星空传媒

Dr. Damon Sink | Composer: Dr. Sink teaches music theory, composition, and commercial music courses in the School of Music and also serves as the Music Core coordinator for theory, aural skills, and class piano.
In addition to his creative work as a composer, Dr. Sink is active in other areas of media production, film, and classical and jazz recording. Before coming to Western, he served as a full-time member on the faculties of Xavier University and The University of Dayton and founded dalSegno Media, an audio/visual production company. Recent projects beyond the new opera include a commission for System Five Brass, "Hymn: Under Menin Gate," performed in October 2022 in Ypres, Belgium, and Quartet for winds and piano, selected for performance at the 2025 Penn State New Music Festival.

Ron Rash: Ron Rash is the Parris Distinguished Professor in Appalachian Cultural Studies. His newest book, The Caretaker, was published in September 2023 by Doubleday and named one of the New Yorker鈥檚 Best Books of the Year. This last book brings his body of work up to 21 books: 8 novels (including the New York Times bestseller Serena), 7 short story collections, 5 poetry collections, and 1 reader/miscellany. He has been awarded the O. Henry Prize three times, and his books have been translated into 17 languages. In fall 2024, he will be inducted into the North Carolina Literary Hall of Fame.

Dr. Isaiah Fecken | Director: A former Patricia and Dr. Carl S Hoveland Opera Fellow, Isaiah Feken is a sought-after teacher and performer across the U.S. Isaiah has appeared with Central City Opera, Des Moines Metropolitan Opera, Des Moines Ballet, Crested Butte Music Festival, Pittsburgh Festival Opera, Athens Choral Society, and was an artist in residence with Opera Colorado for their 19-20 and 20-21 seasons. Previously, Dr. Feken was a Teaching Associate of Voice at Drake University and served as the Artistic Director and Principal Conductor for Drake Opera Theatre. A native of Tulsa, Oklahoma, Dr. Feken received his B.M. from the University of Tulsa, later completing his M.M. and D.M.A. at the University of Georgia where he served as a principal baritone for UGA Opera Theatre.

Dr. Margaret Underwood | Conductor: Dr. Margaret Underwood is Director of Bands and Assistant Professor of Music at Western Carolina University, where she conducts the Wind Ensemble, guides all aspects of the wind bands, and teaches courses in music education. Dr. Underwood maintains an active guest conducting schedule, conducting performances across the United States. Ensembles under her direction have performed at state and international conferences and she has conducted at the College Band Directors National Association Northcentral Regional Conference. In addition to her presentations at numerous state conferences, she has also presented her research at the College Band Directors National Association Regional and National Conferences, the World Association of Symphonic Bands and Ensembles International Conference, the US Navy Band International Saxophone Symposium, and the International Society for Research and Promotion of Wind Music. Her research on Robert Kurka鈥檚 The Good Soldier Schweik Suite is published in The Journal of World Association of Band and Symphonic Ensembles. Prior to her current appointment she served as Director of Bands and Associate Professor of Music at Otterbein University in Westerville, Ohio. Previously, she served as the Assistant Director of Bands at Mansfield University in Pennsylvania and taught middle and high school band for several years in New York.

In Order of Appearance:

• Shelton Neighbors (Chorus):

  • SopranoLilly Davis, Ella Ledford, Tiffany Birchum, Alana Barwick, Ruth Welsh, Gwen Aguiar, Ella Ledford, and Madison Garris, 

  •  

    Alto: Izzy Reynozo, Maggie Ashley, Ashliegh Hobden, Kathy Dills, Annalysa Sperduto, and Jay Shuster

  •  

    Tenor: Eddie Garner, Jay Jordan, Maddox Wilson, Brennen Foerst, Tristan Rice, Bob Houghton, and Gail Weiss

  •  

    Bass: Nick Peterson-Paugh, Byrd Nichols, Stephen Lambert, Jackson Deutch, Thomas Tant, Jim Baker, and Chris Dickerson

• Reverand Yates: Dominic Armstrong
• Eliza Harmon: Andrea Price
• Susannah Harmon: Madison Garris
  • Cover: Lily Davis
• Jason Gunter: Colin Wasmund
• Ira Wilkey: Eddie Garner
• Church Elder: Stephen Lambert
• Widow Franklin: Patricia Sands
  • Cover: Annalysa Sperduto
• Rebecca ('Becca) Harmon/Shwver: Audrey Welsh
• John Shwver: Jake Surzyn
• Pearl: Gwen Aguiar
• Hartley: Davin Broadhurst
  • Cover: Jackson Deutch
• Sister's Ghost: Annalysa Sperduto
• Col. Lawrence Allen: Isaiah Feken
• Lovisa Shwver: Elizabeth Ashley
• Sergeant: Nick Peterson - Paugh
• Corporal/Conscript: Jackson Deutch
• A Traveler: Brennen Foerst
• Conscript/ Musician: Maddox Wilson
• Conscript 1/Private: Jay Jordan
• Conscript 2: Thomas Tant

This show is sponsored in part by the 星空传媒 Campus Theme - WNC Mountain Life.