Maja Tremiszewska, piano
Anthony Massetto, baritone

Friday, April 17, 2026 at 4:30 p.m.
Goodson Chapel – Recital Hall
Shenandoah Conservatory

Selections from Loving v. Virginia

Damien Geter (b. 1980)

Maja Tremiszewska, piano
Anthony Massetto, baritone

MiKayla Lynn Hatfield, a native of Van Buren, Arkansas, is currently a resident of Winchester, Virginia. Her degrees consist of a Bachelor of Music from Trevecca Nazarene University (Nashville, TN) and a Master of Music Performance from Shenandoah Conservatory (Winchester, VA). Some of Ms. Hatfield’s recent theatrical roles include Alice in Verdi’s Falstaff, Galatea in Händel's Acis & Galatea, Lidochka in Moscow, Cheryomushki , Eugénie in Germaine Tailleferre's La Pauvre Eugénie, Marie Antoinette in Shenandoah Conservatory's Gothic Opera, Suor Angelica in Suor Angelica, Gertrude McFuzz in Seussical: The Musical, and Father in Children of Eden.

Though Ms. Hatfield’s degrees are in classical music, her experience and interest spans across many genres. She has been involved in music for 17+ years. Her experience covers Solo Classical Vocal, Choral, Musical Theatre, Worship, Jazz, and Instrumental.  In the summer of 2017, Ms. Hatfield had the opportunity to participate in Boston Conservatory’s Opera Intensive located in Valencia, Spain. In 2018 she toured with the Trevecca Nazarene University Singers through the United Kingdom and Ireland as a featured soloist. In the summer of 2022 She attended the prestigious American Institute of Musical Studies (AIMS) in Graz, Austria for 6 weeks. 

In summer of 2023 Ms. Hatfield was awarded the $20,000 Stephen Feinberg Scholarship with the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation. In the fall of 2023, she accepted a Post-Masters Teaching Assistantship from Shenandoah Conservatory, where she started her Doctorate of Musical Arts in Vocal performance. In November of 2023, Ms. Hatfield placed 1st in the Shenandoah Conservatory Student Soloist Competition, Division II. Ms. Hatfield is a Resident Artist with the Lyric Opera of Kansas City for the 2025-2026 season. She will sing multiple roles with the company during her tenure, including Clorinda in Rossini’s La Cenerentola, Querulous String in The Haberdasher Prince, Strawberry Woman in Gershwin’s Porgy & Bess, and Soprano Soloist in Langston Hughes: A Lyrical Life. 

I would like to express my deepest gratitude to my advisor, Dr. Alanna Tierno, for Her guidance, insight, and encouragement throughout the development of this dissertation. Her mentorship has been invaluable, and her feedback helped shape both the direction and completion of this dissertation. 

I am profoundly grateful to my voice teacher, Professor Nancy Gustafson, whose guidance, patience, and unwavering support have been foundational to my development as a singer and artist. Without her, I would not have believed this degree was attainable. Her mentorship has been central to my growth as a singer and to my transition into the profession. Through her teaching, I was able to refine both technical and musical skills while also gaining the confidence and consistency needed to perform at a professional level. I am especially thankful for her encouragement throughout both my performance work and this dissertation process.

I am sincerely thankful to my committee members, Dr. Byron Jones and Professor Jonathan Newman, for their willingness to serve on this committee, as well as for their thoughtful feedback, time, and support throughout this process. Their insights have meaningfully shaped this dissertation.

I wish to acknowledge the faculty and staff of the Shenandoah University, whose instruction and support have contributed to my growth as both a scholar and performer.

I am especially grateful to the musicians and collaborators who participated in performances related to this dissertation, including Maja Tremiszewska, Anthony J. Massetto, and Eliot Hinson, whose contributions brought this work to life.

Finally, I offer my deepest and most heartfelt gratitude to my friends and loved ones for their unwavering support, patience, and belief in me throughout this process. Without the support of my community, this path would have been far more difficult, and I would not have reached this milestone.

In memory of my late grandmother, Loreta Blanche Hatfield “Nannie.”

Without you, I would not have understood that I have a voice worth sharing with the world. I love you a bushel and a peck, a hug around the neck, all the way around the world and back

MiKayla Lynn Hatfield is from the studio of Nancy Gustafson. This lecture recital is presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for a Doctor of Musical Arts in Performance (Voice).

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