Max Bruch’s Concerto for Clarinet and Viola will feature two OVS members, Laura Sabo on clarinet and Bernard Di Gregorio on viola, in Romantic Spring. Maestro Scott Woodward leads the orchestra in African-American composer William Grant Still’s Woodnotes, Howard Hansen’s Symphony No. 2, the “Romantic,” and other selections.

Dr. Scott E. Woodard, conductor
Dr. Scott E. Woodard was born in Huntington, WV and is proud to be a life-long West Virginian. He is the Music Director of the Butler Philharmonic Orchestra in Hamilton, Ohio, the Founding Music Director of the West Virginia State Philharmonic Orchestra of Charleston, WV, the Principal Guest Conductor of the Rimini Chamber Orchestra in Rimini, Italy, and the former Cover Conductor of the West Virginia Symphony Orchestra. His primary teachers were Dr. Leonid Korchmar of the St. Petersburg State Conservatory of Music and the Mariinsky Theatre and Dr. Oleg Proskuryna. Scott is the recipient of First Prizes at the International Conductor’s Workshop Competition (Macon, GA) and the International Academy of Advanced Conducting (St. Petersburg, Russian Federation).

A product of the public schools in Cabell County, Scott picked up the trumpet in the sixth-grade band. He is a proud Son of Marshall, where he earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees. During those MU years, Scott began his study of orchestral conducting under the tutelage of Dr. Paul Balshaw. In 2014, he earned the Doctor of Musical Arts degree from Boston University, where his dissertation explored the importance of the Leningrad School of conducting and its founder Ilya Musin.

Scott lives in Scott Depot with his wife Nafi, a family physician, and their son, Gabriel, a trumpet player just like his dad, and a new baby daughter, Gabriella! His hobbies include playing horrible golf, and trying to figure out how to work on his vintage 1970 Volkswagen Beetle.

Laura Sabo, clarinet
Laura Sabo is a Cincinnati based clarinetist and bass clarinetist. She plays principle clarinet with The Ohio Valley Symphony, Queen City Opera, and Butler Philharmonic. Laura is a regular member of the Blue Ash Montgomery Symphony Orchestra, as well as performing often with regional groups such as West Virginia Symphony Orchestra, Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra, Springfield Symphony Orchestra, and Lexington Philharmonic Orchestra. She is also the clarinetist for School House Symphony, a group of six professional musicians that perform educational concerts in the greater Cincinnati area.

Laura received her BM from The Ohio State University, met MM from the Cleveland Institute of Music, and her DMA from CCM/UC. Her teachers include James Pyne, Franklin Cohen and Linnea Nereim of the Cleveland Orchestra, Ron de Kant, Steve Cohen, and Ron Aufmann of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra.

Laura is a founding member of the woodwind quintet Wayside Winds, and has been a featured soloist with concert:nova. She loves performing and teaching music, being outside, and animals, especially her two cats.

Bernard Di Gregorio, viola
Bernard Di Gregorio holds the position of Principal Viola of the West Virginia Symphony. He also performs with the Ohio Valley Symphony and the River Cities Symphony and has been the violist of the Montclaire String Quartet.

During the summer months he is the Principal Viola with the New Hampshire Music Festival where he also participates in chamber music programs. Mr. Di Gregorio has also been Principal Viola with the Roanoke (VA) Symphony for over 20 seasons before resigning, has been a member of the Alabama Symphony and also performs occasionally in the viola section of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. He has studied at the New England Conservatory of Music and the Longy School of Music where his principal instructor was George Neikrug.

Mr. Di Gregorio has appeared as soloist with the Roanoke Symphony Orchestra on occasion and more recently with the Butler Philharmonic Orchestra in Hamilton, OH.

Although very busy as an orchestral/chamber musician and teacher he also performed with several chamber duos including DUO VIANNO, a viola and piano duet, and the DI GREGORIO/ALVES DUO with guitarist Dr. Júlio Ribeiro Alves, giving performances throughout the Ohio Valley and West Virginia areas. Duo Vianno has used concert performances as fund raisers for community programs such as the West Virginia Youth Orchestra and the KUPC Hospitality Dinner to help feed those in need.

As a composer he has had his Symphony for String Orchestra performed by the Seneca Chamber Orchestra in Charleston, WV and Scenes From the Old Country- Four Pictures for Cello and Piano composed for and performed by his wife and cellist, Andrea, at the New Hampshire Music Festival. At the behest of the Montclaire String Quartet has also arranged his Love Letters, Seven Miniatures for Piano for string quartet and was performed by Montclaire.

As well as a busy performer, Mr. Di Gregorio is also an Artist-in-Residence with the West Virginia Symphony/ Kanawha County Schools String Program through which he teaches string classes to beginning string students in grade four through eighth grade ensembles and is active as a coach for the West Virginia Youth Symphony program.

Daring Dances will move you with a selection of dazzling dance music under the baton of conductor Michael Chertock leading the OVS through Ravel’s La Valse and Bolero. Even more dazzling, Michael will also be the piano soloist on Leroy Anderson’s Piano Concerto. Talk about multi-tasking! This concert is sponsored In Memory of Clare E. Gettles.

Michael Chertock, conductor & pianist
Conductor and pianist Michael Chertock has fashioned a successful career as an orchestral soloist, collaborating with conductors such as James Conlon, Jaime Laredo, and Keith Lockhart.

His orchestral appearances include solo performances with, among others, The Philadelphia Orchestra, l’Orchestre Symphonique du Montreal, the Toronto Symphony, the Baltimore Symphony, the Naples Philharmonic, the Dayton Philharmonic, and The Ohio Valley Symphony. He made his Carnegie Hall debut in 1999 with the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra, performing Duke Ellington’s New World A’Comin’.

Michael first performed publicly at the age of 11 and by age 17, he performed the Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No. 3 with Andrew Litton. He has garnered numerous awards at major competitions, among them the top prize in the 1989 Joanna Hodges Int’l Piano Competition (Brahms Division) and the grand prize in the 1993 St. Charles International Piano Competition.

In 2005, Michael performed the world premiere of Jeux Deux, a work by Todd Machover commissioned by the Boston Pops Orchestra expressly for him. He recorded the piece in Denmark.

Michael released three CDs of his original arrangements entitled Cinematic Piano, Telarc: Palace of the Winds, Christmas at the Movies and Love At the Movies, which have been praised for their lush, original arrangements and exquisite technical facility.

In 2023 Michael was soloist for The Ohio Valley Symphony’s “American Rhapsody”, a musical journey of the greatest hits of the 1920’s when he performed a brand new orchestral arrangement of Rhapsody in Blue just in time for the 100th anniversary of Gershwin’s masterpiece, available on CD and DVD.

Michael is the conductor of the Blue Ash-Montgomery Symphony, located in suburban Cincinnati, Ohio. When not on tour he also serves as principal keyboardist with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. In June of 2004 Mr. Chertock was appointed Assistant Professor of piano at the University of Cincinnati, College-Conservatory of Music, where he received his Master’s Degree as a student of Frank Weinstock.

Congratulations to our 2024 Maestra for a Moment Teresa Ford!
And thank you to all of our candidates and patrons for your support!

The Ariel-Ann Carson Dater Cultural & Performing Arts Centre and The Ohio Valley Symphony are 501(c)3 nonprofit organizations, Federal Tax ID# 31-1273779

Learn more about our candidates by clicking “Read More”

The Ohio Valley Symphony’s annual Maestro for a Moment Fundraiser is one of the highlights of the season for both audience and orchestra! Each season three candidates vie for the opportunity to conduct the orchestra during the The Christmas Show on December 7th 2024, in a rousing rendition of Sleigh Ride! Thank you to this year’s candidates are attorney Teresa Ford; Rivers Health CFO Russell Henchey; and local businessman Arun Sharma.

Maestra Teresa Ford, Attorney at Law

2024’s Maestra for a Moment TERESA FORD, a native of Gallipolis, graduated from Gallia Academy in 1981.  A French horn student of Rodney Tolliver’s and a piano student of her mother’s, the legendary teacher Marion Ford, Teresa pursued a career in music beginning at The Ohio State University under the tutelage of James Jones.  A ten year symphonic career followed upon her receipt of a Bachelor’s of Music Degree in French Horn Performance and a degree in law thereafter.  Teresa has been a practicing lawyer for 32 years, but has never lost her love of the arts, most specifically symphonic music.

Teresa’s mother, Marion, was instrumental in bringing the Ariel Theater to life.  A fifty year resident of Gallipolis, Mrs. Ford taught hundreds of piano students throughout her time in the French City.  Her fierce commitment to music education resulted in many arts initiatives in Gallia County including the touring Community Concerts series and the Ariel.  Her love of music was instilled in Teresa at an early age and she supported every musical endeavor that her head strong daughter wished to pursue (along with the horn, Teresa was a jazz singer for nearly 25 years; not exactly what her Julliard trained mother had in mind).  Teresa credits her mother’s talent, brilliance and unmatched intellect with the long and fulfilling musical career that Teresa enjoyed.

While Teresa studied conducting for one quarter with the renowned conductor Craig Kirchoff (she claims to have gotten an A, but as of press time this assertion cannot be confirmed), she doesn’t remember a thing about it! Her goal of being chosen as the Maestro for a Moment is to raise as much money as she can to support the Ariel Theater’s important and singular work in Gallia County.  It would make her mother proud and it would be one of the most important things she has ever accomplished in her careers as both a musician and an attorney. 

Candidate Russell Henchey, CFO Rivers Health

Russell Henchey, CPA, loves his community.  He’s a familiar face at various community events and functions where he’s on hand to help with raffles, golf outings, festivals, or sporting events where he volunteers when he isn’t working. Russell is Chief Financial Officer at Rivers Health.

If you’ve ever met Russell, you know he loves to have fun!  You may also notice that he doesn’t have a musical bone in his body.  His wife Jenny (who does have musical bones) is already working with him so he can be the best Maestro for a Moment The Ohio Valley Symphony and audience at the historic Ariel Opera House has ever seen!  (Well, at least since the last Maestro for a Moment competition).

What Russell lacks in rhythm, he makes up for in heart.  His fun loving nature is contagious, along with his generosity – which is why Russell is competing for donations to the OVS to receive the honor of being named the 2024 Maestro for a Moment.

Candidate Arun Sharma, Gallipolis Businessman

I’m Arun Sharma, and I’ve proudly called Gallipolis home for over a decade.  Throughout my life, I’ve had the pleasure of visiting the Ariel Opera House several times, each experience leaving me in awe of its presence and the magic it brings to our community.

From the first time I stepped into the beautifully restored building, I was captivated by its rich history and stunning architecture.  The moment I took my seat and the lights dimmed, I felt a palpable excitement in the air.  Whether it was a breathtaking orchestral concert by The Ohio Valley Symphony or an engaging theater production, each performance reminded me of the incredible talent we have right here in Gallipolis.

I may not have a formal background in music, but my appreciation for the arts has grown immensely through these visits.  The Ariel is more than just a venue; it’s a place where stories come to life, and the shared experience of live performance fosters a sense of community that is truly special.

I’m also happily married and have two young children.  Recently, my eldest started taking piano classes at the theater, which has been a wonderful way for our family to connect with the arts in a more personal way.  Watching them explore their creativity and develop a love for music fills me with joy.

When I’m not enjoying performances at the Ariel or supporting my children’s musical journey, I love exploring the beautiful trails around Gallipolis and trying new recipes in my kitchen.  The moments spent at the Ariel Opera House resonate deeply with me, inspiring my love for creativity and connection.  I’m grateful to have such a vibrant cultural gem in our town, one that continues to unite and inspire us all.

The Ohio Valley Symphony’s annual Christmas Show is a perennial favorite to set the tone for the holiday season. Always on the first Saturday in December, Maestro Steven Huang selects an enticing blend of musical holiday treats. Also featured is our annual fundraiser Maestro for a Moment when you’ll want to join in the fun and donate for your chosen candidate. Subscribers, be sure to purchase extra subscriber-discounted tickets for friends and family with your season subscriptions, this concert sells out early!

Steven Huang, conductor
Maestro Steven Huang is thrilled to return to Southeastern Ohio to the podium of The Ohio Valley Symphony, a Christmas tradition since 2018.

Mr. Huang has conducted orchestras and operas across the country and around the world. At the age of twenty-one Mr. Huang served as Music Director of the Bach Society Orchestra of Harvard University, where he received his undergraduate degree. While at Harvard, Mr. Huang also directed the Lowell House Opera (the oldest continuously running opera company in New England). Recently, he successfully concluded a sixteen-year appointment as Associate Professor and Director of Orchestras at Ohio University in Athens, Ohio, where he brought the program to new achievements, including earning competitive accolades and awards, through over 200 performances that included symphonic concerts, opera, musical theater, and Halloween pops.

Widely respected as a music educator and conducting pedagogue, Mr. Huang is the founder and director of International Conducting Masterclasses, Inc., which has trained scores of conductors over the last two decades. He is currently working on a book about conducting.

Mr. Huang has collaborated with orchestras including California, North Carolina, Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, Massachusetts, West Virginia, Ohio, Haiti, Moldova, and Romania. He has held the position of Music Director of the University of Chicago Chamber Orchestra, the Central Illinois Youth Symphony, the Gilbert and Sullivan Players of Chicago, and the Bradley University Orchestra. He has served as guest conductor with multiple appearances with Brasov Philharmonic, Romania, and the National Philharmonic of Moldova. In America, he has guest conducted professional ensembles such as the Illinois Symphony Orchestra, the Lake Shore Symphony in Illinois, and the Four Seasons Symphony in California.

Currently Mr. Huang serves as Music Director and Conductor of the New Westchester Symphony Orchestra in New York, Music Director of the Yale Medical School Orchestra, Music Director of the Norwalk Youth Concert Orchestra, as well as a board member of BLUME Haiti, which supports music education in Haiti.

Repertoire

Just when you thought it couldn’t get any better The Ohio Valley Symphony’s 35^th Season will present five concerts with five scintillating soloists and five fascinating guest conductors – well, six if you count our annual “Maestro for a Moment” winner!

Coming to us straight from the Hollywood Bowl, François López-Ferrer returns to the podium for a Fabulously French program on September 7th featuring the Cincinnati Symphony’s principal clarinetist Christopher Pell. Chris is performing the seldom heard and absolutely delightful Clarinet Concerto by Jean Francaix and the orchestra presents Ravel’s Ma Mere L’Oye (Mother Goose Suite) along with other selections.

The Enchantress Carline Waugh joins conductor Peter Stafford-Wilson on October 12th for a marvelous evening of vocal music by George Gershwin, Victor Herbert and Gian Carlo Menotti. Carline’s enchanting voice will beguile you in this evening of song.

The Ohio Valley Symphony’s annual Christmas Show is a perennial favorite to set the tone for the holiday season. On December 7th Maestro Steven Huang selects an enticing blend of musical holiday treats.  Also featured is our annual fundraiser Maestro for a Moment when you’ll want to join in the fun and donate for your chosen candidate. Subscribers, be sure to purchase tickets for friends and family with your subscriptions, this concert sells out early!

Daring Dances on March 15th will move you with a selection of dazzling dance music under the baton of conductor Michael Chertock leading the OVS through Ravel’s La Valse and Bolero. Even more dazzling, Michael will also be the piano soloist on Leroy Anderson’s Piano Concerto. Talk about multi-tasking! This concert is sponsored In Memory of Clare E. Gettles.

Max Bruch’s Concerto for Clarinet and Viola will feature two OVS members, Laura Sabo on clarinet and Bernard Di Gregorio on viola, in Romantic Spring on April 26th. Maestro Scott Woodward leads the orchestra in African-American composer William Grant Still’s Woodnotes, Howard Hansen’s Symphony No. 2, the “Romantic,” and other selections.

Every concert ticket includes a 6:45 p.m. Pre-concert Chat on the 3rd floor with the Maestro and soloist of the evening as well as a Post Concert Reception for you to meet the artists.  Purchase your season subscription now so you won’t miss a single one!

Download our 2024-25 Season Brochure will be available soon! 

In these times of uncertainty, concert dates and location may be subject to change. Please watch the website for the latest news.

The Ariel-Ann Carson Dater Cultural & Performing Arts Centre and The Ohio Valley Symphony are 501(c)3 nonprofit organizations, Federal Tax ID# 31-1273779

Coming to us straight from the Hollywood Bowl, François López-Ferrer returns to the podium for a Fabulously French program featuring the Cincinnati Symphony’s principal clarinetist Christopher Pell. Chris is performing the seldom heard and absolutely delightful Clarinet Concerto by Jean Francaix and the orchestra presents Ravel’s Ma Mere L’Oye (Mother Goose Suite) along with other selections.

François López-Ferrer, conductor
Spanish-American conductor François López-Ferrer currently serves as Resident Conductor of the Académie of the Opéra de Paris. Former Associate Conductor of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra (CSO) and May Festival, and a 2021-22’ Dudamel Fellow with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, López-Ferrer stepped in for Louis Langrée with the CSO in January of 2022 for the US premiere of Mark Simpson’s Violin Concerto with Nicola Benedetti to great critical acclaim.

This season López-Ferrer has made brilliant debuts with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Hong Kong Philharmonic, Orquesta Nacional de España, Ensemble Intercontemporain, Opéra de Lausanne, Orquesta deValencia, Orquesta Sinfónica de Galicia, Orquesta Sinfónica Radio Televisión Española, Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, Omaha Symphony, Sacramento Philharmonic, and Pasadena Symphony, and was featured in the 2022 Bruno Walter National Conductor Preview with Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra. He previously served as Associate Conductor of the Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional de Chile and Principal Conductor of the Ballet Nacional Chileno.

Upcoming highlights include debuts with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Colorado Music Festival, Colorado Springs Philharmonic, and Tucson Symphony, as well as return engagements to the Orquesta Sinfónica Radio Televisión Española, Pasadena Symphony, Orchestra di Padova e del Veneto, and Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional de Chile.

An inaugural apprentice of the Verbier Festival’s 2018 Conductor Mentorship Program, López-Ferrer made a last-minute critically-acclaimed debut with the Verbier Festival Orchestra jumping in for Iván Fischer in a shared program with Sir Simon Rattle and Gábor Takács-Nagy. He was recipient of a Career Assistance Award from the Solti Foundation U.S., winner of the inaugural 2015 Neeme Järvi Prize awarded at the Menuhin-Gstaad Festival, and a previous member of the Deutsche Dirigentenforum.

López-Ferrer holds a master’s degree in Orchestral Conducting from the Haute École de Musique de Lausanne and a bachelor’s in Composition from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music.

Christoper Pell, clarinet
Christopher Pell is the Principal Clarinetist of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, the Second Clarinetist of The Mostly Mozart Festival Orchestra, and the former Principal Clarinetist of The Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra. Christopher has performed with The Toronto Symphony, The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, The Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, The Knights, The Orquesta Sinfónica de Minería (Mexico City), The Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra, The Mainly Mozart Festival Orchestra, and The American Ballet Theatre. He appeared as a soloist with The Cincinnati Symphony, The Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra, The Park Avenue Chamber Symphony, The U.S. Army Band at Lincoln Center’s Avery Fischer Hall, and The Long Island Sound Symphony. He has also won first prize in the Vandoren Emerging Artists Competition.

As a chamber musician, Christopher often performs with the Linton Chamber Music Series and has performed with Concert Nova, the Cape Cod Chamber Music Festival, Twickenham Fest, Lyrica Baroque, The Orlando Chamber Soloists, the Luzerne Chamber Music Festival, NOLA 360, and the Lake George Music Festival. Also, he has givenrecitals and masterclasses at The University of Miami (OH) and the University of South Carolina. Christopher teaches at the University of Cincinnati’s College Conservatory of Music, has taught at the Interlochen Arts Camp and the University of New Orleans. Christopher graduated from The Juilliard School in 2013 and has twice been a fellow at the Tanglewood Music Center. Christopher is a performing artist for Yamaha and Vandoren and is also a board member for Lyrica Baroque.

The Enchantress Carline Waugh joins conductor Peter Stafford Wilson for a marvelous evening of vocal music by George Gershwin, Victor Herbert and Gian Carlo Menotti. Carline’s enchanting voice will beguile you in this evening of song.

Peter Stafford Wilson, conductor
Peter Stafford Wilson is Music Director of Ohio’s Springfield Symphony Orchestra. Concurrently, he holds the post of Music Director of the Westerville Symphony, and was named Principal Conductor of Tulsa Ballet in 2012. With the SSO he has brought international attention for Agriculture and the Arts Growing Together and American Made: Celebrating Our Manufacturing Heritage and a new multi-media, multi discipline production of Gustav Holst’s The Planets resulted in a sellout house. Mr. Wilson held the posts of Assistant and Associate Conductor of The Columbus Symphony Orchestra for 28 seasons. Mr. Wilson has had enormous community reaction and has been recognized as “Best Music Director” and “Best in the ‘Bus 2015” for his work in Columbus. He also served as Music Director of the Columbus Symphony Youth Orchestra, which he has regularly led in local and regional concerts.

During Mr. Wilson’s 25 year tenure, the SSO has more than doubled its public offerings and seen its budget and community financial support grow more than 500%. Mr. Wilson has led over 100 performances with BalletMet Columbus.

A native of North Carolina, Mr. Wilson studied at the University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music, where his primary mentor was the late Thomas Schippers. During his years at CCM, he became a leading exponent of contemporary music, often collaborating with faculty and student composers, including the Conservatory’s Visiting Professor of Composition, Lukas Foss. He also studied at the Aspen Music School, where he studied with Dennis Russell Davies, Eastern Music Festival (on whose faculty he subsequently served), Pierre Monteux School, Boris Goldovsky Summer Opera Institute and Rome’s Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, where he was associated with Franco Ferrara. He has work with Canton Symphony Orchestra, Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, and The Cleveland Orchestra and has guest conducted the orchestras of Bozeman, Charlotte, Chautauqua, Dallas, Detroit, Erie, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Louisville, North Carolina, Oklahoma City, Phoenix, Roanoke, Seattle, Syracuse, Tucson, Tulsa, West Virginia, Wheeling and Youngstown. He also led the Independence Day Concert with Peter Nero’s Philly Pops Orchestra and the Northeastern Pennsylvania Philharmonic’s highly popular “Awesome Classics” series, as well as programs with Orquesta Filarmónica de Montevideo and Hong Kong Sinfonietta, and the Shenzhen Symphony Orchestra in China. No stranger to the lyric theater, Mr. Wilson has held the positions of Principal Conductor of South Carolina’s Opera Charleston and Music Director of the Ohio Light Opera and conducted performances at Spoleto Festival USA, Young Artists Opera Theater, College Light Opera, Canton Lyric Opera and Otterbein College Opera Theatre.

Mr. Wilson and his wife, Barbara Karam Wilson, Director of Corporate Tax for the White Castle System, reside in Westerville, Ohio. When not conducting, he enjoys traveling, golf and reading. He is also a wine enthusiast and an avid gourmet cook. Wilson and his wife also serve as staff for their two rescue kitties, Murphy and Smidgen.

Carline Waugh, soprano
Carline Waugh, a Jamaican-born soprano praised for her ability to mesmerize audiences, has performed throughout the United States, Italy, Russia, Jamaica and other parts of the world. A powerful singing actor, she has appeared in three Italian premieres with the International Opera Theatre−as Ermia in “Sogno di una notte di mezza estate Sogno di Una Notte di Mezza Estate” by Von De Guzmán, the Madonna in Mariano Garau’s “Hildegard Von Bingen Bambina Mistica e Le Vergine Nera, and Arlene Fox in “Buffalo Soldier,” by Carlo Pedini. She has performed with Peach State Opera as Mimi in Puccini’s “La bohème” and Michaëla in Bizet’s Carmen, and recently returned to the company as Rosalinde in “Die Fledermaus.” Other recent roles include Gretel in Humperdinck’s “Hansel and Gretel,” Liu in “Turandot,” Zerlina in “Don Giovanni,” Valencienne in “The Merry Widow,” Polly in “Die Dreigroschenoper,” and Gianetta in “The Gondoliers.”

On the concert stage, Ms. Waugh has appeared as the soprano soloist in Poulenc’s “Gloria” (West Virginia Symphony Orchestra), Haydn’s “Lord Nelson Mass” (Huntington Symphony Orchestra), Barber’s “Knoxville: Summer of 1915” (Missouri Symphony), Brahms’ “A German Requiem” (Colombia Choral Union), Gershwin’s “Porgy and Bess” (St. Petersburg, Russia, Symphony Orchestra), and Dubois’ “Seven Last Words of Christ” (The Haverford Singers). Other recent performances include Handel’s “Messiah,” Mozart’s “Requiem in D Minor” and J.S. Bach’s “Magnificat in D Major.”
Ms. Waugh has won competitions including the Monroe Symphony’s Marjorie Stricklin Vocal Competition, the Beethoven Club of Memphis Vocal Competition, Thayer Young Artist Competition, the National Association of Teachers of Singing Regional Competition, the Classical Singer Regional Competition, and the Young Artist Competition sponsored by the National Association of Business and Professional Women’s Club of Long Island. She has been a finalist in the Harlem Opera and the Opera Ebony Vocal Competitions in New York and was a regional winner for the New York Lyric Opera Competition. She has received scholarship awards from foundations including the Jamaica CHASE Fund, the Music Club of Baton Rouge, and the Baton Rouge Opera Guild.

She earned a Bachelor of Music Performance at Atlantic Union College, a Master of Music Performance at the University of Mississippi, and a Doctor of Musical Arts in Vocal Performance from Louisiana State University. Since earning her doctorate, she has lectured at Lincoln University (MO) and Jackson University (FL), and is currently an Associate Professor of Voice at Marshall University (WV). Ms. Waugh was recently awarded a Future of Music Faculty Fellowship, powered by the Sphinx Venture Fund and administered by the Cleveland Institute of Music.