King Classical
Messiah Musician Bios
Donna Rollene, soprano, was Assistant Professor of Music and Director of the Opera/Music Theatre Workshop at John Brown University for 10 years and adjunct professor of voice at the University of Arkansas. She has her Masters in Vocal Performance from the University Of Arkansas, and performed in concerts, operas, oratorios, churches and musical theatre productions including Mozart’s Cosi fan tutte, Verdi’s Falstaff and Puccini’s La Boheme, while working with world-renowned vocal technicians, coaches and conductors.
Numerous awards include 1st Place for an AIMS scholarship provided by the American Friends of Austria and the Austrian Consulate General; Finalist in the Mobil Oil Meistersinger Competition (Austria); 1st Place Award at the GMA of the Rockies Vocal Solo Competition and the Farwell Award (Chicago).
Donna has taught voice lessons for 45 years and has been married for 46 years to Jerry Rollene, past Director of Alumni and Parent Relations (JBU). They live in Springdale, Arkansas and have three daughters, three son-in-laws and four granddaughters.
Dr. Samantha Stinson maintains a diverse career as a performer, cantorial soloist, and
educator. Her favorite roles performed include Violetta in La Traviata, Adele in Die
Fledermaus, Musetta in La bohème, Lily in The Secret Garden, Miss Andrew in Mary
Poppins, Mabel in Pirates of Penzance, and Susanna in Le Nozze di Figaro. Her symphonic
work includes Orff's Carmina Burana, Handel’s Messiah, Mozart's Requiem, Vivaldi’s Gloria,
Bach's Weihnachtsoratorium, Beethoven’s Choral Fantasie and Symphony No. 9,
Tommasini’s Three Spanish Songs.
In addition to her performance career, Samantha serves on the Learning and Engagement
team at Walton Arts Center in Fayetteville, AR, where she and her team welcome over
25,000 children per year to experience professional live theater. Learn more at www.samanthastinson.com.
Raquel King, soprano, holds a master’s in vocal performance from Wichita State and a BA from John Brown. She has been singing in NWA, Wichita, and beyond for 25 years, where sharing the brilliance of classical composers has brought her much joy. She has loved putting together ensembles to perform the Messiah and her arrangement of the hymn "It Is Well With My Soul" for choir and solo for the funeral of a friend (2024). Opera leading roles include L’elisir d’amore, Hansel and Gretel, The Magic Flute, and a premier performance of Hageman’s Nightingale and the Rose. A choral music enthusiast, she won a position in Helmuth Rilling’s Festival Choir in Germany through the International Bach Academy and won finalist placement for the international voice competition, Cadenza Contest (2021). Her students at NWACC, Har-Ber High School and King Classical win leading roles, are awarded top spots in competitions and are offered highest scholarships in college auditions.
She and her husband, Chris King, enjoy time with their children and also traipsing around cities looking for beautiful music.
Mezzo-soprano, Jennifer Powell has made a presence in major opera houses around the country including The Metropolitan Opera, Santa Fe Opera, Opera Theater of St Louis, and Lyric Opera of Kansas City. She has also been a featured soloist throughout the United States and has received several honors and awards throughout her career. She currently resides in NW Arkansas where she maintains an active private voice studio and enjoys spending free time with her niece and nephew. Jennifer holds a Master of Music and Bachelor of Music degree in
Voice Performance.
Judd Burns, tenor, graduated in 2016 with a master's degree in voice performance from the University of Arkansas. Throughout his career Judd has sung as a featured soloist and with several professional vocal ensembles. In 2020 he moved to Louisville with his wife Miranda, a classically trained violinist, to attend the University of Louisville School of Dentistry. He graduated in 2024.
During dental school he sang for two seasons as a member of the Louisville Chamber Choir, performing in concerts featuring cellist Yo-Yo Ma and tenor Andrea Bocelli. Now back in Northwest Arkansas, Judd sings to his patients during their dental work and performs whenever opportunity presents itself to do so.
Shayne Piles is a Missouri-based baritone who received his Masters in Vocal Performance and Literature from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign under the tutelage of Grammy Award winner Nathan Gunn. His most recent role with the Ozarks Lyric Opera was Il Commendatore in Mozart’s Don Giovanni. Piles made his South Bend Lyric Opera debut as The Father in the World Premiere of Paul Herman’s The Gift. While at Illinois, he performed the titular role in Mozart's Le Nozze di Figaro. He has also performed roles in selected scenes including: Giorgio Germont from La Traviata, Falstaff from Falstaff, Rodrigo from Don Carlos, Rigoletto from Rigoletto, Count Capulet from Roméo et Juliette, and Escamillo from Carmen. He received his BM in Vocal Performance from Missouri State University studying under Chris Thompson. While at MSU he performed Jupiter in Offenbach’s Orpheus in the Underworld, Jim in Conte’s Gift of the Magi, F. Scott Fitzgerald in Evan Mack’s Ghost of Gatsby, and Count Carl-Magnus Malcom in Sondheim’s A Little Night Music under the direction of Tony Award Nominee Robert Westenberg. As a Young Artist with the Ozarks Lyric Opera in Springfield, Missouri, under the artistic direction of Sean and Michael Spyres, Shayne was a featured performer at the OLO's 40th anniversary gala, played Montano and Heraldo in Verdi’s Otello, and Maximillian in Bernstein’s Candide. Other performances include Sarastro in Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte, and Big Deal in Bernstein's West Side Story at the Bayview Music Festival in Petoskey, Michigan.
Kailey Erwin, mezzo-soprano, is a local elementary music teacher. She has her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in music from the University of Arkansas. She teaches private music lessons and enjoys taking advantage of performance opportunities! She is the proud mom of two little boys, Rhett and Whitt. She wants to thank her wonderful husband, Alex, for supporting her in all she does!
Chris King is a lyric tenor and choir director from Springdale, Arkansas. Memorable stage credits include Tamino in The Magic Flute, Nemorino in The Elixir of Love, and the Evangelist in Schütz’s Christmas Story. A graduate of John Brown University—where he met his wife and fellow soloist, soprano Raquel King—Chris now directs his church choir and continues to perform whenever possible. Outside of music, he works as a distinguished data architect at Walmart.
Dr. Jonathan Stinson has appeared in leading roles with opera companies throughout the United States and in Europe, including Cincinnati Opera, Lyric Opera of Kansas City, Central City Opera, Winter Opera St. Louis, Kentucky Opera, Opera Omaha, Opera Memphis, Dayton Opera, Cleveland Opera, Ozarks Lyric Opera, and Delaware Valley Opera. Abroad, he has sung Don Magnifico in Rossini’s La cenerentola in Asiago, Italy, the title role of Mozart’s Don Giovanni in Cortona, Italy, the title role of Rigoletto in Manchester, England, and Guglielmo in Mozart’s Così fan tutte in Varna, Bulgaria.
Recent roles include Marcello in La bohème, Lescaut in Manon Lescaut, the title role of Gianni Schicchi, Figaro in Le nozze di Figaro, Count Almaviva in Le nozze di Figaro, the title role of Don Giovanni, Olin Blitch in Susannah, Monterone in Rigoletto, Tobias Mill in La cambiale di matrimonio, The Pirate King in The Pirates of Penzance, and Joseph de Rocher in Dead Man Walking. This summer, Dr. Stinson will sing Dulcamara in L’elisir d’amore for the Southern Illinois Music Festival and Leporello in Don Giovanni with Delaware Valley Opera.
Dr. Stinson is a past Regional Finalist in the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions in and a recipient of the Bel Canto Award at the Orpheus National Voice Competition. Dr. Stinson is a Teaching Associate Professor of Voice and Director of Opera Theatre at the University of Arkansas.
Miranda Burns is a violinist and teacher based in the Northwest Arkansas area. She teaches violin and viola to a wide range of students through her private studio and performs regularly with the Symphony of Northwest Arkansas and the Arkansas Philharmonic Orchestra. Miranda holds a degree in Violin Performance from the University of Arkansas and a Master’s in Education from Georgetown College. She enjoys sharing her love for music with both her students and the community. She also enjoys occasionally sharing the stage with her husband, tenor Judd Burns.
Benjamin Weir is a violinist who plays with the Arkansas Philharmonic Orchestra. Growing up, Ben had the chance to join the school orchestra program. He has enjoyed playing and performing ever since. Aside from performing locally, he works with the Arkansas Philharmonic Youth Orchestra as an instructor and conductor’s assistant, teaches at the Palmer String Studio in Bentonville and is pursuing a degree in violin performance.
Kolby Williams has played the viola for 18 years, studying at Pittsburg State University and the University of Arkansas. He teaches locally and is excited to get to play the Messiah again. Currently, Kolby is pursuing a degree in theology and biblical studies at Regent University online, with plans to continue his studies at Dallas Theological Seminary to focus on hermeneutics and evangelism. Kolby also enjoys singing, fishing, and cooking.
Alvin Thomas King is a cellist, luthier, and educator who holds an A.B. from Stanford University and a Ph.D. from Yale. A lifelong musician, he began his exploration of instrument making under the guidance of Willis M. Gault, a well-known violinmaker in the Washington, D.C. area. Over the years, Tom has studied with a number of master luthiers, including Deena Zalkind Spear, Geary Baese, Karl Roy, Carleen Hutchins, and Terry Borman, deepening his understanding of classical construction, varnishing, and tonal principles rooted in the Cremonese tradition. Tom operates a full service violin shop in downtown Fayetteville where he makes violins, violas, and cellos and provides repair services and tonal adjustments.
Tom and his wife, Jill, are passionate advocates for young people and are deeply committed to enriching the educational experiences of students from all walks of life. Their work—both in the arts and beyond—reflects a shared belief in the transformative power of mentorship and learning.
Through the years, bassist and Arkansas native Garrett Jones has performed for national and international touring acts including The Official Blues Brothers Revue, where he worked under the musical direction of Paul Shaffer, as well as Broadway touring productions of West Side Story, Spam-a-Lot, and Wicked. His versatility as both an upright and electric bassist has allowed him to perform with a vast array of artists including folk musicians The Vine Brothers, Joe Purdy, Opal Agafia; as well as jazz ensembles including The Yaniv Taubenhouse Trio, The Fayetteville Jazz Collective, The Jake Hertzog Trio, and VGM sensations The OneUps. He is also a regular performer with the Arkansas Philharmonic Orchestra and works for SONA’s education outreach program as a guest clinician at many of the Northwest Arkansas regional high schools. As a content producer, Garrett has featured musical groups and songwriters of a variety of backgrounds and performance styles through The Vine Brothers online channels. He is currently serving as the orchestra program director for Arkansas Arts Academy as well as teaching electric and upright bass classes there as well.
Josue Avelar is an active bassoonist in the Northwest Arkansas area. Josue teaches in the public school system as well as teaches privately. He is always looking forward to creating music.
Traci Hall, pianist, has been accompanying and collaborating with vocalists, instrumentalists, ensembles, and choirs, as well as teaching piano students and serving as an instrumentalist for special events for over 40 years. She is currently the staff collaborative pianist for the Northwest Arkansas Community College, the Suzuki Music School of Arkansas, and the Community Music School, and is one of several freelance collaborative pianists who serve the University of Arkansas voice and instrumental students. She also serves as collaborative pianist for a number of regional junior high and high school choral programs and string studios. Traci and her husband enjoy spending time with their kids and young grandchildren.
Randy Allison, conductor, was born in Fremont, Ohio and discovered a love for music at age 6 when he started piano lessons. As he progressed through elementary, junior high and high school, his passion continued to grow to include trombone, choir and organ. After high school, he began his journey in church music and has served in many churches over the years in some musical capacity. He graduated from Baker University in 1992 with a Bachelor's Degree in Business, and with classes in music theory and conducting. His career has moved him and his family around the US, but God always had a church ready for him to begin to serve. In 2002, work relocated him and his family back to NWA, and he served as Director of Music at Bella Vista Christian Church from 2002-2011, and since 2011 as Director of Worship Arts at Bella Vista Lutheran Church. Randy and his wife Nancy live in Rogers, and they have 4 children and 10 grandchildren. He is honored to be a part of this presentation of Handel’s Messiah and hopes today is a blessing to each of you and your Easter weekend.
Thank you to Christian Life Cathedral for allowing us to pair Handel's beautiful music with the architectural and gem of your Cathedral Chapel!
Hire Classical Musicians
Sample Performances
Contact us now to make your service or event special!
About King Classical NWA
I have been teaching voice and singing in the NWA area for the past 20 years and collaborate with other professional classical singers regularly.
From providing a program of opera scenes, arias, and Broadway numbers for events around the NWA area to holiday caroling for parties, country club or charity events, to nursing home concerts with sing-along favorites, we are ready to sing for you!