August 19, 2009It's been a LONG time since I've updated this page, two years by my count. Although a lot has been going on, I never thought to update the page. Since many of you have asked for an update, I am happy to acquiesce. Here are the major highlights since then: - October 2007 - Don Giovanni - Asheville Lyric Opera - Conductor During the last three years, I been busy managing a career as a college professor and as a professional artist (singer and conductor). While the list may seem short for a two year period, in the case of the university productions, I had to prepare the student singers (weekly lessons and individual and group coachings), design and build the production (costumes, sets, lights, cyclorama rental and installation), stage the show (several weeks plus dress week with many late night rehearsals), and for The Magic Flute, have Orchestra Rehearsals each Saturday morning begining two months before the performances. This was on top of teaching 2-3 classes a semester and 14-17 individual lessons a week. I pretty much was running a small opera company at Frostburg while teaching. While it was exhausting, it was a tremendous experience both for the students and for me. I can't begin to thank the students for all the hard work that they put in on these shows...not just as singers, but as costumers, set builders, stage crew, orchestra members. Hereare a few photo's from those productions.
On the professional end, I had the privalege of conducting two productions for Asheville Lyric Opera, Don Giovanni and Il Barbiere di Siviglia. Both operas had tremendous casts that were a lot of fun to work with. While Don Giovanni was mine from start to finish, I prepared Il Barbiere, handed it off to conductor Robert Hart Baker, and then after the Asheville performances, I took over conducting the show on tour in Virginia, Georgia and North Carolina. Both productions were exciting and had their unique challages, including last minute cuts for the singers and orchestra and venue obstacles. In Don Giovanni, I gave one of my Frostburg students and Phi Mu Alpha brother the opportunity to play trombone in the Asheville Lyric Opera orchestra, a professional experience he had never had (he is now considering grad-school). Having that third trombone in the orchestra also made the evening especially exciting for the audience. Here are a few photos from the productions:
In November, 2007, I went back over to Germany to sing a Verdi Requiem with the Baden Würtemburg Philharmonie where I sang with a wonderful group of soloists. The performance was held at the Marien Kirche in Reutlingen, Germany.
During the last few years, I took several trips. In July/August 2007, I went to California to visit family. On that trip, both of my brothers, my sister-in-law and nephew went to Club 33, an exclusive club/5-star restaurant at Disneyland that few will ever get to go to, let alone see. Look it up on the www. It was pretty amazing.
I already mentioned I went to Germany for a week to sing a performance of Verdi's Requiem. I also went home to Colorado for Winter and Summer breaks and managed to go skiing a couple of times. This summer, I went back to California to see some friends that I have been neglecting and took advantage of going to Disneyland for free on my birthday. My brother David joined me for a few days. Everyone who had a birthday that day was wearing a birthday-pin, including myself.
It was amazing to see how many people share my birthday from every age and every race. That was pretty cool! After spending a week with my brother, I headed up to San Jose to reestablish some friendships and to sing a private concert for Bill Anders with a few of my former Opera San Jose friends, Sandra Bengochea and Chris Bengochea.
My most recent trip was just a few days ago. My parents and I repeated a trip we did a few years ago and joined my brother David up in Snowmass, Colorado where he was staying to sing with Colorado Symphony Chorus's performance at the Aspen Music Festival. I also drove my parents up to see the Maroon Bells, two of Colorado's most famous and most photographed mountains.
After three of teaching at Frostburg State University, I resigned last May. There are several operas on my plate this year that I haven't yet had the opportunity to sing. If I were to have continued teaching this fall, I would probably have had to let these contracts go. So, it looks like I'm going to be back on the road this year, living like a Bohemian. I hope I get to see each of you this coming year. |
