Who We Are

Michael Fabiano (he/him) is one of the world’s most celebrated opera singers, an accomplished entrepreneur, and an advocate for arts education. Over the course of his career, he has sung in 76 cities, in 26 countries, and on 89 of the most renowned stages, including The Metropolitan Opera, Paris Opera, Teatro alla Scala, Teatro Real de Madrid, The Royal Opera Covent Garden, and Sydney Opera. He is the recipient of the industry’s most prestigious awards, including the Richard Tucker Award and the Beverly Sills Artist Award, and is a Grand Prize winner from the Gerda Lissner Foundation and the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions. In addition to his prolific performance career and commitment to ArtSmart, Mr. Fabiano is also Chief Strategy Officer for Resonance, a BizOps platform which combines powerful software solutions to allow businesses to streamline administration and operations, manage people, and maintain business partnerships. Mr. Fabiano is a native of Montclair, New Jersey and holds degrees from the University of Michigan and the Academy of Vocal Arts. michaelfabianotenor.com

John Viscardi (he/him) is an operatic tenor and non-profit leader. Motivated by a profound belief in the power of music to transform lives and uplift societies, Mr. Viscardi serves as the Managing Director of ArtSmart and Executive Director of Classic Lyric Arts, a non-profit organization that provides training programs for pre-professional classical singers and pianists. As a tenor, Mr. Viscardi is sought after globally for his interpretation of classic and modern operatic works, having appeared in both recital and concert at venues that include Carnegie Hall (New York), Geffen Hall (New York), Tokyo Opera City (Tokyo), Verizon Hall (Philadelphia) and Avery Fisher Hall (New York). Mr. Viscardi serves on the board of directors of the Philadelphia Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts and is an Artist Fellow with the Philadelphia Center of Psychoanalysis. He holds a Bachelor of Music and Master of Fine Arts from New York University and is a graduate of the Academy of Vocal Arts. johnviscardi.com

Lucas DeJesus (he/him), bass-baritone, is a multidisciplinary vocalist, arts administrator, and voice teacher based in his hometown of Philadelphia, PA. He holds the position of Director of National Program Operations and Regional Coordinator (Philadelphia) for ArtSmart, where he has been a voice mentor since 2017. Lucas specializes in choral music performance and is an active member of the Opera Philadelphia Chorus, EXIGENCE (Sphinx Organization), Mendelssohn Chorus of Philadelphia (Lead Section Leader & Senior Vocal Artist), Philadelphia Symphonic Chorus, Convoco (founding member), Glassbrook Vocal Ensemble (founding member & Chorus Manager), The Same Stream (founding member), and the Delaware Choral Scholars. In 2024, Lucas joined the Delaware Choral Scholars at the Auckland World Choir Games, where they earned four gold medals and ranked #1 in the INTERKULTUR World Choir Rankings. He received his Bachelor of Music degree in voice performance from Westminster Choir College in 2014. Lucas is committed to providing under-represented youth access to equitable music education and mentorship, as well as fighting for the dignity, respect, and fair working conditions of professional choral musicians.

Mentoring Philosophy
Mentorship involves a beautiful and unique type of relationship built on mutual trust and respect, in which the mentor has the best interests and goals of the mentee at the forefront of all their mentoring. A good mentor sees their mentee as the possibility of the fulfillment of their goals while meeting the mentee wherever they stand in the journey.

“Life ain’t about how hard you can hit, it’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward.”
– Sylvester Stallone as Rocky

Erin Alcorn (she/her) is an opera singer, vocal pedagogue, and arts administrator with over 14 years of professional performance and teaching experience. She joined ArtSmart as a vocal mentor in 2018 in inner-city Philadelphia and currently serves as both a virtual mentor to students in remote areas of the Adirondacks and as Manager of Individual Giving and Communications. 

A passionate arts advocate and educator, Erin has worked in communications and fundraising for the Brent Woodall Foundation for Exceptional Children, Tri-Cities Opera, the Philly POPS Orchestra, Jazz Attack: Philly’s Home for Lindy Hop, and as a board member for Voces Intimae: The Art of Song. She completed internships with The Dallas Opera and late New York City Opera, shadowing former general and artistic directors Jonathan Pell and George Steel.

Erin is passionate about vocal science and pedagogy and providing access to high-quality, student-centered, and gender-affirming vocal instruction, especially in underserved communities. She currently provides vocal instruction to undergraduate students at Cleveland State University. Previously, Erin served as a private-lessons program provider for Philadelphia Futures and Ellis Trust for Girls and as an instructor to undergraduate and graduate students at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) as a graduate assistant on full scholarship. 

As a singer, Erin has completed young artist residencies with Music Academy of the West, The Song Continues at Carnegie Hall, and The Dallas Opera. She has performed as a soloist and ensemble member with Queen City Opera, Cincinnati Opera, Opera Philadelphia, Tri-Cities Opera, and the Dallas Opera. Erin holds degrees in vocal performance and opera from the Oberlin Conservatory and University of North Texas College of Music. She is a Doctor of Musical Arts candidate, having completed all coursework except her dissertation, at University of Cincinnati CCM. Erin currently resides in Columbus, OH with her husband and three cats—Ellafitz, Willow, and Ash—and many houseplants.

Mentoring Philosophy:
A good mentor supports, guides, embraces, celebrates, and uplifts the mentee in a way that serves the mentee’s uniquely lived experience and personal goals. A good mentor asks more questions than gives answers, offers perspective, and opens doors, helping the mentee adopt a growth mindset. They help the student realize and embrace themselves. They see the mentee as an equal, not to be created but to be freed.

Favorite Quote/ Motto/ Advice:
“And the thing to do, it seems to me, is to prepare yourself so that you can be a rainbow in someone else’s cloud.”
— Maya Angelou

“Whoever teaches learns in the act of teaching, and whoever learns teaches in the act of learning.”
— Pedagogy of Freedom by Paulo Freire

“What the educator does in teaching is to make it possible for the students to become themselves.”
— We Make the Road by Walking by Myles Horton & Paulo Freire

Danielle Bavli (she/her) has been a member of the ArtSmart team since 2021. She currently serves as ArtSmart’s Manager of Institutional Giving and Program Operations and previously taught as a mentor in New York City. In addition to running her own private voice studio, Singing with Danielle, Danielle has also worked in various administrative capacities at the Boston Conservatory and the Metropolitan Opera. As a performer, Danielle has sung with Encompass New Opera Theatre, the Brevard Music Center, Opera NEO, Pacific Northwest Opera, and more. She holds degrees from Vanderbilt University and the Boston Conservatory at Berklee. Danielle is proud to have attended a public performing arts high school in New York City, making ArtSmart’s work towards an accessible music education all the more personal and important to her.

Lisa Gwyn Daltirus (she/her) has served ArtSmart since the 2019-2020 program year, providing one-on-one multi-genre vocal instruction. As an alumnus of Westminster Choir College in Princeton, NJ, where she majored in Voice and Opera Performance, Lisa has over 25 years of professional experience singing internationally with companies and orchestras, including Opera Philadelphia, the Metropolitan Opera, the Royal Danish Opera in Copenhagen, Denmark, and Cape Town Opera in South Africa. She has also performed with the New York, Philadelphia, and Boston symphony orchestras, as well as the Radio Philharmonic of Amsterdam.

Lisa wholeheartedly believes that equipping young people with the skills, creativity, and cultural legacies that music imparts is vital for building a strong, stable world. Furthermore, teaching life skills and exploring the wide range of career opportunities that intersect with the music industry can broaden their horizons. As a naturally social person, Lisa thrives in activities that involve collaboration and sharing with diverse groups of people.

Mentorship Philosophy

An impactful mentoring relationship is characterized by a safe, encouraging, and positive environment where students feel free to develop and express themselves. It involves meeting students where they are and not imposing repertoire that does not resonate with them. As a mentor, my goal is to inspire and support students in a way that aligns with their needs, providing guidance and encouragement that helps them grow in their own unique direction.

“I come as one, but I stand as 10,000.” – Maya Angelou

Sofia Durante (she/her) is an operatic mezzo-soprano who has performed in theaters across the United States, Italy, and Canada. In addition to her performing career, Sofia is passionate about nonprofit work in music, working administratively for both ArtSmart and Classic Lyric Arts. Sofia holds a master’s degree in vocal performance from The Mannes School of Music and a bachelor’s degree in voice performance from McGill University Schulich School of Music.

Liz Letak is Senior Manager of Legal Business Services at Deloitte. She was formerly Managing Director of the 50-person consulting group for Xact Data Discovery. Prior to Xact, Ms. Letak served as General Counsel for an international pharmaceutical and consumer products company. Ms. Letak has over ten years of legal experience including operations, corporate compliance, and intellectual property. Ms. Letak has held in-house roles in insurance, healthcare, and technology. In addition to serving on ArtSmart’s Board of Directors, she also sits on the board of Utah Women in Sales. Ms. Letak attended the University of Connecticut School of Law and holds degrees in Political Science, Religious Studies, and Mandarin Chinese from College of the Holy Cross..

Cortni Loveridge (she/her) has been a part of the development team since 2018. She is a pianist and violinist with over eight years of teaching experience, with a background in piano pedagogy from Utah State University. Cortni is passionate about the ArtSmart mission, and has enjoyed witnessing the organization expand from serving one city to now more than eight cities across the US since she joined the team. She currently resides in Salt Lake City, UT with her husband, where she provides operations support and team management for other clients.

Shelley Mitchell (she/her) is a passionate educator and multifaceted performer in classical and musical theatre genres. During the 2016-2017 season, Shelley made debut performances at NYU Steinhardt in the role of Claire Holmes ( The Secret Garden) and Adriana (The Boys from Syracuse). Shelley holds a dual Bachelor of Music degree in Voice Performance and Music Education from Indiana State University School of Music in addition to a Master of Music in Voice Performance and an Advanced Certificate in Vocal Pedagogy from New York University- Steinhardt. She currently serves ArtSmart as the Curriculum, Training, & Surveying Consultant and Alumni Advisory Board Liaison. Before beginning a full-time teaching position in 2024, Shelley served as a dedicated New York City vocal mentor. She is proud to now be in a position to bring an ArtSmart piano studio to her school.

Lucas DeJesus (he/him), bass-baritone, is a multidisciplinary vocalist, arts administrator, and voice teacher based in his hometown of Philadelphia, PA. He holds the position of Director of National Program Operations and Regional Coordinator (Philadelphia) for ArtSmart, where he has been a voice mentor since 2017. Lucas specializes in choral music performance and is an active member of the Opera Philadelphia Chorus, EXIGENCE (Sphinx Organization), Mendelssohn Chorus of Philadelphia (Lead Section Leader & Senior Vocal Artist), Philadelphia Symphonic Chorus, Convoco (founding member), Glassbrook Vocal Ensemble (founding member & Chorus Manager), The Same Stream (founding member), and the Delaware Choral Scholars. In 2024, Lucas joined the Delaware Choral Scholars at the Auckland World Choir Games, where they earned four gold medals and ranked #1 in the INTERKULTUR World Choir Rankings. He received his Bachelor of Music degree in voice performance from Westminster Choir College in 2014. Lucas is committed to providing under-represented youth access to equitable music education and mentorship, as well as fighting for the dignity, respect, and fair working conditions of professional choral musicians.

Mentoring Philosophy
Mentorship involves a beautiful and unique type of relationship built on mutual trust and respect, in which the mentor has the best interests and goals of the mentee at the forefront of all their mentoring. A good mentor sees their mentee as the possibility of the fulfillment of their goals while meeting the mentee wherever they stand in the journey.

“Life ain’t about how hard you can hit, it’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward.”
– Sylvester Stallone as Rocky

Chad Armstrong (he/him) is a native of Saskatchewan, Canada. His heroic baritone voice is at home in Verdi’s masterpieces. He is thrilled to make his much-anticipated debut as Iago with Vashon Opera. After his performances with Annapolis Opera, The Baltimore Sun said “There was no facet of Rigoletto’s character that was not evident in Armstrong’s masterful rendition.” Opera Online hailed his Sonora in La fanciulla del West as “outstanding,” pointing out his “strong stage presence, strong vocal delivery and natural acting abilities.” Opera News said his Ping in Turandot was “particularly impressive” and he was invited to reprise selections of the role in celebration of Puccini’s 150th birthday with the Opera Orchestra of New York under the baton ofMaestro Francisco Bonnin in the Rose Theater at Lincoln Center. Career highlights include the title role of Dallapiccola’s Il Prigioniero with Teatro Comunale di Bologna and the Teatro Luciano Pavarotti in Modena; Kofel in Strauss’ Feuersnot with the American Symphony Orchestra and Baritone Soloist in Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 both at Carnegie Hall; Sharpless in Madama Butterfly and Germont in La traviata with New Rochelle Opera; Escamillo in Carmen, Mozart’s Figaro in Le nozze di Figaro, and Tonio in Pagliacci with Western Plains Opera; the title role in the NY premiere of Picker’s Fantastic Mr. Fox and the role or Pope Pius IX in the world premiere of Cilluffo’s Il caso Mortara with NYC’s Dicapo Opera. As a winner of the 2009 Mezzo TV Festival and Competition in Szeged, Hungary, Armstrong made his debut with The National Moravian-Silesian Theatre as John Donne in Marco Tutino’s Vita. Chad Armstrong is managed by Robert Gilder and Associates. He offers private vocal instruction through Armstrong Vocal Studio in Hillsdale, NJ, and is a mentor and regional coordinator for ArtSmart, providing tuition-free music lessons in under-resourced communities across the US.

Matthew Brennan (he/him) has been a proud ArtSmart mentor in his hometown of Chicago since the 2019-2020 school year. He holds a Master of Music degree from the Cleveland Institute of Music and a Bachelor of Music degree from Vanderbilt University’s Blair School of Music. He works regularly as a soloist and ensemble singer in and around Chicago with ensembles including Chicago a cappella, Music of the Baroque, the Chicago Symphony Chorus, and Constellation Men’s Ensemble. His teaching is infused with the belief that growing as a musician means growing one’s sense of empathy, which serves us as performers and, more broadly, as humans.

Mentoring Philosophy
A good mentor creates a safe, nurturing, and supportive environment that lets a young singer blossom into their most authentic, expressive self. At the same time, a good mentor helps students set personal goals for growth and holds those students accountable to themselves.

“Practice makes permanent.”

Evan Mack (he/him), winner of the 2024 American Prize in composition, has devoted much of his compositional life to opera and song. His first major operatic composition Angel of the Amazon premiered in 2011 by Encompass New Opera Theatre at the Baryshnikov Arts Center in New York City. Two years later, Fresno State Opera premiered The Secret of Luca, the first of several collaborations between Mack and librettist Joshua McGuire. In August 2016, Mack and McGuire’s American grand opera Roscoe premiered at Seagle Music Festival and received its orchestral world premiere with the Albany Symphony starring Metropolitan Opera star Deborah Voigt. Their multicultural Christmas show for children Lucinda y las Flores de la Nochebuena is quickly becoming a holiday standard. Other works include Beach and Moan, #IsOperaDead, The Ghosts of Gatsby, and Dragon’s Breath. Mack was named 2018 Professional of the Year by Musical America, and is a Senior Teaching Professor at Skidmore College. In 2020, Mack founded We Are Instrumental, an organization that supports better access to music in K-12 public schools in the Adirondacks. He lives in Ticonderoga, NY with his wife Kristin and two sons Carter and Henry.

Mentoring Philosophy
My life’s mission has been to provide access to music to as many people as I possibly can, and one of the ways to do so is by mentoring young musicians and opening their world to limitless potential.

“Music can name the unnameable and communicate the unknowable.”– Leonard Bernstein

Efraín Solís has been a member of the ArtSmart team since 2022 as San Francisco’s Regional Coordinator. As an active singer this season he performs with Houston Grand Opera, The Dallas Opera, Fort Worth Opera and Santa Fe Opera, and Opera San Antonio. A native of Santa Ana, CA, Efrain received his first voice lessons through a scholarship provided by SAUSD which guided him to pursue music degrees at Chapman University and the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. Passionate about music education in schools, Efrain is glad to be able to aid schools in keeping the arts in student’s lives.

Mentoring Philosophy:  

A good mentor meets each student where they are. Every student has the ability to grow and develop at their own pace and the best mentors create a safe environment for students to take risks and think outside of the box.