CCM welcomes mezzo-soprano Sahoko Sato Timpone to voice faculty

UC College-Conservatory of Music Dean Pete Jutras has announced the appointment of Sahoko Sato Timpone, DMA, as CCM's new Associate Professor of Voice. Her faculty appointment officially begins on Aug. 15, 2025.

An advocate for new music and art song, she has performed at venues such as Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, Steinway Hall, Barcelona’s Sagrada Familia, the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) Art Song Composition Award Recital, and the Art Song Preservation Society of New York. Her international recital appearances include Granada, Spain, as First Prize winner of the Miguel Zanetti International Spanish Song Competition. Her solo album Songs of Japonisme: Early 20th Century Art Song from Japan and the West with pianist Kenneth Merrill was released by Sheva Collection/Naxos. She has premiered new works including David Soldier’s Eighth Hour of Amduat (Mulatta Records).

A sought-after clinician, lecturer and researcher, Timpone has presented for organizations such as NATS, the National Opera Association (NOA), the College Music Society (CMS), and the New York Singing Teachers' Association (NYSTA), as well as at institutions across Asia and Europe. Her students have earned major roles and placements in young artist programs and competitions throughout the United States and internationally.

She is a graduate of the Manhattan School of Music (MM), New England Conservatory (BM), and Rutgers University (DMA), where she was awarded the Irene Alm Memorial Prize for excellence in performance and scholarly research. She has served on the voice faculty at Florida State University since 2017, and on the summer faculty of programs including the Sicily International Music Festival, Tokyo International Vocal Arts Academy and Lunigiana International Music Festival. During the 2024–2025 academic year, she was a Visiting Scholar at the Royal Conservatoire Antwerp’s research unit Labo XIX&XX, focusing on Belgian Art Song. She also serves on the Board of Directors for Joy In Singing.

A native of Tokyo who grew up in Germany and the United States, she is also a licensed kimono dresser and has studied Japanese tea ceremony (Urasenke School) and kabuki-style dance (Sōke Fujima School).

"Dr. Timpone brings an impressive record of concert and opera performance, recording, scholarly writing and proven teaching to CCM’s outstanding Voice Department," said Jutras. "I am grateful to our search committee chair Daniel Weeks and committee members Quinn Patrick Ankrum, Gwendolyn Coleman, Amy Johnson, Elliot Madore, Brett Scott and Kenneth Shaw for their efforts with this successful search."

Featured image at top: Sahoko Sato Timpone performs. Photo/Claire Timm