Over the last few weeks, the Department of Music in the J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences was represented at the Brancaleoni International Music Festival in Piobbico, Italy. The festival brings together pianists, vocalists, and string musicians from around the world for an intensive and integrated artistic learning environment for aspiring young musicians. Three vocalists from the Department of Music participated in the two-week vocal studies program.

Moon-Sook Park, assistant professor of music in the Fulbright College, was invited as one of five vocal artist-faculty members at the festival. She gave a recital on Saturday, July 29 which took place in the Brancaleoni castle, a 13th-century structure standing in the shadow of Monte Nerone. Park's program included the aria, "Eccomi in lieta vesta…oh! quante volte, oh! quante," from Giocomo Bellini's opera I Capuleti e i Montecchi and a Korean art song operatic arrangement of "Ari Arirang" by J.J. Ahn.

Two students from the U of A joined Park at the festival. Kyle Forehand, a transfer vocal performance major in David Malis' voice studio, and Hannah Rodriguez, a junior vocal performance major in Park's voice studio, attended the festival and gave several performances.

Both students performed in the festival's first ever full-scale opera, Donizetti's L'Elisir d'Amore. Forehand sang a principal part of Belcore and Rodriguez performed in the opera chorus. The production was directed and coached by acclaimed musical staff from across the world, including affiliates of the Metropolitan Opera of New York and La Scala in Milan.

Additionally, Rodgriguez performed in a number of scenes from operas ranging from the Baroque period to contemporary works. In addition to performances, the students look daily vocal lessons, stage movement classes, masterclasses, and Italian language courses from the faculty.