Cafe Congo | Winona Symphony Orchestra’s Concert for the Kids
Sunday | February 22 | 2 PM
First Congregational Church of Winona
Join us at Cafe Congo to benefit the Winona Symphony Orchestra’s annual Children’s Concert.
The program will include performances from Nicholas Shaneyfelt, McKenzie Whitney and Valeria Kishkuna with Rachel Ryan-Dahlgren on Cello.
Nicholas Shaneyfelt is Associate Professor of Music in Collaborative Piano at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa, where he coaches singers, provides musical direction for the opera program, and collaborates in recitals regularly with faculty and students. He completed doctoral studies in the Collaborative Piano studio of Martin Katz at the University of Michigan. Prior to Michigan, he served as Staff Accompanist for the Department of Music and Dance at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Dr. Shaneyfelt tours frequently with the Piatigorsky Foundation, an organization that aims to bring live classical music to underserved regions of the country.
McKenzie Whitney is a nationally recognized lyric tenor celebrated for his expressive voice and compelling stage presence. Opera News has praised his “bright, warm tone” and “considerable power,” while The New York Times has hailed his “vibrant tenor.” He has appeared in leading roles with opera companies across the United States, including Madison Opera, San Diego Opera, Utah Opera, Cleveland Opera Theater, Knoxville Opera, and Des Moines Metro Opera, and has collaborated with numerous symphony orchestras.
His operatic repertoire includes Rodolfo (La bohème), Alfredo (La Traviata), Roméo (Roméo et Juliette), Edgardo (Lucia di Lammermoor), Frederic (The Pirates of Penzance), and the Duke in Rigoletto. In addition to his operatic work, Mr. Whitney is a frequent soloist in major choral-orchestral works such as Handel’s Messiah, Mozart’s Requiem, and Brahms’ Liebeslieder Waltzes.
Mr. Whitney is the recipient of Encouragement Awards from both the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions and the Gerda Lissner Competition. He holds an Artist Diploma from the Academy of Vocal Arts and a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance from the University of Northern Iowa.
Valeria Kishkunas is known for her engaging performances and versatile vocal style, with a repertoire spanning opera, art song, concert works, and jazz. The Des Moines Register praised her performances as “clear and ferociously expressive.” Her operatic roles include The Queen of the Night (Die Zauberflöte), Ariadne (Ariadne auf Naxos), Mimi (La Bohème), Donna Anna (Don Giovanni), and Elisabeth (Tannhäuser). She has performed across the United States and Canada and has been recognized with awards including the National Association of Teachers of Singing Competition, the Schubert Club Scholarship Competition, and as a Regional Finalist for the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions.
Valeria previously served as a Professor of Voice at Luther College and currently serves on the board of the Winona Symphony Orchestra, while balancing her work as a director at Target and life as a mom of two in Winona, Minnesota. She holds a Bachelor of Arts and a Master of Music in Vocal Performance from the University of Northern Iowa and studied with Professor Jeff Brich and Julia Faulkner.
Winona Symphony Orchestra and Cafe Congo are members of the River Arts Alliance. To learn more about the benefits of membership, please visit: riverartsalliance.org/membership/.