About Us

Soprano

Emily grew up in Azle, TX and received her B.M. in Music Education from the University of Texas at Arlington. Emily taught general music and choir full time for five years before resigning to become a stay-at-home mom in 2009. Since that time, Emily has continued teaching in various ways, directing the Voices of the Permian Basin youth choir, teaching part-time general music and choir at Midland Classical Academy, and maintaining a thriving private voice and piano studio at West Texas Conservatory in Midland, TX. Emily performs regularly around town with various bands, and serves as a worship leader at her church. By far, her favorite musical role is helping children fall in love with choral music and she feels fortunate to have a front row seat to see that happen every day!

Soprano

Mexican soprano Dr. Jessica Rosas Posada is a distinguished performer, educator, and leading specialist in Latin American Art song. Currently an Assistant Professor of Voice at Angelo State University, her operatic credits include leading roles such as Susanna (Le Nozze di Figaro), Norina (Don Pasquale), Hanna Glawari (The Merry Widow), and Gretel (Hansel and Gretel). On the concert stage, she has performed an extensive oratorio repertoire, including solo highlights in Orff’s Carmina Burana, Handel’s Messiah, and the Requiems of Mozart, Fauré, and Rutter. A member of Pasión Professional Chorus, she also serves as the president of the Ibero-American Chapter of NATS. Her excellence has been recognized with prestigious NATS accolades, including multiple division wins, an Aspiring Artist Summer Program Grant, and the Waldman Award for Best Performance of Spanish Song. Posada holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of North Texas and Master of Music degree from Texas Tech University.

Soprano

Brittany Fouché Strine joined the faculty of Texas Tech University as Assistant Professor of Voice in 2025. She has appeared in operas with the Jacksonville Symphony, Vancouver Symphony, Des Moines Metro Opera, Opera Saratoga, St. Petersburg Opera, and First Coast Opera, and recent performances have featured premieres and new works for wind band and soprano by John Mackey and Holly Harrison. A passionate pedagogue, Brittany was a 2024 NATS Intern, and her research focuses on increasing knowledge of voice damage and recuperation, so that singers and teachers can find practical solutions to often-overlooked issues in the voice studio.

Mezzo - Soprano

Mezzo-soprano Dr. Marie Bird is known for her energized teaching, performing, mindfulness research, and student outreach throughout the New Mexico and West Texas regions. She currently serves as both Vocal Area Coordinator and Assistant Professor of Voice at Eastern New Mexico University in Portales, New Mexico. As a performer, Dr. Bird has collaborated with such companies as the Lubbock Symphony Orchestra, Texas Tech Opera Theatre, Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra, Taos Opera Institute, Amarillo Opera, Red River Lyric Opera, Seagle Music Festival, and Italy’s Orvieto Musica Festival. Dr. Bird and her students maintain active performance schedules in which they perform opera, cabaret, art song, musical theater, jazz, and popular music. Dr. Bird and many of her students are also active members of the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS). Through NATS, Dr. Bird has shared her mindfulness for musicians research with audiences across the United States. Dr. Bird holds degrees in vocal performance from Texas Tech University (DMA), the University of Alabama (MM), and Florida State University (BM).

Mezzo - Soprano

Crystal Jaquez, a native of Midland, Texas, is a passionate music educator and accomplished vocalist. She earned her Bachelor of Music in Music Education from The University of Texas Permian Basin, where she actively participated in several stage productions, including Amahl and the Night Visitors, Into the Woods, and The Pirates of Penzance. Crystal began her teaching career as the Assistant Choir Director at Crockett Middle School in Odessa, Texas. In addition to her work in choral education, she has taught private voice lessons, guiding students in developing their vocal technique and musical expression. In addition to her classical training, Crystal is also an accomplished jazz vocalist and performs with the ensemble New Classics, showcasing her versatility and deep love for diverse musical genres.

Mezzo - Soprano

Alice Anne Light is a mezzo-soprano whose work bridges classical tradition, contemporary music, and interdisciplinary performance. Praised for a voice of warmth, agility, and emotional clarity, she appears as both a soloist and collaborator in projects that place musical excellence in conversation with curiosity, connection, and care. Her performances span opera, concert repertoire, and new works, with a particular commitment to living composers and repertoire that invites reflection and dialogue. Light is known for thoughtful musicianship and a grounded, communicative presence that draws audiences in. In addition to her performance career, she is an educator and advocate for inclusive, artist-centered practices that support sustainable creative lives. She currently serves as Associate Professor of Voice and Associate Director for Student Affairs at the Texas Tech School of Music. 

Tenor

Mark Huffines is a senior in Music Education and Vocal Performance at Texas Tech University from Abilene, Texas. He is a long time member of the University Choir, where he serves as president, and has been involved with many other ensembles including the West Texas Children's Choir, the Lubbock Chorale, Amarillo Opera, the First United Methodist Church Chancel Choir, and the Genesis Children's Choir at First United Methodist Church, where he serves as an assistant director.

Artistic Director /Tenor

Brad Light is Director of Choral Activities at the University of Texas Permian Basin, founder and Artistic Director of the West Texas Choral Artists, and Conductor of the West Texas Symphony Chamber Chorale. In addition to his conducting work, Dr. Light is an active professional singer, appearing on recordings and with respected ensembles including Kantorei of Kansas City, Te Deum Antiqua, and Trinity Chamber Ensemble. He holds degrees from Harding University (B.A.), the University of Mississippi (M.M.E.), and Texas Tech University (D.M.A.).

Tenor

Dr. Corey Sullivan joined the faculty at Texas Tech University as the Assistant Professor of Choral Music Education and Associate Director of Choral Studies in the Fall of 2023. He teaches undergraduate and graduate course work in choral methods and music technology and conducts several choirs. A South Georgia native, he taught middle and high school chorus in Tallahassee, Florida prior to his appointment at TTU. He received his Bachelor of Music Education, Master of Music Education, and Ph.D. in Music Education from Florida State University. Dr. Sullivan is a member of the American Choral Directors Association, National Association for Music Education, International Society for Music Education, College Music Society, Texas Music Educators Association, and National Collegiate Choral Organization.

Bass

Hwanwook Lee is a versatile musician and conductor who holds a Doctor of Musical Arts (D.M.A.) in Choral Conducting from Texas Tech University and a degree in Church Music Composition from Seoul Theological University. Currently an Adjunct Professor of Music at Midland College, Lee teaches voice and music appreciation, drawing on extensive leadership experience that includes serving as the Associate Director of Choirs at Odessa High School and as a Graduate Teaching Assistant for various collegiate ensembles. A specialist in contemporary Korean choral music, he has presented numerous lectures and clinics at the professional level. By integrating his background in composition with his expertise in vocal pedagogy and conducting, Lee brings a sophisticated and disciplined artistic perspective to every choral ensemble

Bass

Recognized for his sonorous bass timbre, Christopher brings both nuance and warmth to his performances, captivating audiences with a balance of power and subtlety. He was recently invited to the Aspen Music Festival on a full fellowship, where he will sing as Peter Quince in A Midsummer Night’s Dream and cover Sarastro in Die Zauberflöte. In 2025, Christopher made his debut with the Lubbock Symphony Orchestra as Sparafucile in a highlights concert production of Rigoletto. He also recently sang the roles of Angelotti and the Jailer in a concert production of Tosca with Tulsa Opera, and Dr. Grenville in La Traviata with Spotlight on Opera. In December, Christopher returned as the bass soloist in Handel’s Messiah with The Lubbock Chorale, marking his second consecutive season with the work, where he continues to find new depth and meaning. In 2024, he appeared as Il Commendatore in Don Giovanni with Music on Site in Wichita, Kansas, and returned this season to perform as Bartolo in Le Nozze di Figaro. Other recent roles include Lindorf, Crespel, and Coppelius (cover) in Les Contes d’Hoffmann, and Superintendent Budd in Albert Herring, all with the Texas Tech Opera Theatre, where he is earning his dual bachelor’s degree in vocal performance and music education.

Baritone

Jonathan Rhoades, baritone and choir director at LFHS in Midland, has been frequently engaged in classical and choral productions over the last three years. Since August of 2023, he has performed in eight operas, four outreach performances, three masterworks concerts, two musicals, and his own graduate recital, which featured two of his own works. Major performance credits include the Narrator/Mysterious Man in Into the Woods and Zuniga in Carmen with Opera in the Ozarks (2025) and Tony in The Most Happy Fella! at the University of Memphis (2025). A graduate of Levelland High School, Jonathan has returned to West Texas after receiving higher education at Oklahoma State University (Bachelor of Music Education) and the University of Memphis (Master of Vocal Performance).