Afro Opera presents Tales of Heartstrings

Maiya Stevenson has always excelled as a superior student and musician. She is an alumnus of the Pinellas County Center for the Arts at Gibbs High School. After graduating from the magnate program, she enrolled at Florida A&M University. The St. Petersburg, Florida, native chose music as her discipline.

Maiya Stevenson has competed and won numerous singing competitions; the Grady Rayam Negro Spiritual Competition, 1 st place; the Tallahassee Opera Guild, 1 st place; St. Petersburg Opera Guild, 1st place; and the Omega Psi Phi Talent Hunt Competition, 1st place. She has performed at various events in the greater capital city area (Tallahassee, Florida), including the 2016 graduation ceremony at Florida A&M University. In 2017, the celebrated soprano was one of only two soloists, appearing with the Young Adult Honors Performance Series, at Carnegie Hall in New York City. After her stellar solo performance in the song “My Good Lord’s Done Been Here” composed by Dr. Andre Thomas (former music director of Florida State University), she was hailed as “the next Leontyne Price” by the composer himself.

The nationally acclaimed Vocal Performance major has a bright future awaiting her. After graduating from Florida A&M University in the spring of 2017, she was awarded a position as an understudy for leading role of Donna Anna in the illustrious opera, “Don Giovanni” by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. This legendary opera was featured at the 6th Varna International Opera Academy in Bulgaria.

Ms. Stevenson is also a city of St. Petersburg ambassador and has performed alongside members of The Florida Orchestra. She is the proud founder of her entertainment company Afro Opera LLC, a company dedicated to educating and exposing audiences to the beauty of classical music. Afro Opera hosted a successful Black History Month concert in February 2024, featuring works by African- American composers, drawing an audience of about 250 people.

Maiya has been an elementary music teacher in Pinellas County Schools for six years, continuing to share her passion for music with the younger generation. She strives to educate how the classical era of music brings a positive impact to society, and she hopes to open up more of a diverse pathway for others to showcase their love for the arts as well.

Brelynn Williams, a Tampa native, has been playing the cello for over a decade. She recently graduated from Florida Gulf Coast University in December 2024 with a Bachelor of Arts in music performance. These days, she’s sharing her love of music by teaching private violin, viola, cello, and piano lessons. She’s also a part of the Tampa Bay Symphony and North Bay Chamber Orchestra, where she continues to deepen her connection with orchestral music. Outside of music, Brelynn actively practices yoga and hopes to teach it in the near future.

Joshua Snelling is a St. Petersburg native, violist, and educator whose artistry reflects both passion and purpose. A versatile performer across orchestral and community stages, he’s found performing all throughout Florida. His three-year residency with the Gulf Coast Symphony culminated in his debut performance of Mozart’s Sinfonia Concertante, marking a defining moment in his musical journey.

As Orchestra and Keyboarding Director at Largo Middle IB World School, Joshua channels his own lived experiences into his teaching, using music as a bridge toward empowerment and belonging. His mission is to make the love of music accessible, relevant, and transformative for the next generation. Beyond the classroom, he remains an active presence in the community, performing at events such as the St. Pete Youth Farm Open Mics and other creative spaces that celebrate connection through music.

Yohance Wicks attended Dr. Phillips High School, a Performing Arts Magnet School. After attending multiple competitions including 6 years of All State, 3 years of All County, 2 FSU summer camps and many other achievements, he continued moving to the collegiate level of performance and education.

Mr. Wicks attended Stetson University, where he received two BA’s in Vocal Performance and Music Education. Through the duration of college, Mr. Wicks received several awards and scholarships including, 1st Place in the NATs competition and runner up at the Regional Metropolitan Opera competition. After successfully auditioning into Stetsons University’s Premier ensemble, he travelled throughout the United States touring and performing. He conducted Stetson University’s Lab Choir for 3 years.

Mr. Wicks became a music teacher, teaching Elementary and Middle School students for 4 years with Orange County Public Schools. Since moving to the larger Tampa Bay area, Mr. Wicks has directed musicals such as Seussical, The Musical, Hello Dolly, Footloose, Bye Bye, Birdie, Once on This Island, Sweeney Todd, Mary Poppins, Something Funny Happened on the Way to the Forum, Sunday in the Park with George, Into the Woods and more.

Throughout these years, Mr. Wicks has conducted numerous choirs, orchestras and brass ensembles at churches, schools, and community productions. Mr. Wicks has travelled through England, Wales, Czech Republic, Austria, Switzerland, Germany and France performing as a solo vocalist and pianist as well as with various choirs. He has also performed, directed or conducted in more than half of the United States. Currently, he is the Music Department Chair at Ruth Eckerd Hall’s Marcia P. Hoffman School of The Arts, while also acting as Head of Musical Activities at Presbyterian Church of Palm Harbor. He is the conductor of the Ruth Eckerd Hall Chorus and Ensemble. His mission remains to bring music to people of all ages and demographics and help this most wonderful art form continue into the future with our youth spearheading the charge!