Alissa Mercurio Rowe, Irina Cunev, Tyler Smith
Biography Alissa Mercurio Rowe, Irina Cunev, Tyler Smith
Alissa Mercurio Rowe
is an active soprano soloist, choral conductor, and voice teacher. As a soloist, she has performed with the Tallahassee Symphony, Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra, Baton Rouge Symphony, New Hampshire Symphony, and the National Symphony Orchestra (Mexico). She also performed and recorded three roles in David Schiff’s opera Gimpel the Fool, conducted by Kenneth Kiesler, with Third Angle, Portland Oregon’s renowned new music ensemble. Dr. Rowe is a versatile performer who regularly performs a wide variety of works such as the Beethoven’s Mass in C, Messiah of Handel, Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater and Schubert’s Mass in G, as well as opera roles in La Cenerentola, The Consul, Magic Flute and La Perichole, among others. She currently serves as Associate Professor, Director of Choral Activities at Southeastern Louisiana University. Dr. Rowe conducts the Southeastern Concert Choir, Southeastern Louisiana University’s premiere choral ensemble and the Bella Voce Ensemble. Dr. Rowe holds a Doctor of Musical Arts Degree from Louisiana State University, a Master of Music in Conducting and Vocal Performance, a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance and Teacher Certification K-12 from the University of Michigan.
Irina Cunev
a native from Republic of Moldova, Dr. Cunev earned a Bachelor of Music from Moldova State University of Arts, Master of Music from Southeastern Louisiana University and a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from Louisiana State University. Dr. Cunev joined the faculty at Southeastern Louisiana University in 2006 as a staff accompanist, collaborating with vocal and instrumental studios and providing accompaniment for faculty, students and guest artists recitals on
a regular basis and is currently Piano Instructor and Accompanying Area Coordinator.
Tyler Smith
has appeared in numerous operatic and concert performances throughout the United States, Europe, and South America. Most recently he was seen as Canio in the Mobile Opera production of I Pagliacci. He also performed the role of Howard Boucher in New Orleans Opera’s critically acclaimed production of Dead Man Walking. Other appearances with Louisiana Opera include Rodolfo in La bohéme and Turiddu in Cavalleria Rusticana. For Opéra Louisiane he has performed the roles of Siegmund and Siegfried in a production of The Ring: a reduction created by Michael Borowitz. For his portrayal of Canio with New Orleans Opera, Opera News deemed his performance a “heroic job...[a] powerful voice and was remarkably in touch with the drama.” Other roles performed include Don Jose in Carmen, Sam in Susannah, Max in Der Freischütz, Boris in Katya Kabanova, the title role in Offenbach’s Tales of Hoffmann, Florestan in Fidelio, and Belfiore in Argento’s Casanovas Homecoming (released on the Newport Classics label). In 2001 he made his Houston Grand Opera debut in Carlisle Floyd’s Of Mice and Men (released on the Albany label).
He is currently Extraordinary Professor of Voice and Coordinator of Voice Studies at Loyola University of New Orleans.
