Catherine Sandstedt
Catherine Sandstedt is a New York based musician pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts in Vocal Performance at Stony Brook University, where she also received her Masters, and has studied voice with soprano, Brenda Harris. Before moving to New York, she received her Bachelor of Music in both Vocal and Viola Performance from the University of Missouri where she studied with Ann Harrell (voice) and Leslie Perna (viola). Ms. Sandstedt has performed many operatic roles, including Impressions de Pelléas (Mélisande), Il re pastore (Elisa), Le nozze di Figaro (Susanna), Rinaldo (Almirena) and The Crucible (Mary Warren). In March, Ms. Sandstedt looks forward to performing as Blanche in Poulenc’s opera Dialogues des Carmélites. In addition to her solo career, Ms. Sandstedt sings with several choral ensembles including Marble Collegiate Church Choir (New York) and Vox Nova (Missouri). Ms. Sandstedt also holds an Adjunct Faculty position at Suffolk County Community College teaching voice lessons. Competition acknowledgements include being a winner and soloist for the North Shore Choir Competition in 2019; placing top 10 in the Kentucky Bach Choir Competition in 2016; and receiving 2nd in the Senior Women division at the 2015 National level of National Association of Teachers of Singing.
Melissa Baughman
Melissa Baughman is Assistant Professor of Choral Music Education at the University of Oklahoma where she instructs courses in choral methods, conducting, and vocal pedagogy. As a choral conductor, she maintains a robust schedule as a clinician and adjudicator throughout the United States. Melissa’s performance highlights include singing the soprano solos for Schubert’s Mass in G, Haydn’s Kleine Orgelmesse, Vivaldi’s Gloria, Orff’s Carmina Burana, and Mozart’s Vesperae solennes de confessore. As a graduate student, she received first place in the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) and Missouri Music Teachers Association (MMTA) voice competitions, and was honored to be named an Emerging Artist at MU. As a researcher, Melissa frequently presents at state, national, and international conferences. Her research has been published in the Journal of Music Teacher Education, International Journal of Music Education, Update: Applications of Research in Music Education, Journal of Singing, and Missouri Journal of Research in Music Education. Her essay, “Nevertheless, She Sings: Empowering Women in Choral Music” is featured in the book, Relevance in the Choral Arts, edited by Tim Sharp. Dr. Baughman earned her PhD and MM degrees from the University of Missouri. She also holds undergraduate and graduate degrees in music and education from Bowling Green State University.
Rachel Naughtin
Rachel Naughtin is an active performer and educator in Lawrence & Baldwin City, KS. Rachel is currently the choral director/vocal music teacher at Baldwin Junior High & High Schools in addition to maintaining a thriving private voice studio music directing at the Lawrence Arts Center. She also taught elementary general music in the area for five years. Rachel has performed with Vox Nova, Te Deum Chamber Choir, Lawrence Opera Theatre, Kansas City Opera Institute and the Kansas City Chorale. In 2013, Rachel completed a Master of Music degree in Vocal Performance at the University of Missouri. There she performed the role of Despina in Mozart’s Così fan tutte among other roles, and served as a voice teaching assistant. In 2011 she earned a Bachelor of Music degree with majors in Vocal Performance and Choral/General Music Education from Lawrence University Conservatory of Music in Appleton, WI. Favorite Lawrence credits include The Old Maid and the Thief (Miss Pinkerton) and Into the Woods (Cinderella). Rachel was also a member of the College Light Opera Company (Falmouth, MA) in Summer 2010 where she performed the role of Sarah Brown in Guys and Dolls and other various ensemble and comprimario roles. Rachel’s all-time favorite role, however, is being the lucky mama to her son, Clive Emmet, alongside her husband & fellow Vox-er, Hugh Naughtin.
Lacey Gladden
Lacey Gladden, Fayette native, is in her 7th year of teaching K-12 Vocal Music in the Glasgow School District. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Vocal Performance from Central Methodist University as well as a Master’s degree in Voice from the University of Kansas. Lacey has been a featured soloist on several concerts and recitals throughout her career, and has performed many roles with the Opera Theatre at Central Methodist University and the University of Kansas, including Pamina in The Magic Flute, Yum-Yum in The Mikado, Patience in Patience, Lucy in The Telephone, Mabel in Pirates of Penzance, Mariane in Tartuffe, Rapunzel in Into the Woods, April in Company, Countess Almaviva in Le nozze di Figaro,and Fiordiligi in Così fan tutte. Lacey and her husband, Benjamin, reside in Fayette and outside of teaching and singing, her most important job is being a mom to Clay and Canaan.
Mickey Emch
Mickey Emch enjoys performing across a spectrum of operatic, choral, and chamber settings. She recently appeared with Toledo’s Ear | Eye chamber series, sang Pietho in a short tour of Soper’s Here Be Sirens, Angelina in Constantidines’ Rosanna in recital at Carnegie Hall, as the vocal soloist for Stephenson’s Symphony No. 2, and in BGSU New Music Festival’s performance of Reich’s Tehillim. Mickey is a relentless advocate for new works – This year she has been fortunate to focus on commissioning chamber works and leading collegiate workshops for singers to explore contemporary music. Her favorite previous operatic roles include Anne Truelove in The Rake’s Progress, Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni, and Abigail Williams in The Crucible. Mickey holds a Bachelor's degree from the University of Missouri – Columbia, her Master's from Louisiana State University, and is pursuing her Doctorate in Contemporary Music at Bowling Green State University. Her current research centers around healthful vocal distortion techniques in opera, theatre, contemporary commercial music, and everywhere in between.