Meet Our Teachers

Dr. Yixuan Han

Soprano Yixuan Han, DMA, is a pioneering educator in developing a new version of IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) for Chinese songs. At the University of North Texas (UNT), she studied vocal performance and vocal pedagogy under Dr. Stephen F. Austin, one of the world’s foremost vocal pedagogues, and won UNT’s 2019 concerto competition. Prior to her time at UNT, Dr. Han obtained two masters degrees from Xinghai Conservatory of Music and the University of Central Oklahoma. She taught at the Lanzhou City University for 12 years. During this period, she won three national-level China Outstanding Vocal Instructor awards. Many of her students won top international and national vocal awards, and are now professors of vocal performance throughout the country. Dr. Han is a winner multiple national level competitions, such as the Golden Bell Competition of China (2013) and Chinese Central Television (CCTV) Vocal Competition of China (2012); the winners of which were both selected from a field of over ten thousand professional vocalists. In 2007, Dr. Han also won the internationally recognized Italian Bellini International Vocal competition. Operatic roles Dr. Han performed include Gilda in Verdi’s Rigoletto, Violetta in Verdi’s La Traviata, Fiodiligi in Mozart’s Cosi Fan Tutte, Rosalinda from Johann Strauss's Die Fledermause, Adina from Donizetti's L'Elisir D'amore, Queen of the Night from Mozart’s The Magic Flute, and Anna from Mozart‘s Don Giovanni and many others. Dr. Han is currently the CEO of HanOpera International Art Center, a member of National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS), Pi Kappa Lambda, and a founding member of the board of directors for the International Association of Music and Arts (IAMA). She has served as a judge for the NATS (Texoma Area) preliminary, semi-final, and final rounds for two consecutive years.

Karen Solomon

Karen Solomon is a teaching artist with skills in voice, piano, musical direction, voice acting, and performance/presentation coaching. At the University of Louisiana, she earned a Master’s in Vocal Music Education, minors in English and Performance, and was a Supervisor of Student Teaching. She completed a directed study at Louisiana Tech in “The Male Adolescent Voice”, studied at the Yale Cabaret Conference (coached by NYC’s leading cabaret artists) and attended Living Values International Educators in Oxford, England. Her teaching approach is a holistic one that combines the science of voice with psychology, allowing students to explore their authentic voice as a tool of expression while building confidence and character. Karen believes that vocal performance is a medium for story-telling; it creates an atmosphere that engages, inspires, entertains. Dual careers enrich Karen’s ability to teach and thrive in both the “live stage” and “academic” worlds of singing. For 25 years, she lived in Athens, Greece, working in schools, music conservatories, holistic health, event planning, recording studios, and voice acting. She also performed as a singer/pianist on cruise ships, was lead vocalist in jazz and pop combos throughout Greece. In addition, her a capella trio “SKY” self-produced 2 CD’s, found on Apple Music, Spotify, and other streaming platforms. Karen has wide ranging teaching experience, including PreK-12 grade music education/choral directing, plus vocal coaching and musical direction in youth and community theaters. She sings Broadway, pop, and jazz favorites that are fresh and authentic. Ultimately, Ms. Solomon believes an exploration of the voice is an exploration of self; it creates a journey in which music has the power to inspire and heal.

SHEBA OGADA NYANJOM

A master teacher with nearly 40 years of teaching experience, Sheba holds a Bachelor of Music Education in Early Childhood Music and a Master of Music Education, and is certified for music teaching from grades K-12, and has extensive experience teaching with the Orff method. Born in Kikuyu, Kenya, Sheba studied at the University of Geneva and the Conservatoire de Musique de Geneve in Switzerland, and obtained her masters at Northwestern University, IL. Sheba has a passion for music and for sharing it with her students. Her goal is to foster a lifelong love and appreciation for all types of music in her students. Letting children be who they are deep down inside so that they can live a life where they have meaningful interactions with all people and the environment around them is an important part of Sheba’s approach to teaching. Sheba resides in Frisco, Texas with her electrical engineer husband and 3 sons, all of whom were/are homeschooled. Her eldest son is an electrical engineering student at UTD. Her middle son is an aspiring lawyer and Latin scholar, and her youngest son says he wants to be an electrical engineer like his dad.

William Derusha (Musical Theater Director)

Will Derusha graduated with his bachelor’s from UNT in 2013, where he studied music and Spanish. He has taught private and group voice lessons for the last 7 years at various schools in the area, including Hillwood Middle School in Keller, and Webb Middle School in Garland. He taught musical theater and staged productions of The Lion King, Mary Poppins, and Alice In Wonderland at Frisco School of Music to students ages four to eighteen. In addition to teaching, he has been singing professionally on stages throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex for the last 10 years with companies such as Fort Worth Opera, American Baroque Opera Company, Orchestra of New Spain, Mansfield Philharmonic, Collins Classical, and Dallas Classical Singers. His range of experience spans from sacred/oratorio to opera and musical theater.

Sawyer Lowe (Musical Theater Teacher & Choir Conductor)

Sawyer, a lifelong Texan residing in North Texas, excels in vocal and choral instruction. As Director of Music at United Disciples Christian Church, he orchestrates the Praise Band, Handbell Choir, and Chancel Choir with finesse. Sawyer's passion extends to nurturing talent at Han Opera. Armed with a Bachelor's in Music Education from TCU, he imparts musical wisdom to students of all ages. Additionally, Sawyer lends his vocal prowess to the renowned Dallas Symphony Chorus. With Sawyer, excellence in vocal and choral education thrives.