Sarah Elizabeth Wallace is honored to be the featured artist at UrbanBeat with her accompanist and professional pianist, Liudmila Bondar and professional violinist and viola player, Dilek Engin-Stolarchuk and her guest artists: professional instrumentalist, Jordan Lopez (trumpet), Matthew Jacob McCoy (scratch artist), Jeremy Hurt (poet) and Ruelaine Stokes (poet).
Sarah started performing at the age of 3 and began her professional career at the age of 5 as Caroline Kennedy in Accidentally Exalted for the Kenneth Robbins Opera Company, St. Paul, MN. Amongst her myriad of childhood roles, one special highlight was her performance of three characters in a professional tour of A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens by Bill Fegan Attractions out of Dallas, TX at the age of 8. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Music – Vocal Performance and a Minor in Spanish Business from ORU in Tulsa, OK and has since become a member of the professional Actors’ Equity Association. Being a native of Lansing, she has performed numerous times at the former professional Boarshead Theatre, including the show Side by Side by Sondheim as the lead first soprano. Throughout her career, she has appeared in a myriad of roles in musical theatre, plays, operas, dinner theatre, TV commercials, voice overs, promotions and film throughout the Midwest, New York Metropolitan area, southern U.S. and in the countries of Australia and Peru. Sarah has acquired awards, including an Outstanding Music Student award from ORU, has been a show producer, choreographer, songwriter, dancer, published writer, professional recording artist and an arts educator to ages 3 to adult (currently teaching voice at School of Rock in East Lansing, MI) and continues to perform in varied performances as a soloist. Sarah has always had a global vision for her music and is currently enrolled in a Master of Arts in Law with a focus in International Business Transactions at Regent University School of Law.
Liudmila Bondar was educated and trained in Russia at the Institute of Fine Arts in the City of Krasnoyarsk, Siberia. She studied church music at St. Petersburg Theological Academy in Russia and studied in the United States at Michigan State University under the instruction of Albertine and Ralph Votapek and Dr. Midori Koga. Currently, she teaches at the Michigan State University Community Music School and the Lansing Community College music department. Throughout the years, she has had vast performance experience as a soloist, chamber musician and accompanist, including playing with the Lansing Symphony Orchestra, while continuously performing for various special events and concerts. One of her favorite musical memories was when she was a student in Siberia accompanying a fellow student, Dmitri Hvorostovsky. A few years later, he became a world famous baritone known as the “Silver Baritone”.
Dr. Dilek Engin-Stolarchuk is from Istanbul, Turkey and began her musical studies at the age of 10. She earned her Bachelor of Arts Degree from Istanbul University State Conservatory and studied with Çigdem Altaş Epikmen and Venyamin Varsavsky. She then received her Master of Music from Marshall University, where she studied with Dr. Elizabeth Reed Smith. She has built a successful performance and professional teaching career throughout Turkey, Europe and the United States. She has been an adjunct professor and faculty contractor at the College of Music at Michigan State University since 2015. Having taught at Blue Lake Fine Arts, she was a guest faculty member at Marshall University teaching String Technique as a conductor and taught at Roth Academy of Music in Grand Ledge. Dr. Engin has won numerous awards, including the Mediterranean Young Symphony Orchestra award in Aix-En-Provence which gave her the opportunity to perform at many festivals in Marseille, France, Morocco, Spain and Italy.
For many years, Ruelaine Stokes has been a major force on the Lansing arts scene as a poet, spoken word artist, teacher, and the coordinator of the Old Town Poetry Series. Ruelaine gives readings and teaches workshops on poetry, creative writing and the art of spoken word. She has degrees in English literature from Stanford University and Michigan State University, and a Master of Arts in Teaching from the School for International Training in Brattleboro, Vermont.
Jordan Lopez, originally from Ypsilanti, Michigan, has lived in Hawaii. Jordan is a multi-instrumentalist with 35 years playing, 30 years recording and 20 years teaching experience; with over 200 recorded original songs and 1 song playing daily on The Weather Channel since 1999. Jordan is the current Music Director and teaches at the School of Rock in East Lansing, MI.
Jeremy Hurt is best described as a storyteller that deeply enjoys the medium of poetry. If he's not on his laptop researching different forms of poetry, then he's most likely got a pen in hand and his nose buried in a notebook. Jeremy picks up inspiration from sources that continually come across his path; all this in between extended sessions of procrastination, of course.
Last, but not least, Matthew Jacob McCoy, Sarah’s first cousin, is an eclectic blast of nature with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Central Michigan University and an Associate’s Degree from Lansing Community College. He is the creator and owner of the Scratch Pilots, in which he is well known as a scratch/turntable artist. Matthew, A.K.A. Matt, has performed for numerous events at the Green Door of Lansing and is a former member of the DeWaynes. Additionally, he is a licensed journeyman electrician and resides in Lansing with his wife and two dogs.
Being fascinated by the universe, Sarah chose to name this show Quantum Harmonies since there is a definite rhythmic and harmonic flow in the motion of the universe. Sarah sees each artist as a unique star who dances to their own rhythm and beat of their heart while lighting up the universe with their special fire!
Sarah is grateful to her family and friends for their support and would like to thank Terry Terry, Tammy
Slavik and the staff at Urban Beat for inviting her to be a featured artist with Liudmila Bondar, Dilek Engin-Stolarchuk and her special guests, Jordan Lopez, Ruelaine Stokes, Matthew Jacob McCoy and Jeremy Hurt for their excellent artistic contributions.
PLEASE NOTE: The performance will take place in the large lot behind UrbanBeat. Social distancing guidelines will be followed. Attendees will be able to order food and beverages. Local restaurant/bars ( UrbanBeat, Creole, etc) will be open. The performance will also be available via livestream on social media for those who wish to view the show that way.