The musical talents of College of Music staff members, Part III
Chiu in the pit for “The Cunning Little Vixen.”
For Senior Program Manager of Stewardship + Donor RelationsĚýShih-Han Chiu,Ěýher life in music and administration has come full circle. In her role, Chiu (DMA ’13) connects with College of Music donors—planning events, building relationships and thanking them for their generous, impactful support.
“I wanted to do something for the College of Music,” she says. “I know scholarships mean so much for students. So how can I find more money for students to support them? By offering my help to the college.”
Chiu also remains involved with music, finding many opportunities to pull out her bassoon—from gigging with local orchestras to playing in the pit orchestra for College of Music productions, most recently for “The Cunning Little Vixen” opera. She also stepped in as the sabbatical replacement for Professor of Bassoon Yoshi Ishikawa in the fall 2025 semester.Ěý
“It’s quite a bit of fun. I’m happy to share my knowledge, even some entrepreneurship ideas with the bassoon studio students. I can also introduce donors like, hey, here’s a student and what they do, what they want and what they think. I can share students’ ideas with donors.”
What Chiu learned in her music education pushed her towards administration, and now that administrative role is leading back to music. “It’s kind of natural. It’s like, what we learn from school—how to be a teacher, a composer, a bassoonist, how to be disciplined and thoughtful—led me into entrepreneurship and becoming an administrator, organizing events and engaging with donors. And that led me back to the College of Music to serve our students. It’s all full circle for me.”
Klopp performing in 91ĂŰĚҸó Opera’s Pinocchio.
In her role as the college’s Lead Financial Services Travel + Procurement Coordinator,ĚýCasey KloppĚýbooks guest, faculty and student travel, and assists with purchases for all aspects of the college. She’s also a classically trained opera singer.Ěý
An alumna with a master’s in vocal performance, Klopp was thrilled to see the position open after graduating. Intrigued by working for the college and interested in the logical, organizational aspects of the role, she has been a key part of the finance team for more than four years—while performing regularly.Ěý
In 2024, Klopp held the titular role in 91ĂŰĚҸó Opera Company’s production of “The Adventures of Pinocchio.” “That was a big endeavor,” she says. “That’s one of the performances I’d consider the peak in my career so far.”Ěý
Since then, Klopp has performed in local churches which she says reminds her of why she wanted to be a musician in the first place—sharing an emotional experience with an audience. She also joined our choirs in performing at Boettcher Concert Hall in 2023, directly combining her administrative and musical talents. “It was cool to see both sides of the coin. When you’re in the choir, you don’t really realize how much logistical planning goes into it. It was fun to plan and then to reap the rewards of the performance, too.”
Klopp’s favorite part of her job is getting to appreciate the art produced at the college—and its impact on our greater community. “Continuing to help build our community, creating a culture of classical music in 91ĂŰĚҸó and beyond, and seeing our students gain those experiences—I think that’s really rewarding.”
Communications Manager MarieFaith Lane currently balances her position with pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) in violin performance at Boston University.Ěý
Also a CU 91ĂŰĚҸó alumna, Lane (MM ’22, AD ’24) first worked as a part-time student employee, eventually transitioning to full-time. To her, combining music with other fields is an important part of her education and career path. “While music has always been my passion, I’ve always enjoyed exploring other areas of study,” she says. “I believe that curiosity and a lifelong love of learning have broadened my perspective, deepened my understanding of the world and enriched the way I approach music.”
Her experience on staff has also provided her a different perspective on academia—getting to see the administrative logistics that help make the magic happen. “As someone pursuing a performance degree, I’m often focused on what happens on stage, so it has been incredibly meaningful to gain insight into the many efforts that happen behind the scenes. Collaborating with College of Music staff and faculty to help keep everything moving has been a rewarding experience.”
Between her full-time communications role and the demands of her degree program, Lane maintains a rigorous schedule. She credits her music background to helping her juggle and prioritize responsibilities: “In music, you learn far more than how to play an instrument. You develop important life skills—like perseverance, discipline and resilience, among many others—and I think those qualities are a big part of why I’m able to balance both commitments.”Ěý
As with many of our staff, what stands out to Lane is the people who comprise our college. “I love being part of our team and working with Sabine. The people are really special at the College of Music,” she says. “I’ve enjoyed getting to know the College of Music community in a new way. Transitioning from being a student to becoming a staff member has been a wonderful experience and has given me a greater appreciation for the community I’ve been part of for so long.”
Andrew “Metz” MetzrothĚýknows how to put on a show. Having earnedĚýa BFA in theatre technology, a BA in religious studies, an MA in theatre and an MS in organizational leadership from CU 91ĂŰĚҸó, he started his career in the College of Music box office 18 years ago and worked his way up to his present position as Executive Director of CU Presents. The promotion came after a nationwide search and, according to Metzroth, his current role “certainly falls in the category of dream job.”
Metzroth communicates with CU Presents’ partner organizations, making sure everyone has what they need to make the performances successful. Working on campus is special, he says, because of the variety of performances. “I have always loved working at the 91ĂŰĚҸó 91ĂŰĚҸó. We have dance, theatre, musicals, operas, instrumental music, jazz and all sorts of ensembles at all different levels—from student recitals to fully professional touring shows. There are only so many places where you can interact with so many different levels of the arts at the same time.”
Alongside his history on campus, Metzroth has a comprehensive background in the performing arts—he’s worked in lighting design, sound design, projection design, directing, acting and designing sets, and also did a stint as production manager of the 91ĂŰĚҸó Ensemble Theatre Company. Additionally, he teaches Intro to Arts Administration in our college each fall.
“One thing that I love in my work as an administrator is—because I’ve been on the creative side so many times—it’s easy to talk to artists about what their priorities are, what they need, what’s going to work best for them,” he says.
To current performing arts students, Metzroth’s advice is simple—be curious. “I would enthusiastically encourage all of them to get curious about what’s happening in the parts of the performance they don’t know or understand yet. Don’t just walk backstage and expect everything to be where it needs to be. Know the people who are putting those things there and why they’re putting them there. Talk to the people who are promoting your shows and also make sure you understand what your audiences are reacting to. If you can get all three of those things together, you will become a better artist.”