Guest Soloist for Fall Masterworks 2026
Guest Soloist for Fall Masterworks 2026
Tianran Gao
Pianist
Tianran Gao is a Chinese pianist and a doctoral student recognized for his exceptional performances, academic leadership, and teaching abilities. He is currently pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) in Piano Performance, under the guidance of Dr. Timothy Hoft at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, where he also serves as a Graduate Assistant. Tianran began playing piano at age seven. He earned his Bachelor’s degree at the Wuhan Conservatory of Music, studying under the guidance of Dr. Congcong Chai, Qin Liu, Xiaoyong Yang, and Liping Jiang.
Seeking further education, Tianran moved to the United States to study with Dr. Chih-Long Hu at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, where he completed both a Master’s degree and an Artist Certificate. Throughout his studies, he received several prestigious awards, including the First-Class Scholarship, Alumni Scholarship, and National Supportive Scholarships, graduating as a Distinguished Student.
As a performer, Tianran achieved notable recognition, winning the Silver Medal at the 10th Institute Cup Piano Competition (Young Professional Group) in 2024. He also received the Special Prize for Best Rachmaninoff Performance at the Knoxville International Piano Festival & Competition, where he performed the complete Études-Tableaux. His accomplishments and other awards include first prize in the 2018 U.S. Music Certification Exams Piano Open Competition (Asian Pacific Final) and third prize in the 2017 Yangtze River Piano Competition.
Tianran has performed solo and chamber music across the United States, Europe, and Asia. In 2019, he was invited as a guest artist by the Malaysia Chopin Society at Sunway University in Malaysia. During the pandemic, he organized and played two recovery recitals for his local communities in Wuhan and Xiangyang, aiming to bring hope through music. He has participated in numerous international festivals, including Tel-Hai in Israel, Gijon in Spain, and the International Keyboard Institute & Festival in New York.
In masterclasses, Tianran had the opportunity to work with great pianists such as Boris Berman, Douglas Humpherys, Meng-Chieh Liu, and Chu-Fang Huang. In addition to his performing career, he is an active festival organizer and teacher. In June 2025, he co-founded the Tingran Summer Piano Festival, which offers masterclasses to major cities in China, including Wuhan, Chengdu, Changchun, and Beijing. He previously served as President of the MTNA Collegiate Chapter at the University of Tennessee, where he organized guest artist series and charity concerts. Additionally, he has extensive experience working as a translator and coordinator for international music festivals.
As a teacher, Tianran has taught private piano lessons to non-majors and minors, taught class piano, and collaborated with orchestras and bands. His research interests include the physical and neurological sides of piano playing, the connections between traditional Chinese music and politics, and the growth of online piano training.
Athena Mertes
Soprano
Athena Mertes is one of the Valley’s most celebrated sopranos, whose opera and concert credits include Marie (The Daughter of the Regiment), Mimi (La Bohème), Musetta (La Bohème), Despina (Cosi Fan Tutte), Gretel (Hansel and Gretel), Lucy (The Telephone), Zerlina (Don Giovanni), Morgana (Alcina), Pamina (Die Zauberflöte), Abigail (The Crucible), Nella (Gianni Schicchi), Waldvogel (Siegfried) and soprano soloist in Vivaldi’s Gloria, Handel’s Messiah, Brahms Requiem, Mozart Requiem, Beethoven’s 9th and Honegger’s King David. She has performed as a guest soloist with the Burbank Philharmonic, Las Vegas Philharmonic, Henderson Symphony, Opera Las Vegas, Vegas City Opera, Lexington Opera Outreach and the Southern Nevada Musical Arts Society. Some of her recent credits include Sylvia in the World Premiere of Behold the Man, Zelda in the West Coast Premiere of Ghosts of Gatsby and Alice B. Toklas in the West Coast premiere of Ricky Ian Gordon and Royce Vavrek’s 27, Lyse in the West Coast Premiere of Again and Again and Again with Opera Las Vegas and she portrayed Mimi in Vegas City Opera’s La BoDead and Madame de Tourvel in The Dangerous Liaisons.
She is also the Chorus Master of the Opera Las Vegas Youth Chorus and the Director of Choirs at Thurman White Academy of the Performing Arts where she has over 300 students. In 2020, she received the Teacher of the Year Award from Magnet Schools of America and is also a National Board-Certified Teacher. In March of 2024, her Choir was featured at the American
Choral Directors Association Regional Conference in Pasadena, California and in April of 2024, her contemporary a cappella group was featured at the National Magnet Schools of America Conference in New York City. In March of 2025, her Choir was featured at the American Choral Director’s National Conference in Dallas, Texas. In April of 2026, she made her Carnegie Hall
debut conducting Dan Forrest’s Requiem for the Living. Athena frequently serves as a guest conductor, adjudicator and clinician for local, state and regional events.
Valeria Sokolova Ore
Mezzo-Soprano
Valeria Sokolova Ore, a native of Yekaterinburg, Russia, has distinguished herself as both a choir director and a member of acclaimed choral groups. Her performances with the Municipal Choir, Ensemble Ascension, Ensemble Chorale, and the folk-jazz ensemble Ekaterina have taken her across the former Soviet Union, Germany, and France.
Ore has appeared in concerts across Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Boston, Denver, Paola (Kansas), and Graz (Austria). She has served as a piano accompanist for students in the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS and NATSAA), solo and ensemble competitions, the Classical Singer Convention, and auditions for the American Institute of Musical Studies’ Summer Program.
Ore has a variety of teaching experiences, beginning in Yekaterinburg, Russia, where she was a piano teacher, piano accompanist, and choir director at the Tchaikovsky Musical College for 12 years. Additionally, she served as a choir director, piano accompanist, and singer in the ensemble of the ancient music Chorale at Gorky Ural State University.
In 2003, she became an adjunct professor at UNLV, a position she held until 2014, when she was appointed to a full-time position as a Visiting Assistant Professor. She taught various levels of functional piano classes and classes for future music educators.
Ore has worked at the Las Vegas Academy of the Arts as a piano accompanist and vocal coach. She continues to advise, consult, and play for the Solo & Ensemble competition at the Las Vegas Academy of the Arts while working at UNLV. As a piano teacher, vocal coach, and choir director, Ore has encountered students with little or no background in music and enjoys awakening their interest in the musical world.
A graduate of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Urals Mussorgsky State
Conservatoire, and the Tchaikovsky Musical College, Ore holds bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees in voice, piano, and choir conducting. She is a member of Phi Kappa Phi, the oldest and most selective all-discipline honor society.
Collin Salmon
Tenor
Collin Salmon represents the next generation of American opera artists — a young performer who is already building a strong foundation of training, experience, and artistic curiosity. A graduate of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Salmon earned his degree in Vocal Music Education. While at UNLV, he was actively involved in the vibrant “Opera Scenes” program of UNLV’s Opera Theatre.
His collegiate debut as Peter Quint in Britten’s The Turn of the Screw highlighted both his dramatic instincts and developing vocal artistry, captivating audiences. Salmon’s journey extended beyond the classroom as he explored international music scenes, touring Northern Europe with UNLV Choirs and participating in the renowned Classical Music Festival in Eisenstadt, Austria. These experiences enriched his musicianship and
offered him a broader artistic perspective, shaping his approach to opera and
performance.
Salmon performed as the tenor soloist in Beethoven’s Mass in C Major with the Southern Nevada Musical Arts Society, further solidifying his reputation as a powerful vocalist.
Following his graduation from UNLV, Salmon actively collaborated with various local opera and music companies, contributing his talents to a diverse array of productions. One of his standout roles was portraying Mayor Alcalde in the world premiere of Paul Fowler’s Behold the Man, marking a significant milestone in his burgeoning career.
Dongmin Byeon
Bass
Dongmin Byeon a native of Chang-won, South Korea, is renowned for his rich and powerful baritone voice and his ability to portray both dramatic and comedic characters in opera. He made his debut with LA
Opera in Nathan Wang’s On Gold Mountain. Other leading roles include Mozart’s The Magic Flute, Donizetti’s L’elisir d’amore, and Puccini’s La Bohème. Byeon also appeared with the UNLV Opera and starred in Rossini’s Le Comte Ory. He showcased his talent and played the title role in Mozart’s Don Giovanni with VIMA and made his debut with Vegas City
Opera as Azolan in Dangerous Liaisons, At Opera West, he performed as Marco in Gianni Schicchi in Santa Fe. The production of Don Giovanni by
Varna International, in which he performed, was awarded Second Place in The American Prize for Opera Performance.
Byeon appeared as the bass soloist in Beethoven’s Mass in C Major with the Southern Nevada Musical Arts Society and Beethoven’s Ninth
Symphony with the Henderson Symphony Orchestra. He also appeared in Dubois’ The Seven Last Words of Christ at the Korean Cultural Center.
In 2025, Byeon founded the Las Vegas Korean Chamber Choir and served as General Director for its inaugural concert in June. That December, he led a highly successful performance of Saint-Saëns’ Christmas Oratorio,
which was warmly received by the local community and praised for its artistic excellence and cultural significance.
He has served as President of the Korean-American Music Association of Nevada, acting as a cultural bridge between Korea and the United States
through music and artistic collaboration. Under his leadership, the organization successfully presented its inaugural concert, which included a youth music segment, signaling continued growth and community engagement.
Byeon’s leadership and artistic vision have been recognized by K Las Vegas Magazine, which featured him as one of the prominent young musicians active in the city. Byeon holds an MM degree from California
State University, Northridge, and a Doctor of Musical Arts from UNLV.