Gateway Classical Music Society

Ida Angland, Artistic Director and Conductor, is dedicated to providing opportunities for artists on the rise and reconnecting audiences to great masterworks through Gateway’s performances designed to achieve impact and intimacy. Gateway’s Great Works of Art performances with full orchestra have received enthusiastic response by audiences in Connecticut and New York and have been described in reviews as “thrilling,” “compelling” “a revelation” “unforgettable,” and “amazing.” Ida Angland has been characterized as having “inner genius,” “flair,” “idealism,” and “grit.” Ms Angland became an apprentice conductor with the New York Grand Opera in 2001. In 2002, she became the Director of The New York Grand Opera Chorus and assistant-conducted numerous operas as well as symphonic works, including such works as Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony. In her capacity as Director of the chorus, she organized regional choristers to participate with the New York Grand Opera Chorus in several concerts in Carnegie Hall. Ms Angland began her music training as a pianist. When she was 12 years old, she was the youngest of four contestants chosen by the National Federation of Music Clubs and the University of North Carolina as the state’s “most promising” musical talents. She continued her music training at the North Carolina School of the Arts, Peabody Conservatory and Indiana University studying with, among others, Konrad Wolff, Elaine Bonazzi and Margaret Harshaw. Ms Angland sang professionally as a soprano with regional opera companies. Other featured guest appearances have included the Metropolitan Museum of Art and WQXR.

Alina Kiryayeva, Pianist, has concertized internationally performing with the Kharkov State Philharmonic and State Opera Theatre Orchestras, The Imperial Valley Symphony orchestra and New York Symphonic Ensemble Orchestra as well as in chamber ensembles in Weill Hall, Morse Recital Hall, Maiden Lane Concert Series, the Concerto Takes Manhattan Series at Yamaha Hall, Young Artist Concert Series in Bergenfield, NJ and the Concert Series at Jefferson’a Ferry, NY. Ms Kiryayeva has been the recipient of numerous awards that include the First Prize in the Senigallia International Competition, Italy, the Grace Welsh International Competition and the California Young Artist International Competition. She was honored by the Ukrainian President, Leonid Kravchuk, with the State Award for Achievements in Arts. She has also been awarded the Fannie Gottlieb-Harkavi Scholarship and Susan Rose Piano Scholarship. The 2009 benefit concerts will mark her debut appearances with Gateway Classical Music Society.

Nicholas Szucs, Violinist, has worked with symphonies all over the United States, including Dallas Opera, Shreveport Symphony, Key West Symphony, Albany Symphony, Syracuse Symphony and Roanoke Symphony. He served as concertmaster for the Fort Smith Symphony, East Texas Symphony, Garland Symphony, and Monmouth Symphony. In 2005 he participated in the Festival Orchestra in Jimena de la Frontera, Spain. In the summer of 2006 and 2007, Mr. Scuzs performed in the Wintergreen Summer Music Festival Orchestra. In addition to his career as a symphonic violinist, Mr. Szucs also performs regularly as a recitalist and soloist. In January 2007 he performed a complete unaccompanied solo recital at Wesley Hall in Montgomery, NY, which included works by Bach, Ysaÿe and Paganini. During the 2005-2006 season, Mr. Szucs accepted a position as concertmaster for the Greater Newburgh Symphony Orchestra and in the fall of 2007 performed the World Premiere of Steve Margoshes’ New Hungarian Rhapsody with the GNSO. He attended Manhattan School of Music and Montclair State University. In addition to being soloist with the Montclair State University Symphony, he performed as concertmaster and soloist with the Congress of Strings festival orchestra in its final year (1989) and as concertmaster and soloist for the Montclair Chamber Ensemble in the year of the orchestra’s inception (1990), and in 2003, returned as soloist. Mr. Scuzs has played as a member of the Gateway Orchestra and has been a featured artist for Gateway events on several occasions.

Vania Chan, Soprano, has been praised for her “sensitive musicianship”, “crystal-clear tone”, “commanding presence”, and “lovely effortless singing.” Operatic roles include, Flaminia in Haydn’s Il Mondo della Luna, Olympia in Offenbach’s Les Contes d’Hoffmann, The Widow in Argento’s The Boor, Lucy Willow in Kupferman’s In a Garden, Gretel in Humperdinck’s Hansel and Gretel, Susanna in Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro, Gismonda in Steffani’s Tassilone, Madame Herz in Mozart’s Der Schauspieldirektor, Blondchen inMozart’s Die Entführung aus dem Serail and Lucia in Britten’s The Rape of Lucretia. Ms Chan received the “City of Brandon Award” for best interpretation of the commissioned work at the 2008 Eckhardt-Gramatté Voice Competition in Brandon, Manitoba, which was broadcast on CBC Radio 2 (Canadian Broadcasting Company). Additionally, she was a finalist at the Christina and Louis Quilico Awards, and winner of the “Silver Tray” at the Toronto Kiwanis Music Festival and National Finalist at the Canadian Music Competition. Vania graduated Summa Cum Laude from York University in Canada and is currently earning her Master of Music degree at the Manhattan School of Music. The 2009 benefit concerts mark her debut appearances with Gateway Classical
Music Society.

Christina Rohm, Soprano, has been hailed for singing with "exquisite conviction and emotion" and her voice called "indescribable in its impact, beseechingly powerful, yet humbling and heartfelt." Ms. Rohm’s opera credits include Harriet Mosher in Emmeline with Dicapo Opera Theatre and Szeged National Theater (televised on Mezzo TV); Micaela in Carmen with Treasure Coast Opera Society, Inc.; Cio Cio San in Madama Butterfly with Opera Company of the Highlands and Dicapo Opera Theatre; Hanna Glawari in The Merry Widow with Pineda Lyric Opera Company; Marguerite in Faust with Regina Opera, One World Symphony, and Dicapo Opera Theatre; Nedda in Pagliacci with Rockland Opera and Riverside Opera; Mimi in La Bohème with Cantiamo Opera and New York Opera Singers Association; Rosalinda in Die Fledermaus with Little Opera Company of New Jersey and New York Metro Vocal Arts Ensemble. Other roles performed in New York include Leonora in Il Trovatore; the Countess in Le Nozze di Figaro; the Mother in Hansel and Gretel); Pamina in The Magic Flute; Vitelia in Clemenza di Tito; Claudia in Claudia Legare - New York stage premiere), Soprano in Opera Senza Rancor; Estrella in La Perichole, Mother in Passion and Alice Ford in Falstaff. Oratorio credits include the soprano solos in Beethoven's Missa Solemnis, Faure's Requiem, Mendelssohn's Elijah, and Handel's Messiah, simulcast on WMBI 90.1 FM in Chicago. Ms Rohm placed as a finalist with the Liederkranz Competition, Opera Division in 2008 as well as in 2006 and with the International Opera Singers Competition, CCO, in New York in 2005. Friday’s benefit concert will mark her debut appearance with Gateway Classical Music Society.

Sandra Schwarzhaupt, Mezzo-Soprano, has sung leading roles in New York and in Europe that include two roles in the Japanese opera En Saga, by Hirokazu Sugano performed in Merkin Hall in New York City as well as performances at the Musikverein in Vienna; the Accademia Santa Cecilia in Rome; the concert hall in Torino, and the Semper Opera in Dresden. She toured throughout Germany performing The Diary of Anne Frank and participated in the Young Artists' Program at Caramoor in 2008. This past spring, she was a guest artist with the Natchez Festival of Music. Ms Schwarzhaupt was awarded the prestigious Jugendförderpreis in Dresden for outstanding young artists and is featured in a recording of Mozart concert arias with the Salzburg Chamber Orchestra. The 2009 benefit concerts mark her debut appearances with Gateway Classical Music Society.

Ricardo Rosa, baritone, sang the role of Heraldo in Otello for Teatro de la Opera in San Juan, Puerto Rico. He also appeared in Madama Butterfly for Opera de Puerto Rico. Mr. Rosa performed in the world premiere of Roberto Milano’s opera The Queen’s Mirror as John the Baker and has appeared as the baritone soloist in several concerts in Puerto Rico, for, among others, the Anniversary Gala of Ballet Concierto de Puerto Rico, the Casals Festival and the Anniversary Gala of the University of Puerto Rico choir. Mr. Rosa’s musical education took place at the Escuela Libre de Musica Antonio Paoli where he studied clarinet. He later studied voice at the Conservatory of Puerto Rico with Justino Diaz. Mr. Rosa debuted with the roles of Morales and El Dancairo in Gateway Classical Music Society’s Carmen performances. He has been a featured soloist in Gateway’s Highlights concerts and special events and performed the role of Monterone in Gateway’s performances of Rigoletto in May 2007. A review of that performance stated Mr. Rosa a “powerful Monterone,” and that his “Maledetto” was “ bone-chilling” and “hair-raising.”

Eric Keller, bass baritone, studied at the St. Petersburg State Conservatoire (Russia) and at the Internationales Opernstudio at Opernhaus Zurich (Switzerland). At Opernhaus Zurich, Mr. Keller performed the roles of Budd in Albert Herring, Troubadour in Benvenuto Cellini and Grande di Spagna in Don Carlos. At Staatstheater Nurnberg (Germany) Mr. Keller sang the roles of Luther in Les Contes d'Hoffmann, Hans Foltz in Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg and Zuniga in Carmen at the Bad Hersfelder Opernfestspiel (Germany). Mr. Keller has appeared as a recital soloist in New York, Zurich, Edinburgh, Helsinki, Prague, Nuremberg and St. Petersburg. He sang the role of Count Ceprano in Gateway Classical Music Society’s 2007 performances of Rigoletto and was a soloist in Gateway’s 2009 performances featuring three great composers.