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Marietta Simpson, Mezzo Soprano
 Marietta Simpson, whose deeply expressive, richly beautiful voice has made her one of the most sought-after mezzo-sopranos today, has sung with every major orchestra in the United States, under many of the world’s greatest conductors. She has also sung with many of the major European orchestras including the Philharmonic orchestras of London, Progue, Berlin and Vienna. Ms. Simpson has also appeared on some of the great opera stages of eh world including La Fenice, La Scala, Glyndebourne, Royal Opera House Covent Garden and New York City Opera. In 2006 she received Grammy recognition for her solo role in the Grammy-Award winning recording of William Bolcom”s “Songs of Innocence and Experience”, with Leonard Slatkin conducting. Ms. Simpson is on the voice faculty at Indiana University, Bloomington.
William Chapman Nyaho, Pianist
William Chapman Nyaho, a Ghanaian American, studied at St. Peter’s College, Oxford University (UK), where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree at the Honour School of Music. He continued his piano studies at the Conservatoire de Musique de Genéve, Switzerland, the Eastman School of Music, where he graduated with a Master of Music Degree, and at the University of Texas at Austin where he received his Doctor of Musical Arts degree. He taught at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and was the recipient of the Distinguished Professor Award. Chapman Nyaho’s performances have taken him to Europe, Asia, Africa, the Caribbean and North America. Chapman Nyaho’s solo CD entitled SENKU: Piano Music by composers of African Descent, is a ground-breaking compilation of music by composers of the African Diaspora.
Cornelius Johnson, Tenor
 Tenor Cornelius Johnson’s voice has been described as “expressive and soaring” (The Post Standard). He has performed in operas, musicals, concerts, and recitals throughout the United States and abroad. Cornelius made is professional solo operatic debut as Peter the Honeyman in Houston Grand Opera”s production of Porgy and Bess. This international tour graced the stages of the Opera Bastille in Paris, La Scala in Milan, and the Bunkamura Theater, with the Tokyo Philharmonic. In addition to a busy performance schedule, Mr. Johnson is the Artistic and Music Director of the South Shore Opera Company of Chicago and an assistant Professor of Music with the City College of Chicago. A native of Chicago, Mr. Johnson received degrees from Morehouse College and Northwestern University.
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Tia Roper-Penn, Flautist
 As a distinguished soloist and concert artist, Tia Roper-Penn has several credits to her name. They include holding the principal flute positions of the New York String Orchestra at Carnegie Hall, the Boston Civic Symphony Orchestra, and the Pacific Music Festival Orchestra in Japan. She is also a grand prize winner of the 2004-2005 Artists International Debut Recital Award and received critical acclaim for her Carnegie Hall recital debut. A winner of the New York Flute Club Competition, Dr. Roper-Penn was also awarded first-runner up in the Frank Bowen Young Artists Competition in New Mexico. She has given concern performances in Russia, Switzerland, Barbados, Japan, Venezuela, and throughout the United States. Dr. Roper-Penn was a student at the Juilliard Pre-College where she graduated with honors.
Marlissa Hudson, Lyric Coloratura Soprano
 American spoprano Marlissa Hudson is making her return appearance in An Evening with Black Artists having performed on the 2009 program. She has been described as a “superb lyric coloratura” by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. At home both on the operatic and concert stages, Marlissa made her professional debut while a student, performing Summertime from Porgy and Bess with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Marvin Hamlisch. As a concert soloist, Ms. Hudson has collaborated with such esteemed organization as the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra, Baltimore Symphony Pops Orchestra, and the National Philharmonic Orchestra. Most recently Ms. Hudson completed her debut CD, “Libera”. Ms. Hudson received her formal training at Duke University and the Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University.
Kevin Thompson, Bass
 The young American Bass Kevin Thompson is rapidly emerging as that rare breed of Basso Profundo possessing a commanding stage presence and a voice with extraordinary range, depth and color. “he has a voluminous bass with its exquisite overtone-rich timbres and rather-shaking sonority,” (Kieler Nachrichten). Mr. Thompson is at home on both the opera and concert stage. In addition to solo concerts and major choral works, he has sung the music for Bass in the Mozart’s Requiem, Handel’s Messiah, and Stravinsky’s Le Noces. He has appeared in concert in Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Italy, Germany, Poland, Spain, Switzerland, and Russia. American concert appearances include at Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall, Alice Tully Hall, the Library of Congress, Barns of Wolfrap, the Pentagon.
Karl Van Richards, Accompanist
 Karl Van Richards is a consummate artiste gifted in music, dance and theater. An extraordinarily talented pianist, arranger, composer, conductor and choreographer, Karl Van Richards has captured the hearts of audiences with his virtuosic performances,
endearing personality and beautiful smile. As a pianist, he made his orchestral debut at age 17 playing the Grieg Piano Concerto in A Minor after having won the Victoria M. Griffith Concerto competition, and since then, he has appeared as a soloist and in orchestral performances in such venerable places as Leopoldskron Castle and in esteemed halls and theaters in his native Jamaica,
The Bahamas, Puerto Rico, The Cayman Islands, The United States, South Africa and Austria.
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