Meet The Faculty - AIMS Graz

Alison Acord

Voice Teacher

Tatiana Afanasyevskaya

Repetitor

Mark Alexander

Repetitor Co-Coordinator

Alfonse Anderson

Voice Teacher

Taylor Baldwin

Repetitor

Lukas Beikircher

Conductor

Marjorie Bennett Stephens

Voice Teacher

Barbara Bonney

Masterclass Teacher

J. David Brock

Voice Teacher Coordinator

Lisbeth Carter

Audition Training

Alison Cole

Opera is a Business

Marzio Conti

Conductor; Masterclass Teacher

Darryl Cooper

Vocal Coach – Opera Coordinator

Kathryn Corl

German Language

Michael Dauphinais

Vocal Coach – Opera

Nico de Villiers

Vocal Coach – Lieder

Linda Di Fiore

Voice Teacher

Gabriel Dobner

Vocal Coach – Lieder

James Douglass

Collaborative Piano Teacher

Eileen Downey

Vocal Coach – Opera

Debora Fabris

Italian Diction

Gerhard Gall

German Diction

Margaret Gonglewski

German Language

Carmen Grasso

Italian Diction

John Greer

Vocal Coach – Opera

Kenneth Griffiths

Vocal Coach – Lieder

Christina Haan

Vocal Coach – Opera

Elizabeth Hagedorn

EFT & Creating German Resume Workshops

Gustavo Halley

Voice Teacher & Henry Pleasants Lecturer

Thomas Hampson

Masterclass Teacher

Dara Hobbs

AIMS Alumna Special Guest Performer – Dramatic Soprano

Ewa Iżykowska

Masterclass Teacher

Kathleen Kelly

Private Coaching Sessions for Singers

Clemens Anton Klug

Auditioning in Europe

John Lalande II

German Language

Gabriele Lechner

Masterclass Teacher

ChoEun Lee

Repetitor

Jee-Eun Lee

Repetitor

Bernadette Lo

Repetitor Co-Coordinator

Gary Matthewman

Masterclass Teacher / Workshops for Collaborative Pianists

Paul McNamara

Voice Teacher

Michael Meraw

Voice Teacher

Laurie Middaugh

Repetitor

Erin Palmer

Repetitor

Beth Parker

Vocal Coach – Opera

Jacqueline Pischorn

German Diction

Nina Radtke

German Diction & Speaking Lieder Lyrics

Michael Ramach

Acting; Period Movement Classes

Jonathan Retzlaff

Voice Teacher

John Robertson

Repetitor

Robert Rocco

French Diction

Richard Rogan

German Language

Joanna Ruszala

Stage Presence Workshop

Ina Selvelieva

Repetitor

Hye Jung Shin

Repetitor

Bo Skovhus

Masterclass Teacher

Greg Smucker

Acting

Marius Stieghorst

Conductor

Jared Tehse

Repetitor

Julie Tompkins

Repetitor

Matthew Vickers

AIMS Alumnus Special Guest Performer – Tenor

Erika Wagner

German Diction

Linda Watson

Masterclass Teacher

Patricia-Maria Weinmann

Audition Training

Stephanie Weiss

Voice Teacher

Angela Wilson

Voice Teacher

Dane Winters

Acting

Piotr Wiśniewski

Vocal Coach – Opera

Kathryn Wright

Vocal Coach – Opera

Wayne Wyman

Vocal Coach – Opera

Jana Young

Voice Teacher

The AIMS experience is necessary for any opera singer that doesn’t want to just ’fall into’ the European music scene. With dedication and diligence, one can come away with a wealth of knowledge and preparation.

Marsha Thompson

soprano ’00; Meistersinger Competition Finalist

AIMS was a wonderful experience of learning, performing, and seeing a dedicated staff in action. I am personally better from being blessed to have had this opportunity. Many thoughts continue to filter down from this unique and outstanding musical studies program.

Nancy Marriott

soprano ’98 & '16 - Opera Studio

I learned SO much and had a fabulous time with all my new friends, colleagues, and contacts. I am very thankful for all of the opportunities to sing that I was given.

Aidan Soder

mezzo-soprano ’99, Meistersinger Competition Finalist

The music, the people I met, and the atmosphere were so incredible! My experience with AIMS is something that I will cherish for the rest of my life.

Jennifer Metheny

soprano ’97

The knowledge and guidance I received from the faculty has changed my perception of my own singing and artistry for the better. I feel as if I can walk out onto a stage, into an audition, and into the world with this new-found confidence. I’m more passionate about my dreams and have a burning desire to see them through.

Robert Cardwell

baritone '17 - Opera Studio

Everyone I had ever known who had gone to AIMS in the past couldn’t stop raving about it, and now I know why. It was my best summer ever!

trombone ’00-’01

I had the chance to work with so many good and serious singers as well as top-notch teachers…that alone was worth it, but I carried away so much from the program that the cost was minuscule compared to what I learned. Contrary to being burnt out by six weeks of intensive music studying, at the end of AIMS I was more eager than ever to go to my university’s music library and check out as many books on Lieder and opera as I could carry. I realized the true quality of the AIMS music instructors when the first book I checked out happened to be edited by not one, but five AIMS instructors.

Jeremy Peterman

student pianist ’03, ’04; staff pianist ’05- ’16

I want to thank all of you for being a vital part of my growth into an emerging professional artist. Being a part of AIMS last summer opened my eyes to the professional world of music and helped me understand who I am as an artist and what I needed to accomplish to transition from a student to a professional musician. Thank you SO much for inspiring me to work hard in the practice room; to connect my entire body when I perform; to walk into auditions not expecting anything but to have fun sharing my craft; and to go after career opportunities knowing that they will not come to me. I appreciate it more than words can express!

Kayla Bailey

soprano '13 - Opera Studio

Acting and audition classes at AIMS had a direct and immediate impact on my career. I completed my first professional audition right after AIMS for the Salzburg Festival young artist program, and got offered a contract on the spot! I don’t think I could have achieved that result before my summer at AIMS. I would encourage any young, ambitious classical or opera singer to participate in AIMS. It certainly changed my life.

Alexandra Flood

soprano '13 - Meistersinger Finalist

I am proud to say that I am passing on some of what I learned at AIMS to my students, who consistently win state and regional vocal competitions, secure leads in the opera at UM, and go on to graduate schools and conservatories in the US. Thanks for your inspiration!

Jo Ella Todd

soprano ’75, ’76

AIMS has given me a true sense of where I need to work from – how I measure up and areas I need to strengthen for a future in classical singing. I learned more about my voice and how to maximize its use in one week at AIMS than I had in three years.

Eldric Bashful

tenor ’03, ’04, ’06

During the six-week program at AIMS, I received voice lessons and coachings. I also took my first German class and became attracted to the German language. My affinity for German caused me to take a particular interest in its poetic-song companion, the Lied. It is an aspect within standard solo vocal literature that I admire. Mr. Harold Heiberg, my vocal coach at AIMS, who specialized in Lieder, taught me how to appreciate and utilize the language in song performance. This was my first in-depth experience with song interpretation that illuminated musical collaborations not only between the poet and composer, but also between the singer and pianist. It was an exciting time as a developing musician.

Makeda Hampton

soprano '05 & '06 - Opera Studio