Dr. Marc Schapman, Program Director

Marc Schapman completed a Doctor of Music in Voice Performance at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music.  A native of Iowa, Mr. Schapman received his Bachelor of Arts from Luther College and his Master of Music from the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. Currently, Mr. Schapman serves as Professor of Voice and Director of SIUE Opera and Musical Theatre.  In addition to his SIUE duties, Mr. Schapman serves as a voice teacher for Opera Theater of St. Louis’ Bayer Fund Artists-in-Training Program. Mr. Schapman is also an in-demand performer, music director, and choral conductor, having conducted over 40 musical and opera productions during his tenure at SIUE.

Dr. Jeffrey Carter, Music Director

Jeffrey Richard Carter is Professor in the Department of Music at Webster University in Saint Louis, where he chaired the department for thirteen years. He leads the performance program in Music Direction for Musical Theatre, and teaches voice for musical theatre and songwriting students, music theory for musical theatre, and other courses in conducting and singing. He is Governor of the National Association of Teachers of Singing Central Region.  Recent regional creative activity has included Composer/Music Director for Circus Harmony, Saint Louis’ only social circus organization, and director of the educational choruses for Variety, The Children’s Charity. He is the recipient of the St. Louis Theatre Circle Award (2015) as Outstanding Music Director.  Carter’s Doctor of Musical Arts in Choral Conducting is from the University of Kansas, and the MA in Vocal Performance from the University of Central Missouri.  Carter’s career has included successful leadership of Ball State University Singers (Indiana), the Gateway Men’s Chorus (Missouri), and the Jacomo Chorale (Missouri). His happy place is in his garden or kitchen at home or traveling the world taking cooking classes and seeking out concerts to attend.

Sun Hye Chung, Pianist

Sun Hye Chung (Sunny Lee) is a Pianist, Collaborative Pianist and Piano Instructor. After a European tour across Austria and France, she wanted to see more of the world and study the art of piano in more depth. Thus began her journey to the United States. She has recently received her Master’s in Music degree in Piano and Collaborative Performance from Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville (SIUE), and is now extending her sphere of influence in the surrounding regions including St. Louis, MO.

Martha Hart, Voice Teacher

Warmth, richness, and clarity of tone coupled with sincere, expressive communication of text distinguish the artistry of mezzo-soprano Martha J. Hart. Known for her stylistic interpretation of music spanning the Baroque to contemporary, Hart has sung to critical acclaim throughout North America and France. In addition to her performance credits, Hart is a respected vocal pedagogue and is invited to present masterclasses at colleges and universities. She has served on the faculties of Graceland University, The Ohio State University and the Bay View Music Festival and is currently a professor of voice and director of vocal studies at Webster University in St. Louis, Missouri.

Erie Mills, Masterclass Instructor

Soprano Erie Mills has received critical and popular acclaim throughout the world. She has performed in the world’s major opera houses, including the Metropolitan Opera, La Scala, Vienna Staatsoper, English National Opera, San Francisco Opera, Santa Fe Opera, and New York City Opera. Ms. Mills has appeared with the orchestras of Chicago, Philadelphia, St. Louis, Cleveland, Boston, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. She is currently the Artistic Director of the Livermore Valley Opera. From 1998-2008 she was on the voice faculty at San José State University. Since 2004 she has worked as the English diction specialist for Opera Theatre of St. Louis. In 2004 she became the first singer to join the board of directors of Opera America. She is the Secretary of the William M. Sullivan Foundation Board of Directors. She is a graduate of The College of Wooster, the University of Illinois, and the Houston Opera Studio.

Robert Poe, Movement Instructor

A native of Aiken, South Carolina, Robert Poe has enjoyed a professional dancing career since 2004. For almost 17 years, he has performed with Columbia City Ballet, Cedar Lake II, Nashville Ballet, and the Nashville Opera before coming to St. Louis to dance with Missouri Ballet Theatre. In 2011, he became a founding member of The Big Muddy Dance Company and spent 9 seasons rehearsing, performing and choreographing with the company before leaving to flourish his own non-profit dance organization, Ballet 314.

Dr. Joy Powell, Stage Director

Dr. Powell is an Assistant Teaching Professor of Musical Theatre, Director of Undergraduate Studies and Director of the Larry D. Clark Summer Repertory Theatre at the University of Missouri-Columbia. She has worked with numerous professional theatres, including the St. Louis MUNY, Tuacahn Center for the Arts in St. George, UT, The Barn Theatre in Augusta, MI and Summer Showbiz at Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville, IL. Having been a professor since 2003 she has directed/produced/choregraphed over 50 musicals and plays. In 2014 she wrote and directed the play cover: a play about trafficking.

Jermaine Smith, Voice Teacher

The tenor is closely associated with the role of Sporting Life (Porgy and Bess), which he recently made his debut at Atlanta Opera, Metropolitan Opera Artist, Teatro San Carlo in Napli, Italy, Seatle Opera and Tanglewood Music Festival with the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Hollywood Bowl’s premiere performance of Porgy and Bess in concert, Lyric Opera of Chicago’s production of Porgy and Bess as well as in Cape Town Opera’s guest engagement at the newly opened opera house in Oslo, Norway a couple of seasons ago.  He has also performed the role in Japan, Germany, Sweden, Austria, The Netherlands, Italy, Spain, The Grand Canary Islands and in this country at Union Ave Opera, Opera Pacific, and in Francesca Zambello’s production at both Washington National Opera and Los Angeles Opera.  Most recently he has brought his portrayal to Paris’s Opera-Comique, the Theatre de Caen, the Granada Festival, the Opera de Luxembourg, and the Santa Fe Symphony.  He also made his directorial debut of Porgy and Bess with South Florida Symphony. His other operatic repertoire includes the title role (Joshua’s Boots) (world premiere at Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, revival at Kansas City Lyric Opera), Henry Davis (Street Scene) and Zodzetrick (Treemonisha) at Opera Theatre of Saint Louis. He has made numerous appearances with the St. Louis Symphony.  Smith is an alumnus of the New England Conservatory of Music and University of Missouri-St. Louis.

Stephanie Tennill, Voice Teacher

Soprano Stephanie Tennill has performed with Aspen Opera Theater Center (An Evening of Sondheim), Encompass New Opera (Gertrude Stein Invents a Jump), Union Avenue Opera (Ragtime, Dead Man Walking, Il Barbiere di Siviglia, Susannah) and has made appearances at Alice Tully Hall, the Metropolitan Room and Lincoln Center (Johnny Johnson, Kurt Weill Foundation). Musical theater highlights include American Girls Revue (off-Broadway), Hot ’n’ Cole, and the World Premiere of the Rodgers and Hart ballet Glad To Be Unhappy. As Assistant Professor of Music at Saint Louis University, she instructs Voice, Musical Theatre, Diction and directs musical scenes and productions. Additional teaching includes UAO’s CRESCENDO!, Manhattan School of Music Precollege Division, MSM Summer, and Saint Thomas Choir School. Directing credits include Godspell, Seeing Other People (SLU), An Evening of Sondheim (2018 St. Louis Literary Award), Hansel and Gretel (UAO Crescendo) and over 15 musical theatre productions with MSM Summer. She created the VocalEase Mask, receiving accolades from singing and research communities alike.

Mauricio Villanueva, Voice Teacher

Mauricio is an artist with an eclectic background that includes opera, classical music, being a singer-songwriter, and singing mariachi, pop, and salsa, among other genres. A latin dancer, plays latin percussion and produces his own podcast on Spotify. He studied classical music at the music conservatory in the University of Agder, Norway. Conservatorio L. Refice, Italy, and at the Flanders Opera Studio, Belgium. Mauricio has sung and performed in Europe, Asia, Mexico and in the US, as well as being part of the reality show La Voz 2022 (The Voice) in Mexico. The same year, Mauricio played a role in the ensemble for the Tony award-winning musical “In the Heights”, produced by STAGES St. Louis, and was nominated for best ensemble in 2022. Currently based in St. Louis, Mauricio has found his purpose to teach and inspire people through the art of singing and dancing. When he’s not teaching, Mauricio is producing, performing, and/or engaging with his audience, either on a proper stage or teaching the art of singing and dance.

Special thanks to Bayer Fund for their support of Sing Out.