ChristyAnne Ford is a graduate of Portland State University with a Master of Music in Operatic Performance. During her time at PSU she received many rewards of achievement and scholarship including the Graduate Laurels, Gibner King and Janine B. Cowles. She performed many roles in collegiate award-winning operatic productions such as Rosalinda in Die Fledermaus and Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni. ChristyAnne achieved these productions under artistic direction of world-renown artists such as Tito Capobianco and Sherill Milnes and Marilyn Horne. As a young artist, ChristyAnne participated in various programs including Bel Canto Northwest, Portland Opera Performing Institute and Astoria Music Festival. Perhaps the pinnacle of her collegiate experience was winning the district Metropolitan Opera Auditions qualifying her for the regional contest.
ChristyAnne's professional work spans throughout the Northwest region where she has sung with Walla Walla Symphony, Columbia Symphony, Portland Chamber Orchestra, Opera Theater Oregon, Vancouver Children's Opera, Lakewood Theater, Vancouver Symphony and more. ChristyAnne is deeply invested in her hometown, Vancouver, WA where she formed the non-profit, Opera Quest Northwest, and wrote the script to its educational production, Opera the Great! Through Opera Quest Northwest, ChristyAnne brought the educational, comical, and interactive production to every public school in Clark county.
ChristyAnne's love for music started in childhood where she enjoyed a very musical family and home. She has a
passion to give the gift of music to future generations. She is currently a busy mother but finds time for
teaching private music lessons and performing locally with her band, The Momosas.
Pianist James Pick is a versatile musician equally comfortable on a concert stage, in an orchestra pit, and at a theater studio. His performances take him all across the Northwest as a collaborative pianist and music director in a variety of professional, academic, and community situations. A facile and sensitive performer, James enjoys sharing the stage with a wide array of ensembles and partners, ranging from choirs and concert bands to soprano and trombone soloists. James's professional work in opera and musical theater is extensive. While completing his masters degree at Portland State University, he served as coach and pianist for the 2017 production of Britten's Albert Herring, and performed his own piano arrangement of Poulenc's Les mamelles de Tirésias in 2018. He has served as pianist and music director for theater productions at Broadway Rose Theatre Company, George Fox University, and numerous high schools, including Heritage High School. In addition to his collaborative endeavors, James enjoys composing and teaching private piano students.
James completed his Masters of Music in Performance with an emphasis in Collaborative Piano from Portland State University in 2019 as a student of Dr. Chuck Dillard. He also has degrees in Piano Performance and Theory/Composition from George Fox University, studying under Dr. Kenn Willson and Dr. Brent Weaver. In 2020, James performed with the Portland State University choirs under the direction of Eric Whitacre. Other notable performances include master classes for international artists including Lawrence Brownlee, Dr. William Westney, Benjamin Appl, and Dr. David Riley. He currently is a member of the adjunct faculty at George Fox University where he serves as a staff pianist and private instructor. Former positions include instructor at Opus School of Music and music director at Bethel Lutheran Church. When not sitting at a piano, James enjoys hiking, reading, and spending time with his beautiful wife, Hannah, and sons, Matthias and Timothy.