Alumni

Alumni Council Bios

• Justin Bischof Bio

  New York City resident Justin Bischof is one of the most eclectic artists of his generation. He is an internationally acclaimed orchestral & opera conductor as well as concert organist, pianist, and improviser. He has performed in some of the world’s great venues including Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Tonhalle of Zurich, Eli Broad Theatre of Los Angeles, St. Paul’s Cathedral London, Notre Dame Paris, Cologne Cathedral, to name a few. He has collaborated with some of the world’s most prominent artists including Joshua Bell, Bright Sheng, Tan Dun and Roberta Peters. As an orchestral conductor, he was worked with numerous ensembles including National Arts Center Orchestra, The Ensemble Orchestral de Paris, Vancouver Symphony, the Royal Symphony of Oman, the State Philharmonic Kavkazskiye of Russia, the WAAPA orchestra in Perth Australia, and the National Orchestra of Haiti. He is the Founder & Artistic Director of MOO The Modus Opera Orchestra of New York City which has presented an Annual Children’s Benefit to help at risk children that has raised over US$1,000,000. He made his Australian Opera Conducting Debut in Perth at the WAAPA leading a critically acclaimed production of the Australian Premiere of Robert Ward’s Pulitzer Prize-winning The Crucible. This nationally celebrated artistic event was a highlight of the Australian classical music season. Other important opera premieres include the Hawaiian premiere of Menotti’s The Medium and The Telephone, working with members of The Honolulu Symphony and Hawaii Opera Theatre. As Artistic Director of Modus Opera, he has led several full productions including Mozart’s Marriage of Figaro and Don Giovanni. With international mezzo-soprano Ariana Chris, Maestro Bischof has conducted and led from the piano several benefit concerts entitled Opera Trash at Carnegie Hall and Le Poisson Rouge receiving rave reviews. He led a production of Britten’s Rape of Lucretia in 2019 at the newly renovated historic Flea Theatre. He is one of the profession’s most respected organists and has concertized extensively. He won the First Prize at the 2000 AGO International Organ Improvisation Competition and is a leading proponent of the craft with his all improvisation performances have been met with critical acclaim throughout the world. Bischof has performed and recorded with numerous orchestras including the Zurich Symphony, Milwaukee Symphony, and the Neue Philharmonie Frankfurt. He will be performing the Middle East premiere of Samuel Barber’s Toccata Festiva for Orchestra and Organ in February 2019 at the Royal Opera House in Muscat Oman with the Neue Philharmonie Frankfurt.

• Mike Fahie Bio

  Mike Fahie is a jazz trombonist, composer, and educator living in Brooklyn. His current projects include a collaboration with legendary trumpet player John McNeil (represented on the Destiny Records release, Plainsong), the Mike Fahie Jazz Orchestra (represented on the current Greenleaf Music release, Urban(e)), and the Mike Fahie Quintet (heard on Mike’s debut album, Anima, released on the Brooklyn Jazz Underground label). He is also an in-demand sideman in New York City, playing with many highly recognized groups. He is the lead trombonist of Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society, a three-time Grammy nominated ensemble. He is the principal trombonist of the Gramercy Brass Orchestra of New York, and a member of the Gramercy Brass Quintet. He is also a regular member of the Dan Pugach Nonet, the Emilio Solla Tango Jazz Orchestra, and the Pedro Giraudo Jazz Orchestra. As a composer, Mike has received numerous commissions, including 3 for premiere at the Festival of International Schools at Carnegie Hall: The Odyssey (2016) for wind band, The Planets (2019) for jazz band and strings, and Bogotà (2019) for wind band with euphonium soloist. As a commercial musician, Mike has played several Broadway shows including the Lion King, Porgy and Bess, Priscilla Queen of the Desert, Ragtime, In The Heights, and Elf. He performs with various rock and pop bands and has appeared on a number of recordings and movie soundtracks. He is also a dedicated educator and is the jazz trombone instructor at the New England Conservatory in Boston. Mike has also been on the faculty of the United Nations International School for over 15 years. He has also worked across the US as a trombone and composition clinician. Mike was a finalist for the prestigious Thelonious Monk International Trombone Competition and was the first ever Canadian Fulbright Scholar in jazz.

• Chira Bell Bio

  Chira Bell (they/them) is a Soprano and 2022 alum of Manhattan School of Music. Being black and queer, they have diversity, representation, and the rights of all at the heart of their work. Mx. Bell was incredibly active in the student community during their time at MSM. They worked in the campus store and as a Resident Assistant. Additionally, they served in various student organizations (Black Student Union, MSM Womxn, etc), ending their MSM leadership as a two year President of the MSM Student Government and of Queer People for the Betterment of Society. After graduating in May of 2022, they began work as the personal assistant to operatic Mezzo-Soprano and MSM Alumni, J’Nai Bridges.

• Blair Cagney Bio

  Blair Cagney, a New Jersey native, is a soprano whose experience spans a variety of operatic styles. Her first major performance was the title role in Tobias Picker’s contemporary opera, Emmeline, with Manhattan School of Music. Soon after, Ms. Cagney explored the classical French repertoire when singing Micaëla in Carmen with Hawaii Performing Arts Festival and covering Leïla in Les Pêcheurs de Perles with MSM’s Opera Repertory Ensemble. Most recently, she sang Susanna in Mercadante’s I Due Figaro with Manhattan School of Music. In 2022, she returns to the work of Tobias Picker to sing Sophie and cover Emmeline in Emmeline with Tulsa Opera. Although she is a fierce advocate of contemporary music and new works, Ms. Cagney has a deep love and passion for the classical repertoire.

• Ming Fong Bio

  Born into a well-known musical family in Beijing, China, Ming Fong is one of the most active musicians of his generation in his native China. He has successfully given concerts in most of the major concert halls throughout China, including the National Center for the Performing Arts, Beijing Concert Hall, Forbidden City Concert Hall, Shanghai Concert Hall, Shanghai Symphony Hall, Peking and Tsinghua University Concert Halls, to name a few. Highlights include the acclaimed performance of Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2 in the ten thousand-seat Great Hall of People with the Bolshoi Theatre Orchestra of Russia on its first historic visit to China, and the premiere China performance of Shostakovich’s Piano Concerto No. 1 with the Beijing Symphony Orchestra. Other notable performances include concert tours appearing as a concerto soloist with the Beijing, Shanghai and Tianjin Symphony Orchestras, the Guangzhou Philharmonic, and Harbin Opera House Orchestra in addition to numerous solo and chamber music concerts throughout Mainland China.

  In 2004, Mr. Fong founded the Beijing International Music Festival & Academy (www.bimfa.org) — the first and only international music festival of its kind in the historic Chinese capital. Each summer, BIMFA brings together established international performing artists and renowned pedagogues from around the world in a unique collaboration to promote “Cultural Harmony Through Music” for the benefit of the next generation of young musicians; and it will reach a milestone in celebration of its 15th anniversary season in the year 2020. In addition, Mr. Fong is the founder and executive director of the New York International Music Festival & Competition (NYIMF), faculty at the Aaron Copland School of Music in Queens College, CUNY; and a founding member of the beloved and longest-running education program “A Day of Chinese Culture and Music” at the Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts for more than 15 years.​

• Peng Guan Bio

  Peng Guan currently serves as President of International Asian Culture Society, a social enterprise that cultivates cross-cultural understanding with a focus in public diplomacy, especially “soft power”. Ms. Guan believes art has the power to resolve international conflicts.

  Ms. Guan has also demonstrated a deep commitment to charitable causes and leadership development. She has led numerous large-scale cultural and charity projects for organizations such as the United Nations Refugee Agency and Columbia Business School. She was awarded the Elizabeth & Phillip Palmedo Scholarship, Davis Peace Prize, and other prestigious honors that acknowledges her contribution to the global community. She also earned business and management certificates from Harvard Business School and United Nations and is a Tsinghua University Schwarzman Scholar.

• Brian Holman Bio

  American conductor Brian Holman has performed on five continents to great acclaim. He is Music Director of New Rochelle Opera and Associate Conductor of Modus Opera Orchestra. Recent credits include the world premiere of Larry Delinger’s ShadowLight (Marble City Opera), Les contes d’Hoffmann (Opera Orlando), Le nozze di Figaro (Inland Northwest Opera), La traviata, La bohème (New Rochelle Opera), Suor Angelica, Gianni Schicchi, La Cenerentola (Red River Lyric Opera), Amelia Lost (Cleveland Opera Theater, Marble City Opera), and Rape of Lucretia (New Camerata Opera). Festivals: Harare International Festival of the Arts, Mediterranean Opera Festival, Film Fest Tucson. Orchestras: Orlando Philharmonic, Lebanese Philharmonic, Spokane Symphony, Tucson Symphony, Tucson Pops, Baroque2000 Chamber Orchestra Durban. Assistant Conductor: New York City Opera, Opera Africa, Treasure Coast Opera, Montclair State University Opera. An accomplished pianist, Brian has appeared with singers across a broad musical spectrum: Nelly Miricioiu, Laquita Mitchell, Aprile Millo, Stella Zambalis, Francisco Casanova, Hans-Pieter Herman, John Mac Master, James Valenti, Lester Lynch, Daniel Borowski, Nini Cáffaro, Dawn Padmore, Kofo the Wonderman. Brian has appeared at Carnegie Hall, Weill Recital Hall, Salle Cortot, Teatro Nacional de Santo Domingo, Feinstein’s 54 Below, MGM Grand Detroit, Casino du Liban, The Duplex, Don’t Tell Mama, The Rainbow Room, the UN, and has been featured on international radio and television (WQXR, Classic FM, Sirius XM, Esimora Cultural RAC Colombia, Alhurra, LBCI, TeleOccidente Sicilia).

• Kyunghee Kim Bio

  Soprano Kyunghee Kim (MM ‘96) is the President of Korea Music Foundation, which has supported more than 300 New York solo debut recitals, including at Weill Recital Hall and Merkin Concert Hall. The Foundation has supported the presentation of more than 400 musicians in a chamber music series at Korean Cultural Service New York. The Foundation’s Virtuoso Concert Series at Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall has additionally presented more than 40 international musicians in chamber music concerts.

  Ms. Kim has delighted audiences with her concert and operatic performances throughout Europe, Asia, Latin America, and the United States. Engagements this season include solo recitals in Atlanta, Connecticut, and two series in New York. Recent performances include a solo recital at the Opera America National Opera Center in New York; soloist in Mozart’s Exultate, jubilate with Bergen Symphony Orchestra; Saint-Saëns’ Oratorio de Noël with Central Park West Presbyterian Church in New York; World Premiere Contemporary Music at Symphony Space in New York; appearances with Voce con Trio in New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

  Other notable appearances include soloist with Concierto Sinfonia de Gala in Lima, Peru; additional concerts in Mexico and New York; and as soloist in Bach’s Mass in B Minor with St. George Episcopal in Newburgh, NY.  Ms. Kim made her professional recital debut in her native Seoul, Korea, followed by a European debut in Vienna with the Richard Wagner Opera Society.  She has appeared many times in China, where one of her performances was the first professional Western recital ever presented in the Hunan province.

• Eganam Segbefia Bio

  Eganam “ÉGO” K. Segbefia got his start busking at the Grand Central Shuttle “S” train station and has since performed at premiere venues in New York City such as The Greene Space, Trinity Wall Street Church, The Riverside Church, Cathedral of St. John The Divine, Symphony Space, and Carnegie Hall. Throughout his education, Eganam has received multiple awards and scholarships including the Manhattan School of Music Educational Assistance Program Scholarship, EALGreen Scholarship, South Carolina State University Marching Band Scholarship, and Celia Cruz Bronx High School of Music’s Most Improved award. Eganam is also the winner of Manhattan School of Music’s prestigious Eisenberg-Fried Concerto Competition. Eganam received his master’s degree from Manhattan School of Music and his bachelor’s degree from South Carolina State University. Devoted to his mantra, “Inspiration Without Perspiration is Hallucination,” Eganam is now pursuing his dream of becoming a premier soloist and using his growing platform to provide clinics and workshops to high school and college students, highlighting the value of working hard, and working smart towards actualizing dreams.

• Jarrett Winters Morley Bio

  Jarrett Winters Morley is a Metropolitan Theatre Award-nominated actor, singer, composer, and lyricist. He is the creator of the original theatrical works Morningside and Godless. For Morningside, he wrote the book, music, and lyrics, worked on the show as the music director and conductor, and it was the first student-written Musical Theatre production produced by Manhattan School of Music in their 100-year history. In 2020, Mr. Morley played Bazzard in Manhattan School of Music’s virtual production of The Mystery of Edwin Drood. Instilled by his parents, Mr. Morley is an active supporter of the arts in the educational system and providing access to the arts in underprivileged communities. Prior to his collegiate years, Jarrett studied as a member of the performing arts program at Stagedoor Manor, and as a student in the National High School Institute (Cherubs) at Northwestern University. At Northwestern University, he was given the opportunity to be in the first non-professional company of Charles Mee’s The Glory of the World. He has performed at the Oscar Hammerstein II Awards, honoring Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt, alongside Norm Lewis, Randy Rainbow, and Robert Cuccioli. He has also performed at Rockefeller Plaza’s Rainbow Room for the Manhattan School of Music’s Centennial Gala, alongside David Loud. Recent engagements include The Mystery of Edwin Drood (Manhattan School of Music), The Human Comedy! (New York City Center Encores!), The Producers (Tappan Zee Players), and And The World Goes ‘Round (Manhattan School of Music). Mr. Morley’s TV/Film credits include: Class Act, The Meyerowitz Stories, Pose, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, New Amsterdam, Mr. Robot, The Deuce, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Manifest, Hunters, The Plot Against America, and Billions. Mr. Morley has worked as a Music Supervisor, Production Coordinator, Junior Associate, and Voiceover actor for the production company Creative Business Communications, which in turn has worked for corporate clients such as SL Green, Johnson & Johnson, and Wakefern Food Corporation. In 2021, he worked on the development of “Get Happy: Michael Feinstein Celebrates The Judy Garland Centennial”, alongside Elliott Forrest, John Fricke, and Michael Feinstein. He currently teaches voice and conducting privately, and runs his own private recording studio. He received his B.M. from Manhattan School of Music in 2020, and his M.A. from Berklee College of Music in 2021. He lives in New York City. Mr. Morley is a proud member of both The Dramatist Guild of America, and the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP). Mr. Morley’s works have been seen at the Rogue Theatre Festival, FringePVD, and the New York Theatre Festival. Mr. Morley is currently a Fulbright Program candidate and is SAG-AFTRA eligible. As of February 2022, Mr. Morley is a member of the Manhattan School of Music Alumni Council.

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