Andy Francis (b.1986) is an award-winning composer and percussionist. His music has been performed at festivals, conferences, and universities across the United States and abroad, including Internacional de Clarinet Pradesthe (Spain), The Texas Music Educator's Association Annual Conference, ClarinetFest, The Society of Composers, Inc., the American Choral Directors Association, the College Band Directors National Association, the College Music Society, VOX Novus concert series (New York), and many others.

Dr. Francis has enjoyed performances of his music from many nationally recognized ensembles, including the West Point Woodwind Quintet, Alarm Will Sound, and the Dali String Quartet.

He holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in composition and a Master of Music degree in music theory pedagogy from Michigan State University, a Master of Music degree in composition from Central Michigan University, and two Bachelor of Music degrees cum laude in percussion performance and composition from Ohio University.

Andy is currently the chair of the Edward E. MacTaggart Department of Music at Marietta College

Deemed "Born to sing Turandot" by the Toledo Blade, dramatic soprano Amy Louise Yekel made her professional debut in 2012 with Toledo Opera. The Toledo Blade exclaims "Her buttery smooth soprano voice seems effortless in delivery, yet her power actually was enough to reverberate off the staid old stone walls…sending a palpable thrill to those listening." Other operatic roles include Isolde from Tristan und Isolde, Brunhilde from Siegfried, Sieglinde in Die Walküre, Elsa from Lohengrin, Ariadne in Ariadne auf Naxos, Lia in L’enfant Prodigue, The Mother in Amahl and the Night Visitors, Terentia in Captain Lovelock, and Hata in The Bartered Bride (Cleveland Opera Circle 2015).

Dr. Yekel has also appeared on several occasions in concerts and oratorio performances which include Verdi’s Requiem with Toledo Symphony, The Messiah with Marietta College, The Schumann Requiem with River Cities Orchestra, The Harmony Mass with the University of Akron, and The Duruflé Requiem, Te Deum, the Nelson Mass with Christ Presbyterian Church in Canton, The Mozart Coronation Mass with The Akron Symphony, Isolde’s Liebestod from Tristan und Isolde and Brünnhilde’s Immolation Scene from Götterdӓmmerung in concert with The Canton Symphony Orchestra.

Dr. Yekel received her Doctorate of Musical Arts from Arizona State University. She is a winner of the Robert Lauch award from the Wagner Society of New York as well as a former first place winner of Palm Springs Opera Scholarship Competition, Arizona Lyric Opera Scholarship Competition, The Canton Civic Opera Scholarship Competition, Akron Symphony Chorus Scholarship, Tuesday Musical Club Scholarship, Mary S. Bower’s Scholarship, The John MacDonald Scholarship, and The McDowell Scholarship. Dr. Yekel was also a Liederkranz finalist in 2012. She has received awards from The Wagner Society of New York and The Wagner Society of Ohio as well as a Harold Haugh award.

Merewyn Weinkauf is an Assistant Professor of Music and serves as the collaborative pianist for the Music Department. In her position, she teaches music appreciation and music history. She also accompanies all of the choirs and music students at Marietta College.

Her undergraduate degree is in piano performance from East Texas Baptist University and her master's degree is in collaborative piano from Baylor University. Ms. Weinkauf also studied German Lieder at the University of Vienna. She is an active collaborator with soloists in the Mid-Ohio Valley, has performed on the Evergreen Series and Visiting Artist series at both Ohio University and the Ohio State University. Merewyn is a Nationally Certified Teacher of Music through Music Teacher’s National Association and an officer in the Southeast Ohio Music Educator's Association.

She has received the Best Overall Performance Award at East Texas and was the winner of the Northwest Civic Orchestra Young Artist competition.