INSTRUMENTAL JUDGES

Eugene Marquis – Mr. Marquis holds the Bachelor of Music degree from Capital University in Columbus, Ohio and a Master’s degree from the College-Conservatory of Music of the University of Cincinnati. He has played with the Cincinnati Symphony and the Cincinnati Opera Orchestra for nearly 30 years and with the Cincinnati Ballet Orchestra since 1975. Marquis is an orchestral and studio woodwind doubler on 17 instruments and has played backup for an impressive roster of pop and jazz greats and for countless Broadway shows.

Heather MacPhail - Ms. MacPhail holds a Master of Music degree in accompanying and a Bachelor of Music degree in piano performance from the College-Conservatory of Music of the University of Cincinnati. As the Staff Accompanist at Miami University, she coaches undergraduate and graduate piano majors in accompanying and performs in master classes and recitals with students, faculty and guest artists. Ms. MacPhail has been the piano accompanist for the Cincinnati May Festival Chorus since 1990. In addition, she currently serves as Music Assistant to Robert Porco, Director of the Chorus, often preparing the May Festival Summer Chorus for performances at Riverbend with the Cincinnati Pops. She is a frequent keyboardist with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, performing on all keyboards.

Isaac Selya – Dr. Selya holds a Bachelor of Arts from Yale College, a Master of Music from Mannes College and a doctorate from the College-Conservatory of Music of the University of Cincinnati. He has extensive experience as a conductor, pianist, vocal coach and cellist. He is the founder and Artistic Director of Queen City Opera. At MYCincinnati, Dr. Selya teaches cello and conducts ensembles. As a guest conductor, he has led the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen in Germany, the Xiamen Philharmonic in China and the National Symphony of Guatemala. 

VOCAL JUDGES

Mark Calkins – Associate Professor of Music at Berea College, Mr. Calkins has taught Master Classes in classical singing throughout the United States and in Beijing and Chongqing, China. He has appeared in leading roles with opera companies throughout North America and Europe. Mr. Calkins maintains a private studio of young professional singers and teaches master classes in music theatre and classical voice performance at the university and pre-professional levels across the nation, in Italy, the Dominican Republic, Brazil, China and Mexico.

Kelly Hale – Dr. Hale is Professor Emeritus at the College-Conservatory of Music of the University of Cincinnati. He served as professor of opera and coaching for over three decades and established the opera coaching program, and served a stint as interim chair of the opera department. As a performer, composer and clinician, his travels in music have taken him around the world several times.

Mary Henderson Stucky – Professor Emerita of Voice at the College-Conservatory of Music of the University of Cincinnati, Ms. Stucky holds Bachelor and Master of Music degrees from the Eastman School of Music and studied further at the Staatlichehochschule für Musik in Cologne, Germany. She has sung opera, oratorio and recitals throughout Europe and the U.S. She also has served as a member of the faculty of Syracuse University. L’École Hindemith in Switzerland, the International Institute of Advanced Vocal Studies in Paris and the St. Louis Conservatory of Music. Ms. Stucky has taught vocal master classes at Shandong University in China, and at Ewha Woman’s University in Korea.