Sphinx Competition Finals Concert 2026

Composer and Guest Artist Bios

Rachel “Ray” McFarlane is a Canadian composer whose journey began as a violinist in the prestigious Claude Watson Program at Earl Haig Secondary School. She first gained recognition with her piece Beyond the Challenger Deep, performed by the acclaimed Gryphon Trio at Toronto’s Roy Thomson Hall. Rachel is now set to become the first Black woman to graduate from Berklee College of Music with a Bachelor of Music in both Games and Interactive Media Scoring and Film Scoring.

Passionate about exploring multiple artistic mediums, Rachel has made her mark across concert music, film scores, and video game compositions. As a dual major at Berklee, she recently received the prestigious EA/Berklee Charting Change Scholarship—a distinguished award that recognizes her talent and dedication to supporting women and non-cisgender individuals in the music industry. This scholarship includes mentorship from renowned composers like Stephen Barton, Stephanie Economou, Ilan Eshkeri, and Kathryn Bostic, as well as opportunities to work closely with the EA Music team.

In July 2024, Rachel was named one of CBC’s 30 Best Classical Musicians Under 30, affirming her exceptional talent and rapid ascent in the music world. Outside her studies, she continues to compose for prominent orchestras, including the Scarborough Philharmonic Orchestra and the Niagara Symphony Orchestra, both of which champion Canadian composers through high-quality performances of symphonic and chamber music. Rachel is also the first composer commissioned to create original works for The Royal Conservatory of Music’s Oscar Peterson Program, a celebrated institution setting global standards in music education and performance.

Rachel’s recent work includes scoring the new QuickFlickTV series I(UN)DO, which premiered in November 2024. Her blend of orchestral and modern sounds brought a vibrant, quirky energy to the dramedy, enriching the storytelling and character dynamics. The series and Rachel’s score have received enthusiastic acclaim at the Peachtree International Film Festival in Atlanta and the NYC Web Festival.

In addition to her composition work, Rachel is an active music content creator on social media and a sponsored composer for Orchestral Tools, Spitfire Audio, Sonuscore, Cinesamples, and Reelcrafter. Approaching the end of her studies at Berklee, she continues to be mentored through EA Music and is currently a contracted composer for Red Bull Music House.

Called “a voice for this historic moment” (The Washington Post), GRAMMY Award-winning baritone WILL LIVERMAN has been described as “a gifted chameleon of a singing actor who disappears into his roles” (Opera Magazine) with a “beaming, high baritone that easily asserts” (LA Times).

Liverman has been praised internationally for his versatility in dramatic and comedic roles and for his dedication and vision as a composer, artist, and advisor helping to evolve and push the performing arts industry forward. He is co-creator of The Factotum–praised as “mic-drop fabulous good” (Opera News)–which premiered in a sold-out production at the Lyric Opera of Chicago in 2023.

A recipient of The Metropolitan Opera’s 2022 Beverly Sills Artist Award, Liverman is an alumnus of the Ryan Opera Center at the Lyric Opera of Chicago and holds degrees from The Juilliard School (M.M.) and Wheaton College in Illinois (B.M.) www.willliverman.com.

DJ KING RICO’s journey through the music world is a testament to his versatility and creativity. In June 2024, he co-produced the Song of the Year at the Los Angeles Academy of Music Production, selected out of hundreds of submissions. Previously, his forward thinking approach to DJing led to collaborations with brands like Serato, Pioneer, and Numark, establishing his reputation as an innovator within the industry. At DistroKid, King took on multiple roles, including leadership in Artist Relations, where he championed the careers of independent artists.

As Co-Composer and Co-Creator of The Factotum, which premiered at Lyric Opera Chicago in 2023, Rico brought soul, opera, and comedy together in a genre-bending production. His unique sound earned him the 2024 Splice Grand Prize, securing 9 months of in person mentorship from GRAMMY Award-winning duo, Stargate.

An alumnus of Shenandoah Conservatory and a world finalist in A-Trak’s Goldie Awards, DJ King Rico continues to push boundaries. He is currently focused on building his company For Lovers Only Entertainment alongside collaborations with longtime friends, GRAMMY Award-winning baritone Will Liverman on The Factotum 2.0 and GRAMMY-nominated producer/drummer Corey Fonville in their duo, KFTB (Kids From The Beach).

MELODY A BETTS was last seen as Aunt Em/Evillene in the Broadway production of The Wiz. Before that she was Chantel in the sold out World Premiere of The Factotum at the Lyric Opera of Chicago where she also played Grandma Tzeital/Fruma Sarah in the most recent production of Fiddler on The Roof. Regional Theater credits include: FANNIE, The Nativity (Goodman Theatre); Ragtime, Thoroughly Modern Millie, The Boys from Syracuse, Seussical the Musical, ELF (Drury Lane Oakbrook); Once on this Island, Nunsense, All Shook Up, The Drowsy Chaperone, Kiss Me Kate (Marriott Lincolnshire); Comedy of Errors, Pinocchio (Chicago Shakes); The Secret of My Success, Rock of Ages (Paramount Theater); The Color Purple, A Christmas Carol, Nunsense (Milwaukee Rep); Smokey Joe’s Café, Hairspray (New Theater); Witness Uganda, Extraordinary (A.R.T.). Broadway/Off Broadway: Waitress the Musical (Brooks Atkinson); Invisible Thread (Second Stage). National Tours: The Sound of Music; Waitress; The Wiz. TV: Jesus Christ Superstar LIVE, Chicago PD, Chicago Fire (NBC), I Can See Your Voice, Chicago Code (FOX); Power (STARZ), Southside (HBOMax). Film: Screams from the Tower. IG: @melodybettspage Unions: AEA, SAG-AFTRA, BMI. The world will be a better place when we start to see ourselves in each other. 1 Jo. 3:18 Text DUMELA to 41444 to support young dreamers at WIU!