Ensemble Artist Program

Victor Bento is a Brazilian countertenor whose musical path began with church music and organ studies before turning to voice. He holds degrees in Music Education and Vocal Performance, as well as a master’s in Vocal Performance from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. He is currently pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts at the Frost School of Music, University of Miami. Active as both a soloist and ensemble singer, Victor has been a regular presence in Brazil’s Early Music scene, recognized for his professionalism and vocal clarity. His
performances have been praised by the South Florida Classical Review as promising and expressive. Among his honors are first prizes at the Linus Lerner International Singing Competition – Brazil Edition (2020) and the National Association of Teachers of Singing Competition – New England Region (2023). Victor continues to build a vibrant career rooted in excellence and artistry.

Michael Colavita is a choral conductor, performer, composer, and educator dedicated to excellence in vocal music. He currently serves as Director of Music Ministry at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in Palmetto Bay and is pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts in Choral Conducting at the University of Miami.

Colavita holds bachelor’s degrees in Music and Neuroscience from Washington and Lee University and master’s degrees in Choral Conducting and Music Education from the University of Louisville. His past roles include directing the Singing Cardsmen at Louisville, leading the choral program at Montgomery Bell Academy in Nashville, and directing the high school choirs at Miami Arts Charter School. He has performed with and conducted choirs in diverse domestic and international settings, including Korea, Sweden, Ireland, Thailand, and at Carnegie Hall.

Brandon Flores, a young tenor from Miami, Florida is grateful to have had the opportunity to wear many different hats on stage. Working with Miami Beach Classical Music Festival from 2020-2023 has allowed him to be a part of various productions ranging from Monteverdi, Puccini, Bizet, Ravel, Britten and more. He is going into his fourth and final year of his undergraduate studies (B.M. in V ocal Performance) at the Frost School of Music at the University of Miami, having been in the principal cast of their productions of Le Nozze di Figaro in 2023 and Street Scene in 2024. At Brevard Music Center last summer he covered Rodolfo in La Boheme and played various roles in their production of Weill’s Threepenny Opera. Over the past year, he has had the chance to play major roles in Frost Opera Theater’s productions of Flight by Jonathan Dove and The Consul by Giancarlo Menotti.

Originally from Floral Park, New York, Austin Guidone began his musical training at a young age under the guidance of his father, an elementary school band director, who introduced him to the clarinet in first grade.

He later discovered a deep connection to choral singing and attended the American Boychoir School from 2016 to 2017, where he developed a strong foundation in ensemble musicianship and vocal artistry.

Austin currently studies vocal performance at the Frost School of Music (Class of 2027), where his vocal identity continues to broaden; he performs as a tenor in solo repertoire while singing bass in choral settings. His early choral experience sharpened his ear and shaped him into a highly group-oriented singer with a strong sensitivity to blend and collective sound.

Rooted in the musical traditions of northeastern Brazil, Giovanna Maropo is a versatile and expressive soprano. She has performed at numerous music festivals across Brazil and internationally. As a soloist, she has appeared with orchestras on prominent stages in Brazil, Uruguay, Germany, and the United States. In addition to her performance career, Giovanna is deeply committed to music education, with a focus on voice pedagogy. Her artistic approach is also enriched by her background in dance and theater.

Giovanna holds a bachelor's degree in Voice and has undertaken all of her graduate studies in the United States on full scholarships - earning a master’s degree in Voice from Syracuse University, an Artist Certificate from Georgia State University, and currently pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) in vocal performance and pedagogy, with a cognate in choral conducting, at the University of Miami.

Grace Mineo, a soprano from Long Island, NY, is currently in her senior year at the Frost School of Music. Originally rooted in musical theatre, she transitioned to classical voice during her collegiate studies, where she has since cultivated a passion for operatic and choral performance.

Grace has performed with the award winning Frost Chorale under the direction of Dr. Matthew Brady and Dr. Amanda Quist for three years. There she has performed with the choir and as a soloist domestically and internationally. She is elated to be working with Seraphic Fire this season, and wants to thank everyone for coming and supporting this ensemble!

Lauren Richards is a mezzo-soprano currently pursuing a master’s degree in Vocal Performance
at the Frost School of Music in Miami, Florida. Originally from Richmond, Virginia, Richards
has been studying music their entire life, starting with piano lessons at age seven before
expanding to voice and organ. Choir has been a large part of their music education since
childhood and has remained something that they are passionate about in their studies and career.
They have been a member of the Frost Chorale since 2022 and a Seraphic Fire Scholar since
2023. Richards has now performed three principal roles as part of Frost Opera Theater: The
Refugee in Flight by Jonathan Dove (Spring 2025); The Secretary in The Consul by G. C.
Menotti (Fall 2025); and Dorabella in Così fan tutte by W. A. Mozart (Spring 2026). Richards
now looks forward to their Choral Fellowship at Spoleto Festival USA this summer.

Braden Rymer recently joined the Frost School of Music at the University of Miami, where he is pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts in Choral Conducting. At Frost, he conducts university choirs while also assisting as a conductor for The Girl Choir of South Florida and Organist at Ocean Reef Chapel. He performs often as a vocalist and presents on topics in vocal pedagogy at local and regional conferences. Braden holds a Master of Music degree in Choral Conducting and Vocal Performance & Pedagogy from the University of Georgia. There he directed choirs, taught Aural Skills and Music Theory, and served as Choir Director, Organist, and Pianist at Commerce Presbyterian Church. Before moving to the East Coast, he was the Choir Director and AP Music Theory Instructor at Maple Mountain High in Utah, where his choirs performed at places such as Carnegie Hall, ACDA-Utah, and the Utah Music Educators Association Conference.

Yani Araujo is a conductor, tenor, and composer local to Los Angeles, but hails from Florida. An Orlando native, he has sung with such ensembles as the Bach Festival Society of Winter Park, and Orlando Sings’s Solaria.

Yani has had the privilege of being taught how to conduct by wonderfully talented musicians, including John Sinclair, Jamey Ray, Kevin Harris, Ryan Brown, and currently, James Bass and Rob Dietz. He has enjoyed conducting many choirs and orchestras, among them, the Shrine Choir at the National Shrine of Mary Queen of the Universe, and Orlando Sings.

Yani is a composer and arranger, and has edited music for the Moravian Music Foundation. His inspirations are many and varied, but chief among them are the music of his Brazilian heritage, his father, and the human experience. Yani is
currently pursuing a Master degree of Music in Choral Conducting and hopes to be a teacher.

Chloe Chiang is a soprano from Palo Alto in the San Francisco Bay Area. She is in her second year at UCLA pursuing a B.A. in Music Education with an emphasis in choral music. She studies voice with soprano and widely-sought-after opera coach Lucy Yates. Prior to her attendance at UCLA, she sang in Cantabile Youth Singers of Silicon Valley under directors Elena Sharkova and Jace Wittig (2017-2024) and participated in SFCM’s Vocal Academy (2023) where she studied with Rhoslyn Jones, Susanne Mentzer, and Lester Lynch, among others. Now that she is at UCLA, she participates in Chamber Singers and is excited to join Seraphic Fire’s Ensemble Artist Program this year. Chloe aspires to conduct choirs at the collegiate level, hopefully inspiring younger musicians to be moved by choral music like she was. Outside of music, Chloe enjoys spending time with friends, playing board games, and trying new foods!

Natalie Fishman is a soprano from Menlo Park, California in her second year at the University of California, Los Angeles studying Vocal Performance in the Herb Alpert School of Music under Professor Dean. In 2025, Natalie sang the works of Kurt Weill in Opera UCLA’s winter quarter Cabaret, and in the spring, performed in Mia Ruhman’s world-premiere of Nannerl, a new opera. This is Natalie's second year in UCLA Chamber Singers and her first in Seraphic Fire’s Ensemble Artist Program. In addition to music, Natalie is pursuing a secondary major of Neuroscience in the College of Letters and Science. She is passionate about the intersection between music and memory, and in particular, research regarding neurodegenerative disease and music’s ability to improve cognitive
function. As a UCLA Mindspan-Parnassus Intern under Professor Fielding, Natalie aims to bridge the gap between the School of Music and Neuroscience Department to further these research endeavors.

Sadie Habas, mezzo-soprano, is a first year M.M. student at the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music, where she studies with Michael Dean, baritone. Originally from the San Francisco Bay Area, she grew up singing in the Grammy-Award-Winning San Francisco Girls Chorus, where she performed contemporary choral music. Sadie graduated from Boston University, where she earned a B.M. in Voice and a Minor in Political Science under the tutelage of Dr. Lynn Eustis, soprano. This year, Sadie advanced to the Quarterfinals and Semifinals of the
N.A.T.S. National Student Auditions in the Upper College Division, invited to compete in the final round. She also attended the Cortona Sessions for New Music, held in Ede, Netherlands, where she performed two World Premieres by living composers. Sadie is interested in the intersection between classical voice and social justice and hopes to use her art form for positive change.

Dustin Peng, baritone, is an undergraduate student studying Voice Performance and Music Education at the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music, where he studies with internationally renowned baritone Vladimir Chernov. With a passion for all things ensemble singing, Dustin draws on his background in singing choral music and barbershop harmony. He is also a developing soloist in opera and art song. Dustin looks forward to completing his double degree in Music Education, aiming to unite performance, pedagogy, and audio production in cultivating broader interest and curiosity in classical music.

Dustin currently performs with the Los Angeles-based Adoro Ensemble, a chamber choir specializing in early music and new works.

Outside of music, Dustin enjoys cooking and lifting weights.

Olivia Salazar is a twenty one year old artist studying at the University of California Los Angeles under the tutelage of Distinguished Professor Vladimir Chernov and Coach Wendy Caldwell. In her time at UCLA, she has held a leading role in the Kurt Weill Cabaret (2025), played Mercédès in Carmen (2024) in the UCLA Scenes Program, The Second Witch in Dido and Aeneas (2023), Madame Grosse in Poulenc’s Les Mamelles de Tirésias (2023), and the Shepherd in Acis and Galatea (2022). Olivia has received the semifinal award for the 2020 Music Center Spotlight Competition, has received a near full scholarship to the prestigious Interlochen Arts Academy, where she studied under Distinguished Teacher Jeffrey Norris, and has performed additional leading roles including Krakamiche in the recently rediscovered opera Les Dernier Sorcier (2021), and Bunthorne in Patience (2022).

Olivia also has a passion for singing in choral ensembles, partaking in UCLA Chamber Singers for the past three years (2022- present) where she has sung with Cappella Romana on their super audio recording of In the Footsteps of St. Demetrios (2024), with the Long Beach Camerata in the Brahms Requiem (2024), and with the Brubeck Brothers in Gates of Justice (2023). Olivia was additionally the alto soloist in the Universalist Unitarian of Santa Monica’s rendition of The Messiah (2024).

When Olivia isn’t singing, she enjoys traveling, baking, cooking, reading, sewing, and spending quality time with her family, friends, and pets.

James Christopher Scott is an experienced conductor, singer and jazz saxophonist. While earning his bachelor’s degree in Instrumental Music Education at the University of the Pacific (Stockton, CA), he discovered that he was equally passionate about choral music. He has studied voice with Vladimir Chernov, Burr Phillips and Jeffrey Kim. In 2025, he received his masters degree in choral conducting from UCLA, where he is currently pursuing a doctoral degree in the same subject under the guidance of Dr. James K. Bass. James’ passions include record collecting, meditation, and the novels of Kerouac, McCarthy and Steinbeck. His favorite place in the world is in the mountains of La Honda, CA, where he teaches at a summer music camp each year.

Kyle Xu is a third-year undergraduate at the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music, where he is pursuing a degree in Vocal Performance with a minor in Bioinformatics. He studies under distinguished professor Vladimir Chernov and is an active member of the school’s opera and choral programs. His recent performances include the chorus for the world premiere of Richard Danielpour’s The Grand Hotel Tartarus and Fauré’s and Brahms’s requiems with the UCLA Chamber Singers.
Kyle has also received recognition in competition, most recently as a finalist in the Opera Buffs Artists of the Future Competition, and earlier as a recipient of an Encouragement Award from the Schmidt Vocal Competition. Kyle sings with the choir of St. Alban’s Episcopal Church and serves as music director of Bruin Harmony, UCLA’s premier all-male competitive a cappella group. In his free time, Kyle enjoys playing basketball, video games, arranging music, and cooking.