Milton Community Concerts
at First Parish
Celebrating Asian Composers and Performers: An AAPI Concert
Saturday, May 9th
On Saturday, May 9th from 2-9pm Milton Community Concerts presents a family-friendly come-and-go-as-you-please free benefit concert: “Celebrating Asian Composers and Performers: An AAPI Concert”. This event will take place in the historic Meetinghouse at First Parish of Milton, 535 Canton Avenue in Milton (accessible venue). Admission is free, and donations will be accepted to support the Asian Community Fund at the Boston Foundation.
In recognition of AAPI (Asian American and Pacific Islander) Heritage Month, this concert will feature more than 25 outstanding classically-trained Asian musicians who will perform a wide variety of music written by Asian composers. Also included in the program will be virtuosic showpieces by Western composers which highlight the unique talents of these performers. The featured singers and instrumentalists include natives of Japan, Korea, China, India, Sri Lanka, Philippines, and Buryat.
All are invited to enjoy the music beginning at 2:00pm that afternoon. From 5:00-6:00pm will be a dinner break, with food available for purchase in the Parish Hall. The program will resume at 6:00pm and finish around 9:00pm. Audience members may come and go at any time during breaks in the program. The format of the concert will be very informal, and all family members are welcome to attend.
Concert Program
Artist Headshots and Bios
Soprano Autumn Kaeul Ahn is a coloratura soprano from Seoul, South Korea, currently pursuing a Graduate Diploma at NEC, where she studies with Carole Haber. She holds both her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from Yonsei University, graduating at the top of her class.
She made her professional operatic debut in Korea in 2018 and has since developed an active performance career. In 2020, she was selected as Young Artist of the Year, and performed at the Seoul Arts Center. She is also a member of the ARKO Ensemble under the Arts Council Korea. Recent operatic roles include Despina in Così fan tutte, Tina in Flight, and Valentina in Later the same evening.
Praised for her “dusky instrument” and hailed as “impeccable,” mezzo-soprano Tahanee Aluwihare is known for her distinctive vocal timbre and magnetic stage presence. A native of Sri Lanka, she made her professional debut at seventeen with the Symphony Orchestra of Sri Lanka and has since performed across Asia, Europe, and North America. 2
026/2027 marks an exciting milestone, as she takes on two of Verdi's most celebrated mezzo soprano roles, Amneris in Aïda and Eboli in Don Carlos, at North American companies this season.
In 2025, she returned to Opera Idaho as Flora in La Traviata and joined Resonance Works as Giovanna Seymour in Anna Bolena, earning praise as "mesmerizing" (OnStage Pittsburgh).
At the start of the 2022-2023 season, she debuted with Opera San Jose as Marcellina in Le Nozze di Figaro. She returned to Boston Camerata to play the title role of Dido in Dido and Aeneas, receiving acclaim for her portrayal which “richly embodied the internal struggles of a smitten monarch wrestling against fate” (The Arts Fuse). She subsequently returned to Opera Idaho as Ježibaba for their lauded production of Rusalka, and revisited the title role in Holst’s opera Savitri with Cambridge Chamber Ensemble after her “exquisite poetic and dramatic singing” (The Boston Musical Intelligencer) in previous performances of the role.
In the 2023-2024 season, she made her debut with Teatro Grattacielo in New York City, as La Gran Vestale in La Vestale, in celebration of Maria Callas’ 100th centennial.
In previous seasons, Ms. Aluwihare has worked with Opera Memphis, Charlottesville Opera, Tri-Cities Opera, Opera Idaho, and City Lyric Opera, among others.
Aretha Angcao holds a Bachelor’s degree in Vocal Performance and a second Bachelor’s degree in Speech Communication from the University of the Philippines. She furthered her education by obtaining her master’s degree in Vocal Performance from the Elisabeth University of Music in Hiroshima, Japan.
In 2010, Aretha won first prize in the Kundiman Filipino Art Song Competition, sponsored by the Cultural Center of the Philippines. Additionally, in 2018, Aretha secured third place in the Opera Category (Age U) of the 19th Osaka International Music Competition held at the Takatsuki Gendai Hall in Osaka, Japan. Her active involvement with the Filipino-Japanese community in Japan earned her recognition as one of the outstanding Filipinos by the Philippine Consulate in Nagoya in 2023.
She has recently played the roles of Laurentia in the opera The Beautiful Bridegroom (Dan Shore), Second Blade in The Bayou Legend (William Grant Still), and Fourth Spirit in the French opera Cendrillon (Jules Massenet). Aretha is currently enrolled at the Longy School of Music in the GPD in Vocal Performance program.
Lyric tenor Kartik Ayysola is quickly establishing himself as a skilled and expressive performer in the Greater Boston Area. This season, he will be singing the roles of Brighella in Ariadne auf Naxos with Lowell House Opera, Alfred in Die Fledermaus with Opera51, and Alferes, Gobernadorcillo, and Suitor 3 in Noli Me Tangere with Opera Brittenica. He has also been seen as Borsa in Rigoletto, Don Basilio and Don Curzio in Le Nozze di Figaro , as well as Monostatos, Zweiter Priester, and Erster Geharnischter Mann in Die Zauberflöte. He was also the tenor soloist in Saint-Saëns Oratorio de Noël this past December with the Philharmonic Society of Arlington. He currently holds the Master of Music degree from Boston University, studying with Jerrold Pope, as well as the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, studying with Joseph Baunoch.
Xingchi Dong, a baritone from Gansu, China, is a second-year master’s student at the New England Conservatory of Music, studying with Professor Maryann McCormick.
Wen Gu is a lyric soprano from Shanghai, China, currently based in Chelmsford, MA. She holds a Master of Music degree in Vocal Performance from Longy School of Music of Bard College.
In 2019, Wen appeared as a soloist at the Cremona International Music Festival in Italy and was awarded Second Prize for Best Debussy Performance at the Great Composers Competition. In 2020, she received Third Prize for Best Mozart Performance from the same competition.
In 2021, Wen was a Young Artist with Chicago Summer Opera, where she performed the role of Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni. Her operatic repertoire also includes Lucio Cinna (Lucio Sulla), Zweite Mädchen/Zweite Zofe (Der Zwerg), Rosalinde (Die Fledermaus), Contessa (Le nozze di Figaro), and Carolina (Il matrimonio segreto).
In 2024, Wen performed Donna Anna in the Act I Finale from Don Giovanni at Longy’s La Voce Totale, appeared as a cover for the roles of Rusalka and Madama Butterfly in MassOpera’s Mirror Cabaret, and was featured as soprano soloist in Beethoven’s Mass in C. She also presented her recital program All the Souls I Shared.
In 2025, Wen provided the Chinese supertitle translation for Handel’s Alcina with MassOpera, expanding her artistic profile into cross-cultural collaboration.
In March 2026, she presented her recital program A Duet of Voices, showcasing a thoughtfully mirrored selection of Chinese art songs and Western repertoire, highlighting cross-cultural resonance.
Wen continues to develop her career through performance, competition, and collaborative projects in both opera and art song repertoire.
Hyojeong Ham is a versatile collaborative pianist and artistic mentor, celebrated for her lyrical sensitivity and poetic expression. Beginning in her teens, she accompanied award-winning choirs at international festivals. She has served as principal pianist for the Andong and Yongin Civic Choirs in South Korea, engaging audiences through both professional concerts and community performances. Separately, she has performed full operas including Le nozze di Figaro, Il barbiere di Siviglia, Carmen, Madama Butterfly, Street Scene, and L’incoronazione di Poppea. Expanding her work in the U.S., she toured South Texas with Opera San Antonio, was named a CLA France Artist, and served as vocal collaborative pianist and Opera Scene Music Director at Interlochen Summer Institute. She is pursuing a Graduate Diploma in Collaborative Piano (Vocal Specialization) at NEC under Cameron Stowe and Joel Ayau, where she collaborates with Symphonic Choir, and Prep Vocal Theater Lab.
Seo Hee Hong, a South Korean pianist trained in both Korea and Germany, is a prizewinner of several international competitions in Germany and Italy, including the Musical Fireworks Competition in Baden Württemberg and the Euterpe International Competition. She has appeared at major venues across Korea and Europe, including the Seoul Arts Center, Kumho Art Hall Yonsei, and the Musical Instrument Museum in Berlin. She received her early musical training at Yewon School and Seoul Arts High School in Korea before continuing her studies in Germany. She earned her Diplom in Piano Performance from the Berlin University of the Arts, where she later completed Master’s degrees in Piano Performance, Chamber Music, and Lied Accompaniment. She also completed the Konzertexamen at the University of Music Trossingen in Germany. From 2021 to 2025, while based in Korea, she was actively engaged in teaching, including work with Gachon University and several leading arts schools such as Sunhwa Arts School, Kaywon High School of the Arts, and Incheon Arts High School. As a recent resident of Boston, Massachusetts, she looks forward to deepening her engagement with the Boston music community
Tenor Xiaofeng Hou, a graduate of the New England Conservatory, is a 2026 Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition Western Region Encouragement Award winner. His operatic experience includes roles such as Tamino (Die Zauberflöte), Basilio and Curzio (Le nozze di Figaro), and the Prince (Rusalka), as well as covering Nemorino (L'elisir d'amore). His upcoming engagements include serving as a Studio Artist at Wolf Trap Opera and beginning his Artist Diploma in Opera Performance at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music this September, where he will perform the role of Rodolfo in La bohème.
Hailed as a “Heavenly Voice” by Sing Tao Daily, soprano Jingyi Huang is a soloist, opera singer, and voice teacher in classical music.
As an opera singer, Ms. Huang has played the critical roles in many operas, including the leading role of Madame Goldentrill in Mozart’s “The Impresario”, Olympia in Offenbach’s “The Tales of Hoffmann”, Countess Maritza in Hungarian composer Emmerich Kalman’s operetta “Countess Maritza” and Yang Yisow in the Chinese opera “Jiang Jie” with the Shanghai Opera House. Prior to these roles, Ms. Huang had also participated in many operas with the China Philharmonic Orchestra, the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra, and the Hong Kong Symphony Orchestra. In addition to her opera performances, Ms. Huang was a soloist performing in the Leonard Bernstein Centennial Concert in the Natick Art Center of Boston. She also appeared at the concert featuring winners of the American Protégé International Vocal Competition at Carnegie Hall in New York and the concert highlighting winners of the New York Golden Classical Music Award International Competition at Carnegie Hall in New York. Ms. Huang has attained accolades in many music competitions. In 2019, she won first prize in the New York Golden Classical Music Award International Competition, the Salzburg International Music Competition, and the Amsterdam International Grand Prize Virtuoso Competition. And she received second prize in Worcester Music Competition (vocal group).
While active in singing performances, Ms. Huang has also actively dedicated herself to vocal music education. She founded her own vocal studio in Boston in 2019. In recent years, her students have won awards multiple times in both US and international competitions. In 2020, Ms. Huang and her husband Bingchuan Wan co-founded New World Opera LLC. In Massachusetts. December 2020, she became the member of board of Boston Brookline Chinese School. Born in Chengdu, China, Ms. Huang received her master’s degree in vocal performance and Graduate Performance Diploma in Opera from Longy School of Music of College. She is a graduate of Shanghai Conservatory of Music with a master’s degree in vocal performance granted in 2009. In China, Ms. Huang was an opera singer with the Shanghai Opera House and China National Opera and Dance Drama Theatre. Due to her outstanding personal artistic achievement, she received reports and interviews from Sing Tao Daily, World Journal and Yangtze Evening News, and many media reprinted her reports, such as Sina, Yahoo, Sohu and Tencent etc.
Marina Khankhalaeva, mezzo-soprano, studied opera singing at St.Petersburg State Conservatory and at the Academy of Young Singers of the Mariinsky Theatre in St.Petersburg, Russia. She has been a soloist in Buriatiya State Opera and Ballet Theatre. She has also been a soloist in the Ensemble “Rozhdestvo” at Petersburg-Concert and participated in international competitions. Marina earned her graduate degree from the Southern Methodist University in Dallas, TX.
Korean soprano Naré Kim, acclaimed for her “highly expressive phrasing” and “shimmering warmth of sound,” has appeared with NEMPAC Opera Project, MassOpera, Boston Singers’ Resource, Greater Worcester Opera, Cambridge Chamber Ensemble, Boston Opera Collaborative, Opera NEO, San Diego Opera, Seoul Metropolitan Opera, Korea National Opera, etc. Her recent roles include Morgana in Alcina, Sidonie in Armide, Zerlina in Don Giovanni, Hanna in Die lustige Witwe, Musetta in La bohème, and Night in The Fairy Queen.
Naré holds both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Vocal Performance from Seoul National University and was an Apprenticeship Artist with the San Diego Opera’s Young Artist Program. She is the first prize winner of the La Jolla Symphony Young Artist Competition and second prize winner of the Virginia Hawk Competition. Equally at home on the stage and the podium, Naré is a devoted conductor and ensemble leader, shaping performances with sincerity, artistry, and beauty.
Ji Yung Lee, hailed by Gramophone for her “beautiful playing” and “intimate internal dialogues,” is a versatile pianist and the 2nd Prize and Special Award winner of the Salieri-Zinetti International Chamber Music Competition in Italy. She has appeared at Alice Tully Hall, Carnegie Weill Hall, and the John F. Kennedy Center. She is currently a faculty member at New England Conservatory as an opera coach. She also serves as a music staff member at Boston Lyric Opera, where in March 2025 she received special recognition in The Boston Globe for stepping in on minutes’ notice to conduct the world-premiere production of The Seasons from the harpsichord after the music director was unexpectedly unavailable. Other recent highlights include serving as coach for Daughter of the Regiment at Boston Lyric Opera and choral pianist for Vanessa at Boston Symphony Orchestra and Tosca at Tanglewood, appearances in the Schubert Club, Rockport Chamber Music Festival, Harriman-Jewell Series as well as a video production for Tonebase with cellist Laurence Lesser and WQXR Concert with tenor Stephen Costello. Lee has collaborated with Victory Hall Opera, Boston Arts Song Society, and Juilliard Drama. She has participated as a vocal piano fellow at Music Academy of the West, Aspen Music Festival and School, SongFest, and Hawaii Performing Arts Festival and as a conducting fellow at Pehlivanian Opera Academy. Lee earned her Bachelor’s Degree from Yonsei University, Master’s Degree with academic honors from New England Conservatory, and Graduate Diploma from The Juilliard School.
Lani Lee, mezzo-soprano, is a PhD student in Mechanical Engineering researching cell mechanics in the group of Prof. Ming Guo. As an Emerson/Harris Fellow in MIT Music, she studies classical voice with Dr. Kerry Deal, Professor of Voice at Boston Conservatory at Berklee. Lani minored in Music at MIT and was featured as a soloist for Beethoven’s Mass in C Major and J.S. Bach’s Magnificat, Lutheran Mass in A Major, BWV 234, and Weinen, Klagen, Sorgen, Zagen, BWV 12. Outside of MIT, she sings with the Tanglewood Festival Chorus and writes occasional concert critique pieces for the Boston Classical Review. Lani was a founding member of Pocket Opera Productions (now Pico Opera), where she sang in concert performances of Rossini’s La Cenerentola as Tisbe and Verdi’s Rigoletto as Maddalena. Outside of music, she enjoys hikes, activities involving water in any state of matter (SCUBA, sailing, ice skating, skiing), fermented goods (kimchi, kombucha, sourdough), and food (baking, cooking, eating).
Feier Meng is a coloratura lyric soprano whose work bridges dramatic expression and musical refinement. Now in her second year of graduate studies at the New England Conservatory of Music, she has performed roles such as Nella in Gianni Schicchi, demonstrating a strong affinity for Italian opera and early repertoire. She continues to shape her artistic identity through a diverse repertoire and a deep commitment to storytelling in music.
Soprano Yoojin Oh, a native of Seoul, South Korea, is a powerful and expressive singer known for her rich tone and captivating stage presence. She is currently completing her Master’s degree at the New England Conservatory under the guidance of Carole Haber. A First Prize winner of the Music Journal Competition, she has also been featured as a New Year Young Artist at Yongsan Art Hall. During her studies, she received intensive training in Italy, including masterclasses with renowned artists. At NEC, her roles include Susanna, Gianetta in L’elisir d’amore, and performances of Handel arias.
Japanese bass Daiki Okuaki is a distinguished rising artist, recognized by the famously Italian bass singer Carlo Colombara as a rare talent in his voice. A top-tier graduate of Musashino Academia Musicae, Okuaki made history as the first bass to prize at the 19th Tokyo Music Competition. His accolades also include first prizes at the 2nd and 3rd Russian Vocal Music Competitions and multiple finalist placements at the Music Competition of Japan. His artistic development was shaped by a full scholarship at the Tokyo International Vocal Art Academy (2021–2025) under Howard Watkins and Jorge Parodi. In 2024, recommended by stage director Joshua Major, Okuaki moved to Boston to expand his international career and is currently studying at the Longy School of Music, Okuaki has been engaged by the Boston Lyric Opera for the 2026–27 chorus positions season. He continues to refine his craft under the tutelage of Tyler Reece and Carlos Conde, bridging his Japanese roots with the American operatic stage.
Chinese tenor Haoyu Song is currently pursuing his master's degree at the Longy School of Music of Bard College. A versatile performer, Mr. Song recently collaborated with Opera Vermont in their production of William Grant Still’s A Bayou Legend. In May 2026, he will take the stage at Pickman Hall to perform the title role in Mozart’s masterpiece Idomeneo. Beyond the operatic stage, Haoyu is a dedicated explorer of global vocal traditions, with a particular passion for performing folk songs from diverse cultures around the world.
Timothy Steele is an active vocal coach, collaborative pianist, and conductor, and is currently in his thirty-fifth year on the opera faculty at New England Conservatory. He has conducted for outreach tours with the Boston Lyric Opera (more than 200 performances for school children) and is a former music director for Opera Providence. He has served as conductor/pianist for more than 225 operatic productions with 33 companies, including Opera Theatre of St. Louis, Boston Lyric Opera, Boston Symphony Orchestra, Wolf Trap Opera, Central City Opera, and Opera Maine. For workshops and rehearsals he assisted with the Pulitzer Prize-winning opera MADAME WHITE SNAKE in productions in Boston and Taiwan.
He has played for thousands of opera auditions and competitions, assisted as recording producer for two award-winning recordings, and as a vocal coach has worked with both young singers and seasoned professionals. He is currently the producer of Milton Community Concerts and is the music director/organist at historic First Parish Church in Milton, MA. In Boston he has performed with Emmanuel Music (where he played for a decade of weekly Bach cantatas), the Handel and Haydn Society, and the Commonwealth Shakespeare Company, among others.
A native of Des Moines, Iowa, Timothy received his Bachelor of Music from Drake University and a Master of Music from the University of Southern California, where he studied collaborative piano with Gwendolyn Koldofsky.
Jingmeng Su
Undergraduate studies were completed at the Central Conservatory of Music, majoring in Vocal Performance and Opera under the guidance of bass singer Prof. Yue Liu. Currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Vocal Performance at the New England Conservatory, studying with soprano Carole Haber.
Performance experience includes productions of La bohème and Così fan tutte at the Central Conservatory of Music, the faculty concert production of Yellow River Cantata, and the 8th Beijing Youth Arts Festival “Pure Sound Project.”
Awards include First Prize and a Special Award at the Vivaldi International Music Competition.
At the New England Conservatory, appearances include Opera Scenes, a production featuring works by Handel and Shakespeare, and opera productions of Rusalka (Sister and the Prince’s Sister) and Le nozze di Figaro (Barbarina).
Shion Suzuki is a Boston-based Japanese flutist recognized for her expressive artistry and dedication to both classical and contemporary repertoire. A graduate of Tokyo College of Music, she earned a Graduate Performance Diploma and a Professional Studies Certificate in Contemporary Music from the Boston Conservatory at Berklee, studying under Ann Bobo and Sarah Brady.
Shion has won top prizes at the New York Classical Competition and the All-Japan Student Music Competition. Following her debut at the 2025 International Computer Music Conference, she has become increasingly active in the electroacoustic music scene. As an international performer and educator, she recently led masterclasses in Ecuador and continues to lead the Japan-based Flute Quartet SORA.
Bingchuan Wan President of New World Opera LLC, Principal of New World Music & Dance School, Opera singer and Vocal Coach As an opera performer, Mr. Wan has played significant roles in many renowned operas, including Ah Hei Ge in Ashima, the Angel in Mozart’s The Impresario, Hoffmann in Offenbach’s The Tales of Hoffmann, Count Tassilo in Hungarian composer Emmerich Kálmán’s operetta Countess Maritza, and Ah Niu Ge in the Chinese opera Liu Sanjie. Prior to these roles, Mr. Wan collaborated with prestigious orchestras such as the China Philharmonic Orchestra, the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra, and the China National Opera House Symphony Orchestra, participating in numerous opera productions. In addition to his opera performances, from 2018 to 2024, Mr. Wan successfully held many concerts, transitioning from Zoom virtual performances to live events. He has also been a soloist in many notable concerts, including the 2022 Nara Park New World Opera Music Gala, the concert celebrating the 40th anniversary of China-U.S. diplomatic relations, the “Cheers for the Motherland” concert at Jordan Hall in New England Conservatory, the Winner’s Concert at Carnegie Hall in New York and the Zigen Foundation Charity Concert, 2025 Global Talent Show Lincoln Center Concert.
In addition to his active performing career, Mr. Wan is devoted to vocal education. In 2018, he established his own vocal studio in Boston. In 2020, he co-founded New World Opera LLC in Massachusetts with his wife, soprano Jingyi Huang. He has hosted vocal masterclasses and monthly live-streamed vocal seminars, reaching vocal enthusiasts across Massachusetts and North America. Mr. Wan has also served as a vocal judge for several prestigious competitions, including the U.S. Golden Peony Art Festival International Music Competition, New York Global Elite Talent Show, and The Voice of China New York Regional Competition. Additionally, Mr. Wan is actively involved in community activities. He has served as the Vocal Director for the Boston Regional Miss International Fashion Tourism competition and as the Principal of the Brookline Chinese School in Boston. Due to his remarkable personal achievements and contributions to community music development, his story has been featured by major media such as Sing Dao Daily, World Journal, Yahoo, Tencent, and Sina.
With extensive training in the arts and sciences alike, William Wang maintains dual careers in music and technology. As a pianist, he is a prizewinner of competitions such as the US Open Music Competition and East Bay Music Festival, and has performed with the Boston Pops and UC Berkeley Symphony Orchestra. He has further engaged with the community through performances at venues such as assisted living centers, fundraisers, and school commencements, and is currently a staff collaborative pianist at MIT. Additionally, William works on patent law technology as a machine learning researcher at the MIT-born startup, Thinkstruct. He holds a PhD from MIT in computer science and bachelor's degrees from UC Berkeley in computer science and statistics.
Tenor David Won is a popular recitalist and concert singer based in the Greater Boston area. He has performed around USA as well as the world, including Dominican Republic, Italy, Malta, Romania, South Korea, Taiwan, Ukraine, etc.
He has collaborated with many performers like Maria Lyudko, sop, Dominika Zamara, sop, Jason Camilleri, trumpet, Milica Lawrence, piano, etc.
Over the years he has also collaborated with many living composers like Darya Afanasieva of Myrnohrad, Donetsk region, Ukraine, Sonja Beets of France, Bartolomeo Cosenza of Italy, Mark Hayes of Kansas City, MO, Konstancja Kochaniac of Poland, Carol Koffinke of Pembroke, MA, Dr. Hyun Kook of South Korea, Stefan Shema of France, Lina Tonia of Greece, etc.
In 2013 he was a featured soloist in the Great Mass in C Minor by Mozart with Chorus pro Musica and the New England Philharmonic, under the direction of Dr. Betsy Burleigh. He was a featured soloist at the 9/11 memorial service in 2015 at the Massachusetts Statehouse. Since December of 2014 he has coached regularly with Timothy Steele and has performed around 215 full recitals.
Tenor David Won entered Seoul Theological Seminary to study Church Music in 1980, then transferred to Seattle Pacific University, where he received a BA in religion, 1983. In 1986 he received a Master of Divinity from Asbury Theological Seminary, and in 1993 a Master of Theological Studies from Harvard Divinity School. He has always been deeply involved in music, particularly choral music. He has sung with Soong Sil OB Chorus, Korea Broadcasting Station Chorus, Harvard Glee Club, Church of the Advent of Boston under the direction of Dr. Edith Ho (to whose musicianship he is deeply indebted), and Chorus pro Musica of Boston. With these groups he has sung as a chorister and as a soloist.
He would like to offer a special thanks to Mr. Young Jun Kim, his first voice teacher of nearly 50 years ago. During a very difficult time in Davis's life he provided encouragement and was kind, generous, genius, and hilarious.
His first CD, “Only Love” featuring Pascal Szymczak’s works was released in December of 2017, and his second CD “Languages of Love” in February of 2018.
Simeng Wu (Chinese: 吴偲盟; pinyin: Wú Sī Méng) is a Chinese operatic soprano known for her passionate and resonant performances. She was the Gold Award recipient at the 7th International Chinese Vocal Competition in 2018 and was named a semifinalist in the Classical Singer Vocal Competition in 2025. Since 2023, she has been a proud member of Boston Lyric Opera.
Born and raised in Shenyang, China, Simeng developed a love for opera at the age of 17. She earned a Bachelor’s degree in Vocal Performance from the Shenyang Conservatory of Music and a Master’s degree in Opera from the Longy School of Music. In May 2025, she received her second Master’s degree in Management from Harvard University Extension School.
Her lyric coloratura soprano voice has a wide repertoire that spans Chinese, English, Italian, German, and French repertoire. Beyond her singing career, she is also a traditional Chinese dancer, international Latin dancer, actor, and avid scuba diver. Through her venture Simeng Wu Music, she brings cross-cultural artistry to life.
Yumeng Xing is a soprano from Beijing, China, currently pursuing a Master of Music degree at the New England Conservatory in Boston, where she also received her Bachelor of Music degree. She studies with MaryAnn McCormick. Her early music performances include solo repertoire by George Frideric Handel, Josquin des Prez, and Henry Purcell, and she appears as a soprano soloist in Dixit Dominus. Her recent operatic performances include Juliette in Roméo et Juliette and Angelica in Orlando. Her roles also include Susanna in Le nozze di Figaro, Lauretta in Gianni Schicchi, Belinda in Dido and Aeneas, and Frasquita in Carmen. From 2023 to 2025, she presented a series of solo recitals in China and made her Italian debut in 2025. She is currently based in Boston.
Juanlin Yang, soprano, born in Sichuan, China in 2002, graduated in 2024 from the Central Conservatory of Music with a bachelor degree in Music Education. She is currently continuing her master degree in vocal performance at the New England Conservatory under the guidance of Jane Eaglen. Her operatic roles include Lauretta/La Ciesca in Gianni Schicchi; Rusalka’s sister in Rusalka. In addition to her performance area, she serves as the choral conductor of the Peking University Boston Alumni Choir.
Noriko Yasuda began her career in Osaka Japan as an accompanist with the Osaka Philharmonic Orchestra and Osaka College of Music Opera House. In that capacity, she worked with Seiji Ozawa, Toru Takemitsu, Luciano Pavarotti, Kiri Te Kanawa, and Alfred Kraus, among others.
An active vocal coach and accompanist in the Boston area, she has worked with Boston Lyric Opera, Boston Baroque, Handel and Haydn Society, Emmanuel Music, Chorus Pro Musica, New England String Ensemble, and La Donna Musicale. Her credits as opera continuo are “Le Nozze di Figaro”, “Don Giovanni”, “Cosi Fan Tutte” , “Il Barbiere di Siviglia”, “La Cenerentola” , “Orontea”,“Alcina”, “Xerxes” and “Dido and Aeneas”.
Currently, she is a member of the faculty at the Longy School of Music of Bard College. She is the principal coach at Opera North, NH. In 2009 she received the George Seaman Excellence in Teaching Award from Longy School of Music of Bard College.