Both Bunnell and Embree will join the Michigan State University faculty on August 15, 2015, to complement the vocal arts area that is committed to the highest standard of excellence in all aspects of singing.

“Following an extensive national search,” says James Forger, dean of MSU’s College of Music, “we are delighted to make two important appointments. Jane and Marc bring with them international performance experience and proven teaching success that will greatly add to the high caliber of our faculty.”

Jane Bunnell, a veteran opera singer with an illustrious international career, has a long and current association with the Metropolitan Opera where she has sung 30 roles in more than 350 performances. The now departing Associate Professor of voice and the vocal coordinator, Bunnell has been with the DePaul University School of Music since 2006. She has sung with the Saito Kinen Festival, and with the opera companies of Toulouse, Vienna, Cologne, and Schwetzingen, and with several American opera companies including Houston Grand Opera, San Diego Opera, Minnesota Opera, Florida Grand Opera, and New York City Opera. She has collaborated with such notable conductors as James Levine, Valery Gergiev, Seiji Ozawa, Andrew Davis and Robert Shaw, and has appeared in concert with the Boston Symphony, Lincoln Centers Mostly Mozart Festival, the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, the Atlanta Symphony, and the Minnesota Orchestra. Prior to serving on the DePaul University faculty, she was on the faculty of New York University for nine years.

Marc Embree, a respected singer-actor was a principal singer with the New York City Opera for several seasons and has performed throughout the United States, Mexico, Canada and Europe. He has sung with many regional houses including Edmonton, New Orleans, St. Louis, Houston, Sarasota, Omaha, Kansas City, and Virginia. He received critical acclaim for his performance of Frank Marraunt in the Berlin Ludwigshafen production of Kurt Weill's Street Scene. Recent highlights include live television broadcasts of Wozzeck (Doctor) and Das Rheingold (Fasolt) from the Bellas Artes in Mexico City; and Hindemith's Das Nusch-Nuschi at Avery Fisher Hall with the American Symphony Orchestra. Since 2006, he has been on the faculty at DePaul University. Prior to that he taught at Tulane University and New York University.

“The voice area is extraordinarily pleased to add two such extremely accomplished artists and teachers to our faculty in Jane Bunnell and Marc Embree,” says Richard Fracker, professor of voice and chair of the vocal arts area. “Their artistry, experience, and commitment to student growth will significantly strengthen our area on every level. We cannot be more delighted by their decision to join MSU.”