Amy Owens
SOPRANO
Award-winning soprano Amy Owens is known for her “high-flying vocals” and “scene-stealing” charisma on operatic and symphonic stages, as well as her multi-disciplinary pursuits as a music educator, producer, and conductor (Opera News). She is known on concert stages for her interpretation of Carmina Burana, including multiple performances with the National Symphony at the Kennedy Center and Wolf Trap, as well as with MidAmerica productions for her Carnegie Hall debut. Career highlights include performances with the Santa Fe Opera, Wolf Trap Opera, Dallas Opera, Houston Grand Opera, Utah Opera, Virginia Opera, National Symphony, San Diego Symphony, New York Festival of Song, Brooklyn Art Song Society, and Virginia Arts Festival. Her operatic and musical theater roles include Cunegonde in Candide, Johanna in Sweeney Todd, Chrisann Brennan in The Revolution of Steve Jobs, Mabel in The Pirates of Penzance, Emily in Our Town, Phoebe in Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder, and the title role in Santa Fe Opera’s world premiere of Sweet Potato Kicks the Sun. In addition to performing, she serves as the director of the Young Voices of Santa Fe Opera.
Craig Irvin
BARITONE
Craig Irvin brings a vibrant sound and commitment to character to a wide variety of repertoire. Opera News has praised his "rich, resonant" voice, while the Dallas Morning News has noted his "truly commanding baritone." Irvin has recently returned to The Atlanta Opera in his role debut as Jack Torrance in The Shining, to Madison Opera as Scarpia in Tosca, and reprised his Older Thompson in Glory Denied with Annapolis Opera and his Pirate Kind in The Pirate Penzance with Kentucky Opera. Additional recent engagements include his role debut as Jochanaan in Salome with Madison Opera, Maximillian in Candide with the Atlanta Opera, the Wolf/Cinderella's Prince in Into the Woods with Tulsa Opera, and an appearance with the New West Symphony in Beethoven's 9th Symphony. In the summer of 2024 Craig made his Glimmerglass Opera debut singing the Pirate King in their Pirates of Penzance as well as Giove in La Callisto. The 2024-2025 season brings his Pirate King in Knoxville Opera's Pirates of Penzance, a role and house debut as Kenny Kincaid in Shawn Okpebholo and Mark Campbell's The Cook Off with Nashville Opera, Maximillian and Captain in Candide with Opera Tampa, Thalasso in the premiere of The Pigeon Keeper with Opera Parallèle, and concert appearances with the Des Moines Symphony for Orff's Carmina Burana and the Madison Symphony Orchestra for their Christmas Concert. A native of Iowa, Irvin did his undergraduate study at Simpson College in Indianola under the tutelage of Dr. Robert L. Larsen.
Christopher Pfund
TENOR
American tenor Christopher Pfund, praised his "rounded vocal beauty," has performed with countless major orchestras and oratorio festivals throughout North America including the Cleveland Orchestra, the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Houston Symphony, the Detroit Symphony, the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, the Bach Festival Society of Winter Park, New York Oratorio Society and the Orchestra of St. Luke's. International engagements have included performances in the Czech Republic, Germany, Mexico and Brazil. Boasting a wide repertoire that includes standard everything from Baroque masterpieces to the 20th century canon, Pfund is Universally recognized for his irreverent portrayls of the roasting swan in Orff's Carmina Burana and has made the role a pillar of his career with more than 150 performances on three continents. While best known for his oratorio work with orchestra, Pfund has also enjoyed success on the opera stage, including performances with Glimmerglass Opera, New York City Opera, Florentine Opera, and Santa Fe Opera to name a few. Mr. Pfund is the CO-Director of the Idaho Bach Fesitval. Founded in 2011, the Idaho Beach Festival is set in the beautiful architectural and naturla landscapes of the University of Idaho and the Palouse.
Heartland Youth Choir
Mary Craven Bartemes, Director
Heartland Youth Choir, founded by Barbara Sletto in 2003, provides a performance-based program for youth, emphasizing musical literacy and character development. Heartland Youth Choir provides a unique opportunity for children of diverse backgrounds with a unique opportunity for children of diverse backgrounds with a particular aptitude in vocal music to explore that interest beyond their school setting. Quality literature from all styles and periods form the foundation for this exploration. Dedicated to excellence, Heartland Youth Choir develops musicianship and builds character of youth through the rehearsal and performance of quality choral literature. Mary Craven Bartemes is a native of Des Moines, IA, where her musical journey began in the Des Moines Children's chorus. She was nurtured under the esteemed guidance of Barabara Sletto, the visionary founder of HYC. With a Bachelor's Degree in Music Education, specializing in voice and piano, she graduated with distinction from Drake Unviersity and has since been a commanding presence in the Greater Des Moines music scene. With close to a decade of teaching experience spanning both private and public educational settings encompassing grades K-12. Mary has honed her expertise in elementary and early childhood music education. Her passion for enriching young minds through the power of music has been a driving force behind her dedication.
Des Moines Choral Society
Dr. James Rodde, Director
The Des Moines Choral Society, under the direction of Artistic Director Dr. James Rodde, is made up of auditioned volunteer singers from throughout Central Iowa. With 39-year tradition in the community, the Des Moines CHoral society is a major force for the promotion of quality choral music in Iowa. The Des Moines CHoral Society seeks to enrich Iowa's cultural landscape by offering inspiring choral music programs to the public. Our hallmarks will be vocal excellence, diverse and innovative programs that explore both musical and cultural themes, engaging collaborations with arts and community organizations. The Des Moines Choral Society aspires to be recognized as one of Iowa's artistic treasures. Dr. James Rodde, the Moen Endowed Chair in Music and Director of Choral Activities at Iowa State University, became the Artistic Director of the Des Moines Choral Society in January, 2003. Dr. Rodde’s chors have been honored with performances at distinguished events, including four national and four divisional ACDA conventions. An active clinician, Dr. Rodde has conducted several All-State Honor Choirs, most recently in Wisconsin, Texas, South Dakota, Iowa, Colorado, Minnesota, and Nebraska.
Iowa State Singers
The Iowa State SIngers is a 72-member mixed choral ensemble comprised of students who come from numerous areas of study at Iowa State. This select ensembe performs the finest literature from Renaissance to contemporary, including newly commisioned works. In addition to performig various local concerts, the Singers tour annually and present at authentic Madrigal Dinner every January. Every spring they perform a masterwork with all ISU choirs, most recently Orff's Carmina Burana, Handel's Messiah, Brahms' German Requiem, and other such works. The Iowa State Singers have been honored in recent years with the invitations to perform at several highly distinguished music conferences, including the 2004, 2005, 2009, 2010, 2015, 2018 and 2019 ACDA conferences in Sioux Falls, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, Oklahoma City, Salt Lake City, Chicago, and Kansas City, and the 2008 and 20122 NCCO National Conferences in Cincinnati and Fort Collins. Thousands of choral conductors from the United States and abroad have responded enthusiastically to the choir’s offerings. The members of the Iowa State Singers have been thrilled with these opportunities and gratefully acknowledge their former members whose commitment to artistry helped to develop one of the very beautiful traditions at Iowa State University. The Singers have also traveled internationally, singing to critical acclaim in the Baltic States and Scandinavia (2003), China (2006), Korea (2011) where they shared a concert with the world-renowned Incheon City Chorale, Western Europe (2015), and Norway (2019). In 2013 the Singers were honored as the national winners of The American Prize, College/University Chorus Division.
