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<\/p>\nDean Giulio Ongaro of the College of Performing Arts has announced the addition of several new faculty this semester. “We are very excited to introduce an exceptional group of new faculty of distinction,” he said. “Headed by the internationally renowned choreographer Dwight Rhoden, who joins us just as we are opening the new spectacular Sandi Simon Center for Dance, this a very strong group of artistic and academic leaders who will greatly benefit the students of CoPA, and the artistic and intellectual life of our community. It is also a testament to the strength of CoPA and of Chapman that in every single instance we were able to hire the favorite candidate of the search committee and faculty out of very strong applicant pools. I know these new colleagues are as excited to be here as we are to welcome them to campus. I can\u2019t wait for the semester to begin!”<\/p>\n
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Dwight Rhoden<\/span><\/a><\/strong>\u2014Artistic Professor of Dance<\/p>\n Rhoden is the founding artistic director and resident choreographer of the groundbreaking Complexions Contemporary Ballet in New York and brings with him an international reputation as an innovator who embraces multicultural diversity in his work, having choreographed for television, film and theatre.<\/p>\n \u201cAs a member of the faculty, I\u2019m looking forward to being able to influence the various aspects of dancers\u2019 training and contribute to the conversation and overall philosophy of what makes impactful performances,\u201d he said. \u201cI am also looking forward to bringing my body of work to the students as well as building new work, and having creation processes \u2014 encouraging their imaginations and ideas and to empower them to discover their unique voices.\u201d<\/p>\n Christopher Castro, Ph.D.<\/a><\/strong><\/span>\u2014Assistant Professor, composition<\/p>\n A composer and double bassist from Brooklyn, New York, Castro is a recipient of Chamber Music America’s 2021 Classical Commissioning Award, where one of the jurors described his music as “On par with Var\u00e8se,” giving him the nickname “The New Colossus of Sounds.” His new work, Can\u00e7\u00f5es dos\u00a0Desassossego<\/em>\u00a0(Songs of Disquiet<\/em>), will be written for the Lyris Quartet and soprano\u00a0Sharon Harms and premiered in 2023. His music has been performed by Sharon\u00a0Harms and the Composers Conference Ensemble under James Baker (Two Songs\u00a0from Brooklyn Narcissus<\/em>), the St. Louis Symphony under David Robertson\u00a0(Choruses III<\/em>), pianists Sarah Cahill and Eric Zivian (IV\u2013I<\/em>), piano duo HereNowHear\u00a0(Beethausenstro\u2014Castockhoven<\/em>) and the Lydian String Quartet (Choruses IV<\/em>). He is\u00a0the 2022 Guest Composer for the James Tenney Memorial Symposium, composing\u00a0and collaborating with the New Mexico Contemporary Ensemble.<\/p>\n “I am honored to assume the role as Director of Opera Chapman, carrying on its fine legacy into the future. I am particularly excited to work with our fantastic students and using the opera workshop course as a time to fearlessly explore of the opera stage, turning it into a boundless playground. And I am looking forward to mounting my first production in the immaculate Musco Center for the Arts!”<\/p>\n Dr. Callahan has received critical acclaim for his directed and designed productions, including first prize from the National Opera Association for Kurt Weill’s Der Jasager <\/em>and honors from the American Prize’s Charles C. Reilly Director’s Prize. As a singer hailed by Opera<\/em> magazine as \u201ca powerful baritone, providing wickedly glamorous tone,\u201d his operatic career has taken him around the world to perform in major opera houses. His upcoming recording of works by Gerald Finzi will be released by Albany Records.<\/p>\n Praised by critics and audiences alike for her \u201cpowerful interpretation\u2026[and] flawless sound\u201d (Cuxhavener Nachrichten<\/em>) and \u201ccreating tones of poetry\u201d (The Strad Korea<\/em>). Following her solo debut with the Juilliard Orchestra in Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall in 2006, she has appeared as a soloist throughout North America, Europe, and Asia. Her debut CD recorded in Leipzig Gewandhaus was released worldwide in 2018 under Genuin Classics with raving reviews from publications including Klassik Radio Austria<\/em>, Klassik Heute<\/em>, and Das Orchester<\/em>. Her second album of Mozart Violin Concertos with Kurpf\u00e4lzisches Kammerorchester Mannheim under Ars Produktion was nominated for the 2020 OPUS KLASSIK award.<\/p>\n Yoshika Masuda, D.M.A.<\/span><\/a><\/strong>\u2014Assistant Professor, cello; Director, Strings Program<\/p>\n “I’m beyond excited to be joining the wonderful community that exists here at Chapman’s Hall-Musco Conservatory of Music. I have already felt so much love and support from many of my colleagues and I am confident that together we can reach new heights and bring the Strings program to the next level!”<\/p>\n Described by the press as \u2018a remarkable cellist who possesses both intellect and innate musicality… one of the finest cellists of his generation\u2019 (Chopin<\/em> magazine Japan), Dr. Masuda has performed throughout Australia, Japan, China, Korea, Mexico, the USA, the UK and much of western Europe as a soloist and chamber musician. He is the winner of national competitions in Australia, Japan and the US, and was also awarded the prestigious YAMAHA Music Foundation of Europe String Award. He is dedicated to nurturing the next generation of young cellists\u2014his students have had successes in both local and national competitions, as well as being admitted to prestigious institutions such as Juilliard, NEC, and USC.<\/p>\n “I feel so incredibly fortunate to be welcomed into Chapman this year alongside several amazing new faculty members at the College of Performing Arts. This will truly be a year of wonderful new beginnings, and I am honored to be able to lead The Chapman Orchestra during such an exciting time. A symphonic orchestra can provide the greatest opportunity for our students to experience heartfelt collaboration with all of their inspiring classmates. As we rehearse the most beautiful music of our world, I hope to ignite our students\u2019 collaborative spirit and deepen their love and appreciation for the gift of making music together.”<\/p>\n “I’m so thrilled to be joining Chapman’s College of Performing Arts and I am really looking forward to collaborating with such a vibrant group of theatre-makers. It’s an especially dynamic time to be exploring theatre and live-event design, and I look forward to sharing my professional experiences with our students.”<\/p>\nHall-Musco Conservatory of Music<\/h3>\n
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Marc Callahan, D.M.A.<\/a><\/strong>\u2014Associate Professor; Director, Opera Chapman<\/p>\n![\"Smiling](\"https:\/\/blogs.chapman.edu\/copa\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/76\/2022\/08\/so-jin-kim-110w.jpg\")
So Jin Kim, D.M.A.<\/a><\/strong>\u2014Assistant Professor, violin; Temianka Endowed Professor in Music<\/p>\n![\"Asian-American](\"https:\/\/blogs.chapman.edu\/copa\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/76\/2022\/08\/masuda-yoshika-110w.jpg\")
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Jotaro Nakano<\/a><\/strong>\u2014Interim Conductor, The Chapman Orchestra<\/p>\nDepartment of Theatre<\/h3>\n
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<\/a>Josh Epstein<\/span><\/a><\/strong>\u2014Assistant Professor, lighting design<\/p>\n