ż

School of Music

Melissa Chavez

Melissa Jean Chávez, D.M.A.

Instructor
Email: MJ-Chavez2@wiu.edu

Soprano Melissa Jean Chávez has been acclaimed by the Washington Post for her “voluptuous voice” and “cooly exemplary production.” DC Metro Arts writes, “as an actress, Chávez commands the stage and uses the tremendous range of her gorgeous soprano to full advantage.” Melissa has performed in over 35 operas including Michaela in "Carmen", Fiordiligi in “Così fan tutte,” Laurie in “Tender Land,” the title role in “Adriana Lecouvreur,” Beatrice in “Beatrice et Benedict,” Maddalena in “Andrea Chenier,” Mother in “Amahl and the Night Visitors,” Carmela in “La Vida Breve,” Donna Anna in “Don Giovanni,” Beatrix in “Les Bavards,” Libby Norton in the premiere of “Norton: A Civil War Opera,” Donna Elivira in “Don Giovanni,” Desdemona in “Otello,” Giorgetta in “Il Tabarro,” Rosalinda in “Die Fledermaus,” Hannah in “The Merry Widow,” Geraldine in “The American Maid,” Adina in “L’Elisir d’amore,” Giulietta in “Les contes d’Hoffmann,” Countess in “Le nozze di Figaro,” Anna Maurrant in “Street Scene” and Helena in “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.”

She did her apprenticeship for four years as young artist at the prestigious Castleton Festival, directed by Lorin Maazel where she has covered Britten’s “Les Illuminations” and understudied Desdemona in “Otello,” among other singing opportunities.

Melissa is equally at home on the concert stage. She recently performed as a soprano soloist in Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9, Mozart’s “Requiem,” Handel’s “Gloria,” Villa Lobos’s “Bachianas Brasilieras No. 5,” Handel’s “Messiah,” Bach’s “Magnificat,” and in a touring recital of Schubert and Wolf Goethe-Lieder and with United States Army Chorus as a soloist. Additional recent performances include the soprano soloist in Webber’s “Requiem,” Barber’s “Knoxville Summer of 1915,” Copland’s “Old American Songs” and Mahler’s “Des Knaben Wunderhorn” with orchestra.

Melissa is a winner of the Bach-Handel Competition, and a finalist in the American Prize for Opera, Classical Singer Competition, MidAtlantic NATSAA, Shenandoah Concerto Competition, Philadelphia Lieder Society Competition, Opera at San Nicola Competition, and has received multiple grants for recital performances.

She holds degrees from Penn State University and Shenandoah Conservatory and has studied with Susanne Mentzer, Debra Lawrence, Stanford Olsen, Aimé Sposato and Richard Kennedy.

Melissa's collegiate teaching experience includes Shenandoah Conservatory and Pennsylvania State University. She is on the faculty of the Virginia Summer Regional Governor's School, and most recently taught for three years at the Washington Waldorf School as the vocal music instructor for the upper school. Melissa is a member of the National Association of Teachers of Singing, holding several leadership positions including regional board member, as well as president and vice president of her state chapter. She is a member of National Association of Music Education and Music Teachers National Association, Sigma Alpha Iota and Pi Kappa Lambda.