance, with significant scholarship, at the College- Conservatory of Music, University of Cincinnati (CCM) and New England Conservatory; and others have gone to Baylor University and the University of St. Thomas as undergraduate students with full scholarships. Marion Dickson performs avidly in the Houston area, and continues to maintain a select private studio. Dr. Dickson recently received a prestigious award from National Association of Teacher of Singing, as she was one of seven in the United States who was named as a 2014 NATS Emerging Leader. She has been a member of National Association of Teachers of Singing since 2001 and recently served a three year term as South Texas District Governor of NATS.

Shannon Hesse has performed extensively both nationally and internationally as a soloist and collaborative pianist. Her concert schedule consists of recurring guest appearances in recitals sponsored by organizations such as the College Music Society, National Association of Teachers of Singing, Society of Composers, Inc., Houston Tuesday Musical Club, Galveston Island Arts Academy Concert Series, Imperial Performing Arts series, Greenbriar Consortium, and the Houston Composers Alliance. She regularly performs with musicians from the Houston Symphony, including her husband, cellist Anthony Kitai. A devoted teacher, Dr. Hesse is a long-standing member of Music Teachers National Association, where she is a Nationally Certified Teacher of Music. She is frequently in demand as an adjudicator and her students have been prizewinners in competitions at the local and state levels. Dr. Hesse has served on the faculties of Houston Baptist University, Texas Southern University and Valdosta State University, and spent many wonderful summers teaching at Westminster Choir College's High School Camp and at the Interlochen Center for the Arts, where she served as Coordinator of Collaborative Piano. A graduate of the Eastman School of Music, Dr. Hesse holds additional degrees from Catholic University and Westminster Choir College. She is a member of the honors societies Phi Kappa Lambda and Alpha Lambda Delta and has had the great honor of working with outstanding teachers and mentors, including Jean Barr, Ingrid Clarfield, Marilyn Neeley, and Rita Sloan.

Richard Nunemaker has had a varied and prolific career as a symphony musician, concert soloist, recording artist, producer, educator and author. Nunemaker is presently the principal clarinetist with the Houston Latin American Philharmonic. Richard Nunemaker played clarinet, bass clarinet and saxophone with the Houston Symphony Orchestra from 1967-2008. He was also a member of the Chicago Civic Orchestra in 1966, the Louisville Orchestra from 1964-1966 and the Erie Philharmonic from 1962-1964. Born in Buffalo, New York Nunemaker's career has run the gamut from managing his own dance bands in high school, to being in the pit for New York road show productions such as West Side Story, My Fair Lady and South Pacific. He is also a featured soloist both in recital and with symphony orchestras around the country. A strong advocate of music by living American composers, Nunemaker has commissioned over one hundred works for clarinet and saxophone. As a record producer he has produced and recorded five solo CDs featuring this music. He has been a featured soloist with the Houston Symphony Orchestra and on numerous occasions has appeared with that orchestra in live television and radio broadcasts. Nunemaker has recorded two CDs with the Houston Symphony Orchestra featuring the music of Benny Goodman and Artie Shaw. He has published four books, Scale and Chord Studies, If The Shoe Fits, The Effortless Clarinet and The Effortless Saxophone. Nunemaker has been an artist/teacher for the Las Vegas Music Festival and The Sewanee Summer Music Center. At present he is a member of the faculty for the University of St. Thomas, Houston, and the American Festival for The Arts. Nunemaker also has served as the woodwind/clarinet coach for The Houston Youth Symphony and keeps an active private studio. Richard Nunemaker is past president of The Houston Composers Alliance, Music by Living American/Houston Composers and a member of Houston Tuesday Musical Club. More information about Richard Nunemaker can be found at: www.RichardNunemaker.com.