Meet our Featured Artists for Sotto Voce’s upcoming Fall 2025 Gala!
Alex Huddleston
FILM & STAGE DIRECTOR
Alex Huddleston is a Buffalo-based multi-media artist, originally from St. Louis MO. After completing his PhD in May 2020 from SUNY University at Buffalo in composition, he began pursuing artistic expression beyond the limitations of absolute concert music. An artistically nomadic creative, these activities include art installations, multimedia performances, digital art, photography, and filmmaking. In the latter category he has directed in a number of genres including experimental films, narrative films, music videos, and documentary. His highly anticipated documentary series titled “Unitarian Universalist Church of Buffalo: A Home for All” was recently screened to great acclaim. He has been an artist-in-residence at Rust Belt Books, and composed several film scores with collaborators including photographer Eric Weeks. His directorial debut for staged music drama was UUCB’s 2023 production of Dido and Aeneas. This was followed by a double-bill of Puccini’s Il Tabarro and Suor Angelica with Operallora.
The originator of Sotto Voce’s ‘opera nouveau’ aesthetic, He strives always to both preserve the integrity of the art-form whilst drawing contemporary audiences into the drama through terms shared between both. In Sotto Voce’s first season, he presented his first narrative screenplay – a modern retelling of The Magic Flute. This highly ambitious production fused modern scripted filmmaking with historically accurate live music in a very successful hybrid event. A few short months later, he stage directed his fifth opera – his second production of Puccini’s Suor Angelica. In this production, interviews with contemporary survivors of the Troubled Teen Industry (TTI) reflected on the similarities between Puccini’s ~100 year old opera and their actual experiences in recent memory. These interviews were collaged and woven into the fabric of the opera. He is looking forward to bringing to life Sotto Voce’s next “opera nouveau” with production with Lucia di Lammermoor. This will feature an original script, where Sir Walter Scott will offer commentary and observations on the show interlaced with the music.
His concert music has won highly competitive awards and has been performed in numerous cities in the United States, including New York City, Austin, Boston, and Buffalo, as well as in Italy and Portugal. He is a music critic and book reviewer for University of Cambridge press’s TEMPO. He is a producer for the ScoreFollower, Incipitsify, and MediatedScores YouTube channels, and edits content for many other YouTube channels.
Jessie Downs
MUSIC DIRECTOR & SOPRANO
Jessie Downs (b. 1991) is the Founding and Artistic Director of Sotto Voce and the Music Director for the UU Church of Buffalo. As a Music Director, Jessie has guided the musical preparation and interpretation of Sotto Voce’s 2024 production of The Magic Flute, UUCB’s 2023 production of Dido and Aeneas, and Opera Magnifico’s 2023 production of L’elisir d’amore, and she looks forward to music directing Sotto Voce’s Fall 2025 Gala and their March 2026 production of Cavalleria Rusticana.
As a soprano, Jessie’s performances have been described as “simply stunning,” “a tour de force,” her voice as “sweet,” “very round,” and her range “impressive.” Recent operatic roles include Lucia in Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor (NY, 2025), Pamina in Mozart’s The Magic Flute (NY, 2024), Suor Angelica in Puccini’s Suor Angelica with Operallora (NJ, 2023) and Sotto Voce (NY, 2024), Mimi in Puccini’s La Boheme with Opera Magnifico (NJ, 2022), and Sashatya in her own The Second Sight (NY, 2021). For Sotto Voce’s third season, Jessie will perform operatic selections in the Fall Gala, and as Marzelline in the August 2026 production of Fidelio.
Jessie holds a PhD from the University at Buffalo (2021) and a BMus from Oberlin Conservatory (2013), both in Music Composition with a focus in voice. She has studied bel canto pedagogy extensively since the age of 14. Since the age of 19, she has worked with master pedagogue Franco Bertacci – himself a pupil of Franco Corelli and Cornelius Reid – whose teachings continue to guide both her own practice and her way of working with other singers.
Holly Bewlay – SOPRANO
Korean American soprano Ho Eui Holly Bewlay is acclaimed for her “sparkling charm” (Hartford Courant) and dynamic artistry across opera, operetta, oratorio, recital, and concert stages in the United States, South Korea, and Italy.
Dr. Bewlay has distinguished herself as a soloist in masterworks including Handel’s Messiah; Bach’s B Minor Mass and Magnificat; Mozart’s Requiem, C Minor Mass, and Exsultate Jubilate; Haydn’s The Creation and Lord Nelson Mass; Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater; Brahms’s Requiem; Schubert’s Mass in G Minor; Fauré’s Requiem; Poulenc’s Gloria; and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9. She also champions contemporary repertoire, with performances of Dan Forrest’s Requiem for the Living; Jocelyn Hagen’s Requiem: Ashes of Roses; Bob Chilcott’s St. John Passion; and Frank Ticheli’s Songs of Love and Life and Angels in the Architecture, among others. In 2023, she released her debut recording, HOLLY: 24 Italian Songs and Arias, now streaming worldwide.
Her collaborations include performances with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra and Chorus, Connecticut Choral Artists and Hartford Symphony, the Assisi Performing Arts Festival Orchestra and Chorus in Italy, the New Haven Symphony, and many others. As a recitalist and guest artist, she has appeared at Colorado State University, the University of Memphis, Auburn University, Columbus State University, Busan National University, and SUNY Fredonia, among others. She is also in demand internationally as a presenter and masterclass clinician, with recent engagements at the University of Seoul, Kyung Hee University, Busan National University, the 2022 Assisi Performing Arts Festival, the 2024 NATS National Conference, and the 2025 ICVT International Conference.
Her operatic repertoire includes leading roles such as Madama Butterfly (Madama Butterfly), Rosalinde (Die Fledermaus), Hanna Glawari (The Merry Widow), and Yum-Yum (The Mikado), with companies including Buffalo Opera Unlimited, Opera-Lytes, Mercury Opera, and Nickel City Opera, as well as performances on tour in Italy.
An esteemed pedagogue, Dr. Bewlay is Professor of Music at Buffalo State University, where she directs the voice program and teaches applied voice, vocal pedagogy, opera, and vocal chamber music. She has been recognized with the Outstanding Undergraduate Course Award for Service Learning from Buffalo State’s Civic Engagement Office and as Educator of the Year by OperaBuff, NY. She earned her B.M. in Voice from the New England Conservatory, and both her M.M. and D.M.A.—along with the prestigious Performer’s Certificate—from the Eastman School of Music. She has also completed three levels of advanced certification in Somatic Voicework™ The LoVetri Method.
Beth White – MEZZO SOPRANO
Beth White has been singing in the Buffalo music community for nearly three decades. Beth is known for her lithe chiaroscuro tone and extensive range. In 2021, she played the role of the Water Spirit in the first production of The Second Sight by Jessie Downs and in 2023, sang the role of First Witch in UUCB’s production of Dido and Aeneas. A longtime member of the Buffalo Philharmonic Chorus, Beth has also sung with the BPC Chamber Singers and the Holy Trinity Lutheran Church Chapel Choir. As a member of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Buffalo Choir, she has performed solo and chamber group pieces for the congregation. She has studied with Genia Las and Jessie Downs, whose coaching in the bel canto technique has expanded her vocal range, power, and flexibility. She joined Sotto Voce in their first season as Second Lady in The Magic Flute, returned in their second season in the role of Alisa in Lucia di Lammermoor and Lia in L’enfant prodigue, and is thrilled to be covering Santuzza in this year’s production of Cavalleria Rusticana.
Helen Lowry – MEZZO SOPRANO
Helen Lowry (b. 1994) is a mezzo soprano from Buffalo NY. Helen is known for her rich, warm tone, heartfelt interpretations, and genre versatility. Helen studied voice in high school and college, and continues to do so under Dr. Jessie Downs. She works as the production manager of Dragonfly Percussion, is the Alto Soloist and section leader for the Unitarian Universalist Church of Buffalo, and the lead singer for her folk-rock band The Bitter Nasties. Helen made her operatic debut as the Sorceress in UUCB’s 2023 production of Dido and Aeneas, and followed it up with the role of Third Lady in Sotto Voce’s February 2024 production of The Magic Flute. She has also sung staples of the classical mezzo-soprano repertoire on recitals in both Buffalo and Fredonia NY. She is excited to be singing in Sotto Voce’s concert offerings again this season.
Jax Hassler – TENOR
Jax Hassler is a young tenor from the Mountains of Big Sky country Montana. He is dedicated to the lyric and dramatic Italian and French repertoire. He is noted by critic and colleague alike for his “soaring high notes” “generous volume” and meticulous preparation. Jax’s recent roles include Ernani in Ernani with Blue Mountain Opera, Don Jose in Carmen with Amici Opera, Mario Cavaradossi in Tosca with Regina Opera, Canio in I Pagliacci with New Rochelle Opera and Regina Opera, and Turridu in Cavalleria Rusticana with the Philadelphia Orchestra Society. His upcoming roles include Turridu in Cavalleria Rusticana, Canio in I Pagliacci, and Edgardo in Lucia di Lammermoor. He currently lives in New Jersey and studies with world class tenor and Maestro Di Canto Arturo Spinetti.
Daniel Barna – TENOR
Daniel Barna is a young musician based in Buffalo NY. He holds a BM in Music Performance from SUNY Fredonia where he performed as Paolino in Il Matrimonio Segreto and as the conductor for the student-composed mini-opera <o>respawn_object_infinite</o>. Other Western NY credits include ensemble roles in WNYCO performances of My Fair Lady and Le Vin herbé, as well as the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra+Chorus’ performance of Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms. Daniel has also been seen on stage in North Carolina as El Remendado in Carmen and as the Padre in Man of La Mancha with the Janiec Opera Company in Brevard. As an upcoming conductor, Daniel has led productions of Suor Angelica with Opera Magnifico in New Jersey, and premiered his late father’s chamber composition Three Ancient Irish Poems for his recent hometown recital. Daniel made his Sotto Voce debut singing in the chorus for Lucia di Lammermoor and covering the role of Normanno. This season, he will be singing in the choruses of both Cavalleria Rusticana and Fidelio, as well as covering the role of Jaquino.
Ky VerHoef – BARITONE
Ky VerHoef is a Buffalo-based baritone celebrated for his expressive voice and wide-ranging vocal talents. A versatile soloist, he has performed with esteemed ensembles such as INCIPIO, Avanti, the Lutheran Choral of the Niagara Frontier, the Buffalo Philharmonic Chorus, and Sotto Voce. Ky has also had the privilege of collaborating with notable groups including the Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra, Jazz at Lincoln Center, and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. In addition to his performance career, he is a staff singer with the Buffalo Philharmonic Chorus and serves as the Programs Director for INCIPIO, where he plays a key role in curating innovative musical experiences. His dedication to both solo and choral music has made him a respected figure in Buffalo’s dynamic arts scene. Ky has sung in the choruses of Sotto Voce’s The Magic Flute (as a Priest) and Lucia di Lammermoor, served as Stage Manager and Flautist for their Suor Angelica, and premiered the role of the “Dark Angel” in Grit & Silk (an adaptation of L’enfant prodigue). This is also Ky’s second feature in the annual Sotto Voce Gala.
Tim Flynn – BASS
Bass-Baritone Tim Flynn has been active within the Buffalo music scene since moving there in 2005, after earning his Bachelor’s degree in Vocal Performance from SUNY Fredonia. Since then, Tim has served as a bass section lead, cantor, and soloist for Holy Trinity Lutheran Church’s Chancel and Chapel Choruses, where he sings today. On the concert stage, Tim has performed with both Harmonia & Vocalis Chamber choirs over the course of several seasons. He has collaborated with the Camerata di Sant’Antonio, Buffalo Opera Unlimited, The Niagara Arts and Cultural Center, The Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, Western New York Chamber Orchestra, Opera Sacra, Buffalo Choral Arts Society, Ars Nova, The Buffalo Chamber Players, and The Rolling Stones (ZIP Code tour) on major works, concerts, and programs throughout his career. Tim’s recent stage roles include Bartolo, “Le Nozze de Figaro, Beniot, “La Boheme” (Buffalo Opera Unlimited- Fall 2024 & 2023, respectively) and Colline, “La Boheme” (Niagara Arts and Cultural Center-Fall 2022). Tim made his debut with Sotto Voce in the role of Sarastro for their February 2024 production of The Magic Flute, sang the role of Raimondo for their March 2025 production of Lucia di Lammermoor, and returns this season as Rocco in Fidelio.
Michael Serio – Pianist
Pianist Michael Serio, a Buffalo native, performs regularly as a collaborative pianist. He performs four hand concerts with Debi Adams as the “Well Tempered Pianist Duo” and chamber music with “Tempus Fugit.” At UB, Michael is a staff accompanist for the vocal department. Michael had a career in software development prior to receiving an MM performance degree at UB under Eric Huebner in 2019. Michael is an Alexander Technique International (ATI) certified teacher. He and his wife, Anandhi George, are active volunteers in the Isha Yoga community and Save Soil Movement.
Sotto Voce 