Chrystal E. Williams, mezzo-soprano
Chrystal E. Williams is the youngest daughter of Nannie and Bruce Williams. She is a 2004 honor graduate of I. C. Norcom High, Portsmouth, VA, as well as of the GovernorŐs School for the Arts, Norfolk, VA where she studied with Alan Fischer. She will graduate from Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, in May where she studies Voice under the tutelage of Susanne Marsee. In the Fall, Chrystal will pursue a masters degree in voice at Yale University School of Music studying with Doris Yarick-Cross.
Chrystal E. Williams was a 2002-2004 STAR participant with the Virginia Opera House where she sang in the chorus and covered the role of Bersi in Andrea Chenier. She has performed such roles as the Countess in Le Nozze di Figaro, the second lady in Magic Flute, Gertrude in Hansel and Gretel, the mother in Amahl and the Night Visitors, Bradamante in HandelŐs Alcina, Liliane LaFleur in YestonŐs musical Nine, and the Secretary in MenottiŐs The Consul. Chrystal has also been featured as a soloist in performances of the Messiah, the Christmas Oratorio of Camille Saint-Sans, PergolesiŐs Magnificat, MozartŐs Coronation Mass, and Christian KriegeskotteŐs Krljavestica (Premier 2008).
Chrystal has participated in the Opera Theatre and Music Festival of Lucca program, Lucca, Italy, as well as the University of Miami Frost School of Music program, Salzburg, Austria for the past three summers. This summer she will attend the Aspen Music Festival and School, Aspen, CO.
Chrystal has received numerous awards including the Sylvie Derdeyne Award in Voice 2007 and first place in the VA/NC Chapter of the National Society of Arts and Letters Career Award in Voice competition 2008. She will be competing in nationals, Bloomington, Indiana, mid-May for a grand prize of $10, 000.
Chrystal E. Williams is the mezzo-soprano soloist for the First Baptist Church of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA.
L. MARK CARVER, Piano
Pianist Mark Carver was born in
Mobile, Alabama in 1959. He received his earliest musical training in
Pittsburgh, PA with Jerry Veeck and Lorraine Gaal Landefeld. Other teachers
include Enrica Cavallo-Gulli, Natalie Phillips, and Ralph Zitterbart.
International artists with whom he has studied are Earl Wild, Jorge Bolet,
Jeanne-Marie Darr, Ozan Marsh, John Ogdon, and Pierre Sancan.
He made his dbut with the
Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra at age 15, and has been a guest artist with the
Westmoreland Symphony Orchestra, the Plum Creek Chamber Orchestra, and the
University of Pittsburgh Orchestra. His dbut at age 17 at Carnegie Hall, New
York, was with the Carnegie Mellon University Wind Ensemble in the premire of Introduction
and Allegro by Philip Catelinet.
"Total command" and
"delightful" (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review) are words used to
describe Carver's performances
of Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue with the
River City Brass Band, and his accompanying for the Pittsburgh Camerata has
been regarded as "refined and tasteful". (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
His discography includes Sacred
Songs and Interludes: Music of Nancy Galbraith by the
Pittsburgh Camerata
(www.pittsburghcamerata.org), And Jessica
Rivera Sings Romantic Music for
Soprano, Clarinet, and Piano
by Urtext Digital Classics
(www.urtextonline.org) which will be
released later this year.
Mr. Carver has been the
recipient of numerous awards including the Carnegie Award, the National
Federation of Music Clubs Scholarship, the Carnegie Mellon University Chamber
Music Prize, and the Pittsburgh Piano Teachers Award. He was the national grand
prize winner of the Cincinnati World Competition in 1975, which included a
grant for summer study in France.
He has studied at the
Chautauqua Institute, Acadmie Internationale d't, Nice, France, Indiana
University, Bloomington, IN, and Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh. He
holds the degrees of Bachelor
of Fine Arts and Master of Music and serves as Associate Teaching Professor in
Coaching and Accompanying and Coordinator of Collaborative Piano for the School
of Music at Carnegie Mellon. He is also the Parochial Musician at the church of
St. John Vianney in South Pittsburgh.
RICHARD TEASTER, Piano
Mr. Teaster holds degrees from the North Carolina School of the Arts and Rice University, and completed further professional studies at the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music and the Pittsburgh Opera Center. As a singer, he has performed with such groups as the Cincinnati Opera, Aspen Opera Theater, Pittsburgh Opera, Bach Choir of Pittsburgh, Opera Theater of Pittsburgh, Des Moines Metro Opera/Opera Iowa, Chatham Baroque, and the Detroit Oratorio Society. Mr. TeasterŐs recent performances have included a debut with the Pittsburgh Symphony as bass soloist in MozartŐs Coronation Mass, under the direction of Daniel Myers, and the role of Jesus in BachŐs St. Matthew Passion, with Chatham Baroque and the Calvary Episcopal Church Choir, this past Good Friday.
As a conductor, Mr. Teaster has worked in both choral and instrumental genres, as well as in musical theater venues. His local affiliations have included the Pittsburgh Playhouse at Point Park College, Pitt Repertory Theater, and Pittsburgh CLO Academy of Musical Theater/CLO Mini-Stars. He was previously the assistant conductor of the Cincinnati Men's Chorus for two seasons, where he also served as the group's accompanist. He has also written several arrangements for men's choir.
Mr. Teaster is director of music at First Baptist Church of Pittsburgh and serves as artistic director of their Sanctuary Concert Series. In addition to directing the Glee Club, Mr. Teaster teaches a voice class at the University of Pittsburgh and also instructs private voice students. He is also the assistant director of choral organizations at Duquesne University, where he conducts the Pappert Men's Chorale.
Megan Prokes, viola
Megan Prokes is originally from Buffalo, NY. She has been a student at Carnegie Mellon for six years. She received a Bachelors degree in Violin Performance in May 2006 and anticipates graduating with a Masters degree in Violin Performance in May 2008.
She has been playing the viola in addition to the violin for ten years. Megan is a student of Cyrus Forough.