March 20, 2025
Fifteen Oakland University vocalists were recognized on Nov. 2, 2024 at the National Associationof Teachers of Singing Michigan Chapter Student Auditions. The students, who excelled in the Classical Voice, Musical Theatre, and Contemporary Music categories, included: Aidan Laidlaw, Sarah Lawlis, Carys Rees-Baker, David Glazkov, Philip Lupas, Maximillian Ulrich, Mila Pitman, Andrea Valenzuela-Lazcano, Kaelyn Parker, Cayla Stus, Yeshua Hardy, Trinity Green-Conner, Ava Ward, Austin Klotz, and Markwon Blocker.
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| OU students at the Lakeshore Professional Voice Center |
Oakland University’s School of Music, Theatre and Dance collaborates with the Lakeshore Professional Voice Center to offer all incoming singers a complimentary baseline vocal health assessment. The students were able to meet with Dr. Adam Rubin, a laryngologist and voice specialist, Dr. Juliana Codino, a skilled speech pathologist, and the experienced Lakeshore ENT team. Together, they learned invaluable insights into vocal health and had their voice profiles created. With Dr. Rubin’s use of stroboscopy, students received fascinating videos of their vocal folds in action, gaining a deeper understanding of vocal health and fostering a relationship with a dedicated care team.
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| Drake Dantzler |
Dr. Drake Dantzler earned third place in the collegiate division of The Charles Nelson Reilly Prize. His brilliant direction of Oakland Opera’s 2022/23 production of “Cosí fan tutte” shone brightly among directors nationwide. You can read more here.
Oakland University alumna Madeleine Krick has founded Opera de Metro, a dynamic new opera company based in metro Detroit, and their inaugural performance, “Gift of the Magi” by David Conte, opened Dec. 14, 2024. The company is committed to creating enchanting and engaging productions for modern audiences, while also investing in audience education through pre-show conversations. These discussions are designed to welcome both first-time opera goers and seasoned aficionados, making opera accessible and exciting for everyone. This thrilling new venture is the product of successful collaborations between Krick and advisory board members Olivia Donnel, Kellan Dunlap, and Jake Surzyn -- all talented Oakland University alumni. “Gift of the Magi” was stage directed by Oakland University alumna Lauren Lenz, and included a current graduate student in voice (Charlotte Marjorie) in the cast.
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| David Gram |
The Region III Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival (KCACTF), which took place Jan. 7-11 at Madison College in Madison, Wisc., featured the work of several students from the Department of Theatre in the School of Music, Theatre and Dance at Oakland University. You can read about the students who were recognized at this year’s festival here. In addition, Associate Professor of Theatre and Interim Chair of the Department of Theatre David Gram was also recognized during the festival and awarded the Faculty Recognition Award from the State of Michigan. The award is presented annually to honor a professor from each of the region’s states for their commitment and service to the KCACTF. “This award recognizes a sense of service outside of our own institution, but more than that it recognizes the generosity of individuals who take time to travel, sometimes great distances, to enrich, encourage, and empower aspiring theatre artists through the state and region,” said Jeremy Barnett, associate professor of theatre at OU. “This award is a testament to Professor Gram’s spirit of generosity and his commitment to students of the theatre, not only at Oakland University but to all students wherever he might reach them. It is also a testament to Professor Gram’s sense of collegiality and of the relationships he builds with faculty and colleagues across the state.”
OU SMTD faculty members Jeffrey Heisler, saxophonist, and I-Chen Yeh, pianist, presented a captivating performance on Jan. 12 at the Orion Township Public Library in the Linda Sickles Meeting Rooms. This program was sponsored by the Friends of the Orion Township Public Library, the Oakland University School of Music, Theatre and Dance, and the Kawai Piano Gallery of Michigan.
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| OU students perform in "The Old Maid and the Thief," and "The Impresario" |
Oakland University presented an enchanting double bill of the mysterious tale of “The Old Maid and the Thief” by Menotti, followed by Mozart’s comedic opera, “The Impresario,” reimagined in the glamorous world of 1930s Hollywood, from Jan. 16 – 19 in Varner Recital Hall. With unforgettable music and delightful storytelling, these operas provided an entertaining experience for all.
Meadow Brook Theatre, working with the Cabinet of Oakland University, started a new collaboration between OU’s School of Music Theatre and Dance (OUSMTD) and Meadow Brook Theatre (MBT). This collaboration affords the students in OUSMTD the opportunity to work alongside the professional directors, choreographers, musicians, designers and Actors’ Equity Association actors at MBT during one show in MBT’s season. Thus, adding a professional credit to their burgeoning resume while they are still students. This experience will give them not only working knowledge of how a professional theater operates but will also give them a leg up professionally when they embark on their own careers in the competitive professional theatre environment. Footloose — the hit musical based on the 1984 movie starring Kevin Bacon — was the first show to be produced by this collaboration. It ran Jan. 8 through Feb. 2 at Meadow Brook Theatre. Based on the original screenplay by Dean Pitchford, this stage adaptation by Pitchford and Walter Bobbie featured music from the Oscar-nominated score by Eric Carmen, Sammy Hagar, Kenny Loggins, and Jim Steinman, as well as dynamic new songs by Pitchford and Tom Snow.
Aniya “AG” Gray, a senior Music Technology major, performed in a concert on Feb. 2 in the Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church. All proceeds from the concert supported the Oakland Chorale’s study abroad trip to Europe this summer.
OU faculty member Tian Tian presented a night of virtuosic piano performances on Jan. 31 at Varner Recital Hall. The performance featured the enchanting melodies of Schubert, Liszt, and Rachmaninoff, as well as the world premiere of Majestic Gates, a newly commissioned piece by Grammy nominated composer Zhou Tian.
Award-winning jazz bassist and Oakland University faculty member Marion Hayden was named as the 2025 Kresge Eminent Artist. This prestigious honor includes a $100,000 prize and is presented annually to artists in recognition of a lifetime of dedication to their field and the community. In addition to the monetary prize, the award also includes the creation of a short film which documents and celebrates Hayden’s work and lifetime of achievements, as well as a monograph published by The Kresge Foundation. “It means so much that my work has been recognized, it’s like getting a great big hug from the cultural community,” said Hayden, an applied instructor of jazz bass at OU. “Several of the previous Eminent Artists are mentors and some of the best musicians any city has produced – trumpeter Marcus Belgrave, saxophonist Wendell Harrison, harpist Patricia Terry Ross. I am humbled to be in their company and receive such a prestigious award.” You can read more here.
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| John Sampen and Mark Bunce |
Oakland University welcomed the extraordinary saxophonist John Sampen and renowned composer/engineer Mark Bunce for a captivating experience on Feb. 7 in Varner Recital Hall that blended saxophone mastery with cutting-edge electronic media. The performance featured works by John Cage, Toru Takemitsu, and more.
Oakland University’s Department of Theatre in the School of Music, Theatre and Dance presented Young Frankenstein, a musical version of the comic horror masterpiece by Mel Brooks, from Feb. 12-16 and Feb. 18-20 in Varner Studio Theatre. Based on the 1974 movie by Mel Brooks and Gene Wilder, Young Frankenstein is a hilarious homage to classic horror movies of the 1920s and 30s. Filled with show tunes that pay tribute to the musical stylings of Irving Berlin, Cole Porter, and Jerome Kern; the “buddy musicals” of Bob Hope, Bing Crosby, and Danny Kaye; and the movie musicals featuring Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, Young Frankenstein is pure, unabashed musical comedy. “Yet, for all the wonderful silliness within the show, the musical subtly addresses themes of identity and how we strive to carve our own path while reckoning with family legacy; the understanding and acceptance of the ‘other’ and those who present as ‘outside’ of perceived societal norms; finding the balance between the brain (‘thinking/logic’) and the heart (‘passion/desire’); and how science and technology can be both innovative and dangerous,” said Director David Gram, associate professor of theatre and interim chair of the Department of Theatre at OU. You can read more about the production here.
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| Julia Holt (Photo courtesy Michigan School Vocal Music Association) |
OU alumna Julia Holt, the talented choral director at Utica Eisenhower High School, was honored as the Michigan School Vocal Music Association’s 2025 Teacher of the Year. Her exceptional dedication and passion were recognized at the Michigan Music Conference in Grand Rapids. Holt holds a Master of Music in Choral Conducting from Oakland University and a Bachelor of Music in Education from Michigan State. You can learn more about the MSCMA 2025 Teacher of the Year Award here.
The Oakland University Symphonic Band and Wind Symphony presented a spectacular concert on Feb. 20 in Varner Recital Hall. The Symphonic Band presented the consortium premiere of “Shuffle” by Ty Bloomfield, with the composer joining the band for the special performance. In addition, the Oakland University Wind Symphony showcased the world premiere of “JET SET” by Andrew David Perkins, featuring Dr. Jeffrey Heisler on saxophone.
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| Ja'Laaiyah Gordon with OU dance students |
Dance Alumna Ja’Laaiyah Gordon returned to OU to serve as a guest instructor for a fantastic dance class for African American Celebration Month.
Oakland University students shined at the National Association of Teachers of Singing Regional Auditions on March 2. They competing against talented singers from across Michigan, Ontario, Ohio, and Indiana, and achieved outstanding results: Kaelyn Parker ('25 B Mus Tech) – 3rd Place, Collegiate Contemporary; Trinity Green-Conner – 3rd Place, Junior Classical Treble Voices & 1st Place, Collegiate Level African American Spirituals; Mila Pitman – 1st Place, Sophomore Classical Treble Voices & Jon Vickers Special Award for Most Promising Lower-Level Collegiate Singer. Kaelyn, Mila, and Trinity are now headed to the National Semi-Final Round!
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| Take Root |
Take Root celebrated 10 years of captivating audiences with intricate partnering, thought-provoking movement, and a commitment to human connection by presenting a milestone performance on March 7 and 8 in Varner Recital Hall. Under the direction of Ali Woerner, the Oakland University-based dance company thrives on collaboration, accessibility, and impact—both on stage and through outreach programs like Dance for Parkinson’s Disease. You can learn more here.
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| Alta Dantzler, Drake Dantzler, and Victoria Shively with OU students |
Mezzo-Soprano Alta Dantzler and Tenor Drake Dantzler, along with Victoria Shively on piano, presented an afternoon of music and the timeless beauty of American Operetta during a special performance on March 16 at the Orion Township Public Library. The program was sponsored by the Friends of the Orion Township Public Library, the Oakland University School of Music, Theatre and Dance, and the Kawai Piano Gallery of Michigan.
Beth Guest, a special lecturer in the School of Music, Theatre and Dance, has been accepted into the Château d'Orquevaux International Artists & Writers Residency in Champagne-Ardenne, France. In addition, she has been awarded The Denis Diderot Grant, which will support her time at the residency. “I’m excited for this incredible opportunity to focus on my work in such an inspiring setting,” Guest said.
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| Amanda Ross |
Dr. Amanda Ross was selected to be a guest performer at the International Women's Brass Conference in Hartford, Conn. She will be performing a recital consisting of two new works for trumpet, “Did You See the Dragon?” by Remi Inari and “ALMANAC” by Corey Smith.
OU SMTD Alum Joe Santoni has won the 2025 Matilda Award for Outstanding Alumnus in Music. To celebrate him, the School of Music, Theatre and Dance will host a workshop on Friday, April 11 at 4 p.m. in Varner Hall and Santoni will present a concert on Sunday, April 13 at 8 p.m. in Varner Hall. Santoni, a renowned bass singer and studio session vocalist, gained significant recognition for his work as a recording artist in Disney Music’s premier a-cappella ensemble, DCappella. Within a remarkable five-year span, DCappella achieved remarkable success, releasing five record albums, 100 singles, and creating over 25 music videos. Their global impact extended to international tours, including a 40-city North American tour and performances in parts of Canada. Additionally, they sold out two 18-city tours in Japan and graced the stage at the premiere of Disney+ in the Middle East at a performance at the Dubai Opera house. Santoni’s professional credits also include session vocals for blockbuster movies like “The Incredibles 2,” “Descendants: The Rise of Red,” James Wan’s “The Nun,” Disney+ movies such as “Best in Snow” and “Dashing Through the Snow,” and major network television shows on CBS and FOX, including “Elsbeth” and “Call Me Kat.” He’s also a celebrated member of the renowned LA Choral Lab, an elite Los Angeles-based choir that has collaborated on numerous high-profile projects. Notably, he recently joined the esteemed ranks of the “Dapper Dan’s” at Disneyland One of Santoni’s most remarkable moments was performing as a background vocalist for Hozier in his song “Eat Your Young” (Beckon’s Choral Version) and as a session vocalist for The Weeknd on his latest album, “Hurry Up Tomorrow.” He was also honored to be a soloist at the memorial concert for Richard Sherman titled “A Great Big Beautiful Concert for Richard,” where he paid tribute to the monumental catalog of Disney music that launched his music career.