Karen Solomon
Karen Solomon is a teaching artist with skills in voice, piano, musical direction, voice acting, and performance/presentation coaching. At the University of Louisiana, she earned a Master’s in Vocal Music Education, minors in English and Performance, and was a Supervisor of Student Teaching. She completed a directed study at Louisiana Tech in “The Male Adolescent Voice”, studied at the Yale Cabaret Conference (coached by NYC’s leading cabaret artists) and attended Living Values International Educators in Oxford, England. Her teaching approach is a holistic one that combines the science of voice with psychology, allowing students to explore their authentic voice as a tool of expression while building confidence and character. Karen believes that vocal performance is a medium for story-telling; it creates an atmosphere that engages, inspires, entertains. Dual careers enrich Karen’s ability to teach and thrive in both the “live stage” and “academic” worlds of singing. For 25 years, she lived in Athens, Greece, working in schools, music conservatories, holistic health, event planning, recording studios, and voice acting. She also performed as a singer/pianist on cruise ships, was lead vocalist in jazz and pop combos throughout Greece. In addition, her a capella trio “SKY” self-produced 2 CD’s, found on Apple Music, Spotify, and other streaming platforms. Karen has wide ranging teaching experience, including PreK-12 grade music education/choral directing, plus vocal coaching and musical direction in youth and community theaters. She sings Broadway, pop, and jazz favorites that are fresh and authentic. Ultimately, Ms. Solomon believes an exploration of the voice is an exploration of self; it creates a journey in which music has the power to inspire and heal.
Melanie Spector (Soprano)
Praised for her "commitment to operatic excellence” by Operawire, Melanie Spector is a New York-born soprano and recent graduate of the Detroit Opera Resident Artist Program. She made her company debut in the 2022-23 season as the High Priestess in Verdi’s Aida in a cast headlined by Angel Blue and Christine Goerke. Since then, she has performed with the company as a soloist in Cage’s Europeras 3 & 4 and as Chocholka/Mrs. Pásek in Janáček’s Cunning Little Vixen, and covered in Handel’s Xerxes (Atlalanta) and Golijov’s Ainadamar (Margarita Xirgu). Other role credits include Donna Anna (Don Giovanni) at Savannah Opera and Opera Tampa, Queen of the Night (Die Zauberflöte) with Eugene Opera and the Stuttgart Philharmonic, and Woglinde (Das Rheingold) with the Miami Music Festival Wagner Institute. She is a two-time District Winner/Region Finalist of the Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition, and she has received several other awards from noted organizations including the Gerda Lissner Foundation, the National Society of Arts & Letters, SAS Performing Arts Company, the Camille Coloratura Awards, and Tuesday Musicale of Detroit. In addition to singing, Melanie has been featured as a regular panelist on the Toll Brothers Metropolitan Opera Quiz aired during live Saturday matinée international radio broadcasts. When she is not on the stage, Melanie enjoys teaching voice and piano lessons, as well as tutoring music theory, aural skills, music history, acting, and diction. Her top priority in teaching is to focus on solid, healthy technique to bring out the unique sound and artistry of each of her students. Melanie has taught through her own private studio and previously at Han Opera Studio, and she has tutored through Manhattan School of Music, from which she holds both a Bachelor’s degree and a Master’s degree in Classical Vocal Performance.
Dr. Keying Xu
Mezzo-soprano Keying Xu, DMA, holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Voice Performance from the University of Alabama, where she studied under the mentorship of Dr. Paul Houghtaling. She also earned a Master’s degree in Voice Performance from West Texas A&M University under the guidance of Dr. Christopher Meerdink, and holds dual Bachelor's degrees in Spanish and Communication from the University of Cincinnati. Dr. Xu’s academic journey is closely tied to her passion for the Spanish language and its musical heritage. Her studies in Spain allowed her to immerse herself in the local culture, further deepening her connection to Spanish music. This experience sparked a profound exploration of Spanish art songs, zarzuela, and other culturally significant music, which she now integrates into her repertoire and scholarly work. Throughout her career, Dr. Xu has also portrayed a wide range of operatic roles, including Zita in Gianni Schicchi, Inez in The Gondoliers, Goffredo in Rinaldo, Bradamante in Alcina, Zweite Dame in Die Zauberflöte, Dorabella in Così fan tutte, Carmen in Carmen, Maddalena in Rigoletto, Cornelia in Giulio Cesare, and many others. Her performances have graced the stages of the University of Alabama Opera Theatre, Red River Lyric Opera, WTAMU Opera, Amarillo Opera, Fairbanks Summer Arts Festival, and Opera Viva. Dr. Xu is deeply committed to the teaching and mentoring of aspiring vocalists. As a member of the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) and the National Opera Association (NOA), she believes that music is an essential part of life. This conviction drives her passion for teaching, where she is dedicated to helping students of all ages gain confidence in their singing abilities, fostering growth as musicians, and sharing her knowledge with the next generation of performers.