ArtsBridge

FACULTY FRIDAY: Meet Kevin Wilson, faculty for ArtsBridge Summer Classical & Contemporary Vocal Performance!

Kevin Wilson joined the Wanda Bass School of Music at Oklahoma City University in the Fall of 2024 after spending 16 years as a Professor of Voice and Director of Vocal Pedagogy at the Boston Conservatory. While at the conservatory, he established the Master of Music degree in Vocal Pedagogy, the Master of Fine Arts degree in Musical Theatre Vocal Pedagogy, and the annual Vocal Pedagogy Professional Workshop.

Mr. Wilson travels the world as a clinician, adjudicator, and lecturer, giving masterclasses on vocal health, musical theater, and classical pedagogies. He often presents Securing Belt, Mix, and Legit for Musical Theatre, Foundations of Voice Teaching, and Navigating the Filter, which all teach how to prepare students to make vocal adjustments for a variety of singing opportunities from Classical Voice to Contemporary Musical Theater. He has conducted masterclasses and guest lectures at several prestigious institutions, including the San Francisco Conservatory, New York University, New England Conservatory, Mannes, Columbia University, University of Miami, Arizona State University, University of Southern California, Brown University, and Harvard University. He has presented at the National Association for Teachers of Singing (NATS), the Voice Foundation, the Pan-European Voice Conference, and the Southwest American Choral Directors Association. In addition to his teaching activities, Mr. Wilson serves as the Vice President for Workshops with the NATS National Board of Directors.

Mr. Wilson holds a Master of Music in Vocal Pedagogy from the New England Conservatory and a Bachelor of Music in Voice from the University of Central Oklahoma. He has pursued additional studies in voice at the University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory and in vocal anatomy and physiology at Boston University Sargent School of Health. He has studied voice and speech with Kristin Linklater and Catherine Fitzmaurice. He maintains private voice studios in Oklahoma City and New York City.

FACULTY FEATURE: Meet Melissa Foster, faculty for ArtsBridge Summer Contemporary Vocal Performance & Musical Theater!

Melissa Foster is an educator, voice specialist, theatre artist, researcher, and speaker. As a voice teacher, she specializes in musical theatre, pop styles, the history and performance of hip-hop, and opera/musical theatre crossover. Her scholarly book project, The Scenario: Hip-Hop History and Performance Techniques for Musical Theatre, examines the pathway into hip-hop performance with historical and cultural awareness, vocal health, and authenticity. She is also working on a project titled “The Message,” which discusses hip-hop’s history and its profound influence on contemporary pop culture. Masterclasses/invited talks have occurred at Temple University, Samford University, University of Notre Dame, The National Association of Teachers of Singing National Conference, Shenandoah University, Carthage College, North Central College, and Palo Alto Voice Institute. Additionally, she taught a masterclass on vocal technique alongside Renee Fleming at the Lyric Opera of Chicago. Internationally, Foster is a Visiting Artist and Master Technician for a coalition of institutions and universities in Xi’an, China, Guangzhou, China, and Hong Kong.

FACULTY FRIDAY: Meet Salvatore Champagne, faculty for ArtsBridge Summer Classical Vocal Performance!

Salvatore Champagne’s singing career began in 1988 when he was chosen to be the tenor soloist in a European tour of Leonard Bernstein's Songfest conducted by the composer. Immediately thereafter, he joined the ensemble of the Badisches Staatstheater in Karlsruhe, Germany, appearing in a wide range of leading tenor roles. For the next ten years he was engaged as guest artist in many of Europe’s finest opera houses and concert halls.

He is a much-sought-after voice instructor and appears throughout the country giving master classes and seminars. Champagne’s students have won many prestigious competitions, including the Metropolitan Opera Council auditions, and appear regularly with premiere performing organizations throughout the United States and abroad.