Private Voice Faculty
Dr. Gwendolyn Alfred
Soprano
Praised for her “bright and passionate tone” (Houston Chronicle), soprano Gwendolyn Alfred recently premiered a newly-commissioned work for Houston Grand Opera which landed her in the prestigious Texas Monthly magazine. She made her Houston Symphony debut as a featured soloist in their Summer Community Concert Series and sang the soprano solos in Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony (Houston Civic Symphony) and Carmina Burana (Fort Bend Symphony). Her most notable opera roles include: Emeline (What Wings They Were), Donna Anna (Don Giovanni), Giulietta (Les Contes D’Hoffmann), Magda (The Consul), Contessa Almaviva (Le Nozze di Figaro), Madama Cortese (Il Viaggio a Reims), Mrs. Gobineau (The Medium), Cinna (Lucio Silla), and Maria Corona (The Saint of Bleecker Street) with such companies as HGOco, Opera in the Heights, Miami Music Festival, and The Moores Opera Center.
Alfred received the Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Houston and the Master of Music degree from Lamar University. She completed a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Vocal Performance and Pedagogy at the University of Houston.
Dr. Alfred is an Assistant Professor of Voice/Area Coordinator at Texas Southern University. Before her appointment at TSU, she taught at Galena Park ISD, Port Arthur ISD, and the Moores School of Music at the University of Houston. She recently received prestigious recognition for her contributions in music and music education from the Houston Area “40 under 40” professional group, the Outstanding Faculty Award from Texas Southern University, and the “Living Legend of Southeast Texas” award from the ExxonMobil B.E.S.T. foundation. Alfred’s most recent project includes the development of a non-profit initiative to provide vocal instruction for underprivileged youth in Houston-area school districts.
Alfred received the Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Houston and the Master of Music degree from Lamar University. She completed a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Vocal Performance and Pedagogy at the University of Houston.
Dr. Alfred is an Assistant Professor of Voice/Area Coordinator at Texas Southern University. Before her appointment at TSU, she taught at Galena Park ISD, Port Arthur ISD, and the Moores School of Music at the University of Houston. She recently received prestigious recognition for her contributions in music and music education from the Houston Area “40 under 40” professional group, the Outstanding Faculty Award from Texas Southern University, and the “Living Legend of Southeast Texas” award from the ExxonMobil B.E.S.T. foundation. Alfred’s most recent project includes the development of a non-profit initiative to provide vocal instruction for underprivileged youth in Houston-area school districts.
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John Gallagher
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Brian Yeakley
Tenor
Brian Ross Yeakley is a Houston, Texas based tenor and teacher originally from Wichita, Kansas. After a long road of applied vocal music education from Wichita State University (Bachelors 2012) and University of Houston (Masters 2014, Artist Diploma 2020), Yeakley is proud to call Houston his home base.
Yeakley attended training programs from Florence, Italy (2011) through various high profile United States young artist programs, all the while having professional guest artist contracts in between. Notably among programs attended include Wolf Trap Opera (2013); Glimmerglass Opera Festival (2014); Opera Saratoga (2015); Virginia Opera (2016-2017). After consecutive travelling work in these years, Yeakley decided to create a home base in Houston, Texas and begin his establishing roots with his own local opera company (Operativo Houston est. 2016-present) and began professional contracts in more regional companies and orchestras. Highlights include Houston Grand Opera’s HGOco (2014-2015); Bach Society Houston (2016); Houston Symphony (2016); Austin Symphony (2017); Opera in the Heights (2017-2018); Austin Opera (2018).
Due to the pandemic, Yeakley has had work rescheduled or cancelled from Moores Opera Center; Operativo’s Cendrillon as Production Manager; San Antonio Opera debut; Opera Saratoga. Yeakley is optomistic the Houston performing arts scene will pull through in this trying time.
Yeakley attended training programs from Florence, Italy (2011) through various high profile United States young artist programs, all the while having professional guest artist contracts in between. Notably among programs attended include Wolf Trap Opera (2013); Glimmerglass Opera Festival (2014); Opera Saratoga (2015); Virginia Opera (2016-2017). After consecutive travelling work in these years, Yeakley decided to create a home base in Houston, Texas and begin his establishing roots with his own local opera company (Operativo Houston est. 2016-present) and began professional contracts in more regional companies and orchestras. Highlights include Houston Grand Opera’s HGOco (2014-2015); Bach Society Houston (2016); Houston Symphony (2016); Austin Symphony (2017); Opera in the Heights (2017-2018); Austin Opera (2018).
Due to the pandemic, Yeakley has had work rescheduled or cancelled from Moores Opera Center; Operativo’s Cendrillon as Production Manager; San Antonio Opera debut; Opera Saratoga. Yeakley is optomistic the Houston performing arts scene will pull through in this trying time.
Erin McDaniels
Soprano
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Erin McDaniels received her Masters of Music in Voice Performance and Pedagogy from Penn State University in 2019. She relocated to Houston this summer, and is excited to get involved in the rich musical culture in Texas! Ms. McDaniels is looking forward to the opportunity to nurture and develop students’ creativity and musicality at Shadow Creek.
Ms. McDaniels has been teaching private voice and piano lessons for over 5 years. Her students have varied from country singers in the heart of Nashville, to singers performing leading roles in operas, to pop singers preparing for callbacks of NBC’s The Voice. At Penn State, Ms. McDaniels did extensive work developing her cross-training teaching technique. She worked with students from all disciplines and trained her singers to be proficient in multiple vocal styles, including classical, musical theatre, jazz, and pop. In addition to teaching, Ms. McDaniels has a rich performance career. From the rich lyricism of Gilbert and Sullivan’s Iolanthe (Iolanthe) to the fiery coloratura of Mozart’s Fiordiligi (Cosi fan tutte), Ms. McDaniels has performed a variety of vocal styles. In addition to performing roles from the standard operatic repertoire, she enjoys working with living composers, and has premiered lead roles in two operas. She also has experience in musical theatre and has performed roles ranging from the saucy Desiree (A Little Night Music) to the respectable Sarah Brown (Guys and Dolls). Additionally, she works as a church soloist and has performed in many cantatas and oratorios. |
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