Past Guest Artists

David Cody, is very active in the opera and concert scene of the intermountain west, as a tenor soloist, stage director, and teacher. He has sung many leading and supporting roles with such companies as The Opera Theater of St. Louis, The Ohio Light Opera, Intermountain Opera, Rimrock Opera, and Nevada Opera Theater. He is a frequent guest soloist of the Helena Symphony, and will be performing in their upcoming production of Mozart’s opera, Le Nozze di Figaro. He has also been a featured soloist with the Missouri Symphony, the Billings Symphony, the Bozeman Symphony, the Glacier Orchestra, the Great Falls Symphony, and the String Orchestra of the Rockies.

Mr. Cody received his training from Truman State University and the Indiana University School of Music, where he performed extensively with its noted opera theater. He was also a member of the Pro Arte Singers with the Early Music Institute, directed by Thomas Binkley, and was a soloist for their recording of Dufay’s Missa se la face ay pale (Focus label). David Cody teaches Voice at The University of Montana, and co-directs the UM Opera Theater.

 

 

A native of Bremen, Ohio, Raymond Feener has performed throughout the United States, Holland, Austria, and Italy. Raymond made his professional stage debut in 1995 with the Columbus Light Opera as Giuseppe in Gilbert and Sullivan’s The Gondoliers. His International debut was with the Opera Theatre of Lucca in Lucca Italy in 1998 in the title role of Giuseppe Gazzaniga’s version of Don Giovanni. Since that time he has made a home in the operatic, oratorio, concert and art song repertoire, and is known for his beautiful lyric voice and outstanding acting ability.

He received his bachelor’s, and master’s degree from Ohio University and doctoral degree from Florida State University. He is currently an Assistant Professor of Voice at the University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory of Music & Dance.

An example of his operatic repertoire ranges from Figaro in Rossini’s Il Barbiere di Siviglia and Marcello in Puccini’s La Bohème to the Man with a Shoe Sample Kit in Argento’s Postcard from Morroco and Strephon in G & S’s Iolanthe.

His solo, concert, and recital work has taken him across the country to Florida, Texas, Georgia, South Dakota, Missouri, Ohio, Hawaii, and in July 2007 to The Netherlands to perform for the 40th Anniversary of N.A.T.O. in Brunssum, Holland.

Dr. Feener recently performed the role of Silvio in the Kansas Concert Opera’s production of Leoncavallo’s I Pagliacci.

 

 

An adjunct instructor of flute at Idaho State University, Tiana Grise teaches the flute studio, directs the I.S.U. Flute Choir, coaches woodwind ensembles and teaches Music Appreciation and Aural Skills. She earned a Bachelor of Music in Flute Performance at the University of Montana and a Master of Music in Performance and Pedagogy with Dr. Jonathan Keeble at Oklahoma State University.

After completing her MM degree in 2001, Grise returned to Montana, settling in Helena and developing a large private flute studio. While in Helena, she held the Associate Principal Flute position in the Helena Symphony and became a highly sought after adjudicator and clinician for regional and state solo and ensemble competitions. She has also performed as a featured soloist with the Missoula City Band, Helena Community Band, University of Montana Symphonic Winds and the Idaho State University Symphonic Band.

Ms. Grise is also the primary flute instructor for the Flathead Lake Music Camp, and is Principal Flute of the Idaho State Civic Symphony.

 

 

Dana Harding is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Music degree in Violin at Idaho State University. She serves as assistant concertmaster of the Idaho State Civic Symphony. Additionally, Dana performs regularly with the Idaho Falls Civic Symphony, is active as a chamber musician, and maintains a large private violin studio.

 

 

 

 

 

From the south east Michigan area, Michael Markley Began playing Double Bass in high school. Later, he studied double bass performance at Grand Valley State University (Grand Rapids, Michigan) before moving west and graduating from Montana State University with a Bachelor’s in Music Education. In 2007, Mr. Markley graduated with a Master’s of Music Education from Idaho State University. Moving around the west Mr. Markley has performed with numerous regional orchestras and is currently the Principal Bassists for the Idaho State Civic Symphony. He is also the high school orchestra director for the Pocatello School District #25.

 

 

 

David E. Parry , M.D., continues his lifelong interest in and support of music, playing weekly for church services. He studied organ with Professor Byron Blackmore at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, before pursuing studies at the University of Wisconsin Medical School and Ohio State University School of Medicine. He is certified by the American Board of Allergy and Immunology, and practices medicine and music in Pocatello. He serves as president of the Idaho State Civic Symphony Board of Directors and Sub-dean of the Eastern Idaho Chapter of the American Guild of Organists.

 

 

Rebecca Pershouse, an oboe performance student at the University of Montana, is excited to be performing at Idaho State University for the first time. She has performed in numerous venues around Montana including in pit orchestras for Missoula Community Theatre’s productions of Oklahoma!, Mame, and currently Jesus Christ Superstar. She currently performs as part of the University of Montana’s premiere wind group Symphonic Wind Ensemble, and has participated in the Helena Symphony for their popular Symphony Under the Stars concert series.

 

 

 

Britt Peterson began playing viola through the Mankato (Minnesota) School District when she was ten years old. In high school she studied with Marilyn Bos. She was a member of the elementary through high school orchestras and the Mankato Area Youth Symphony She began her work on the Bachelor of Music degree in Viola Performance at the University of North Dakota as a student of Dr. Chung Park. She transferred to Idaho State University to finish her degree with Dr. Park. In Pocatello, she is an active musician as a member of the Idaho State Civic Symphony, the ISU Chamber Orchestra, and the Portneuf Valley String Quartet. She teaches viola privately and also with Idaho School District 25’s After School Strings Program.

 

 

Raised in Missoula, Montana, oboist Stephen Sears started private study in seventh grade with Roger McDonald at the University of Montana. He completed a minor in Oboe in 2007. He plays regularly in the Helena, Glacier, and Missoula Symphonies and has been first chair oboist in the university orchestra, symphonic wind ensemble, several quintets, and other ensembles during his undergraduate study. A Biology major, Stephen plans to apply for medical school. No matter where he ends up in the future, however, he intends to continue playing his oboe.

 

 

Meagen Slade began playing the violin in 5th grade. She studied with Anna Gray from Preston and Conrad Dunn from Logan as she attended Preston High School. While in high school she played in the Utah Youth Symphony, the school symphony, and Double Helix the elite string ensemble. Her greatest achievement on the violin has been being selected to be a member of 400 person symphony for the 400th Celebration of the Founding of America in Jamestown, Virginia. She is currently a student attending Idaho State University pursuing a degree in Music Education.

 

 

 

Oboist Susi Stipich has been the principal oboist for The Missoula Symphony Orchestra since 1996. She received her Bachelor of Music Performance in 1997 from the University of Montana. She has performed in musicals with the local theatre and actively performs with Orchestras around the state. Susi has been featured as soloist with The String Orchestra of the Rockies in 1998 and The Missoula Symphony in 2002. She has also performed with numerous ensembles in the Northwest such as the Utah State University Quintet. Susi actively plays with the Bitterroot Double reeds, a group she co-founded, and performs many solo recitals. She has taught at several music camps in the Northwest, including The Utah State University Summer Music Camp in Logan, Utah and The Yellowstone Summer Music Camp at Northwest College in Powell, Wyoming. Susi has a thriving oboe studio with many of her students receiving honors at the District and State levels.

 

 

Robert Wilson has had a love and appreciation of good music since he was a small boy. During his freshman year in high school, he decided to stop listening and try playing. He became interested in the violin through his first teacher Sharylynn Goodworth. Since that time, Robert has enjoyed playing in numerous groups, including his high school orchestra, the Camerata Strings, the ISU Youth Symphony, the Idaho State Civic Sympony, the Idaho All-State Orchestra, and the Consensio String Quartet. He also has enjoyed playing in the ISU Chamber Orchestra and the Portneuf Valley String Quartet. Robert has received instruction from Mrs. Goodworth, Dr. Erika Schulte, and currently Dr. Chung Park.