Noel Koran is the director of the Department of Performing Arts. He has worked for over 30 years as an actor, opera singer, stage director, producer, acting teacher, and administrator.

Noel worked as an actor in Seattle, San Francisco and New York before making a transition to opera. As an opera singer, he performed for 10 years in opera houses in Europe. After his return to the United States, he joined the academic community when he became Director of Opera for the School of Music at Ohio State University, followed by stints as Director of Opera for the Edith Mason and William E. Ragland Theatre at Northwestern University, and Resident Opera Director at the University of Washington.

Noel holds a Doctor of Musical Arts in Operatic Stage Direction from the University of Texas at Austin, and received his BA in Drama from the University of Washington and Master’s of Music in Operatic Stage Direction from the University of Texas at Austin. He also trained with William Ball, Ed Hastings, and Allen Fletcher at the American Conservatory Theatre in San Francisco.

<- Faculty and Staff Stories