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Matthew Chellis is considered one of America’s most versatile singing actors.�� He has appeared with opera companies, orchestras and theatre companies in North and South America and Europe. Chellis��has sung over 20 principal roles with New York City Opera and sung with Washington National Opera, Frankfurt Opera, Atlanta Opera, Opera Bogata��and Calgary Opera to name a few. Concert performances include numerous appearances at the Kennedy Center, Carnegie Hall, Avery Fisher Hall��and Boston Symphony Hall. Chellis has taught at New York University and Roosevelt University’s Chicago College of Performing Arts prior to his appointment at the CU 91���Ҹ� College of Music.��He is the founder and executive director of the Up North Vocal Institute—an intensive four week vocal training program located in northern Michigan.��MORE

Assistant Teaching Professor is a theater artist who has worked in the entertainment industry for more than 30 years. As an educator, Boccitto has been on faculty at Marymount Manhattan College, CAP 21/Molloy College, Broadway Dance Center and Circle in the Square Theatre School, and was a guest instructor at NYU and Juilliard. He is an award-winning performer, director and choreographer whose work includes Broadway Cares, The Metropolitan Opera, The 92nd Street Y, The New York Musical Theatre Festival, The Agnes DeMille Foundation, The Ryman Auditorium, Paper Mill Playhouse, national tours, Off-Broadway musicals and the MTV series “MADE.” He has worked with artists including Andrew Lippa, John Kander, Nicole Fosse, Alan Cumming, Lauren Ambrose and Tim Blake Nelson. MORE

Ortman is a former faculty member at Metropolitan State University of Denver where he coached and music directed the opera and musical theatre programs, co-led the BFA-MT performance program, and taught theory and piano classes. During his tenure at MSU Denver, he coached staged opera and opera scenes programs, and served as music director and conductor for musicals. He also teaches applied piano at the Colorado School of Mines. Ortman believes that versatility is an asset in the performing arts industry. As such, his interests and opportunities have spanned from chamber music and duo piano recitals to opera and musical theatre music direction and even arranging and composition. The lines that once divided various genres and pathways within music have blurred, and he believes that future careers in music belong to curious, collaborative and determined students. He looks forward to working with talented and motivated students at CU 91���Ҹ� and preparing them to be comprehensive, universal musicians and indeed well-balanced people. MORE

After a lengthy performing career that included work on Broadway and Off-Broadway, in regional theaters, national tours, television and film, Robert Westenberg now concentrates on teaching, directing and playwriting. He is perhaps best known for his roles in the original Broadway casts of “Into the Woods” as the Wolf and Prince, for which he received a Tony nomination and Drama Desk Award; “The Secret Garden” as Neville Craven; and “Sunday in the Park with George,” in which he replaced Mandy Patinkin in the title role. He also performed the role of Javert in the Broadway production of “Les Misérables.” Other Broadway credits include leading roles in “1776,” “Company,” “Abe Lincoln in Illinois” (Drama League Outstanding Artist), “A Christmas Carol” and “Zorba” (Theatre World Award). MORE