|
Meet the Artists
|
Meet the Director
|
|
|
|
Adrian G. Horn, Director of the Finger Lakes Choral Festival, has had a lifetime
of involvement in virtually every aspect of choral music. He sang with Robert Shaw for two years while still in high school,
received a BS in vocal performance at SUNY Fredonia (where he was Captain of the baseball team and also played semi-pro football
with the Fredonia Orioles) and a Masters Degree specializing in Choral Music from Columbia University. Mr. Horn then entered
the Navy and was appointed Director of the Naval Aviation Cadet Choir while undergoing training as a Naval Aviation Officer. After completing his tour of duty, Mr. Horn became a professional chorister with the San
Francisco Symphony and San Francisco Opera. Subsequently, he entered the doctoral program at Columbia University, but was
sidetracked from completing a thesis on developing community choruses by the priority of putting his ideas into action. What
followed was a remarkable adventure of choral activities, including: Founding
Director, San Francisco Choral Society, a 250 voice symphonic chorus, regularly performing before sold-out houses at Davies
Symphony Hall
As a conductor, Mr. Horn has an extraordinary ability
to inspire singers to bring passion and meaning to their music. Singers stay on their toes because they don't want to miss
any of his colorful comments or unique musical insights. At one rehearsal, before a chorus and orchestra of nearly 500 performing
the Berlioz Requiem at the cavernous San Francisco Civic Auditorium he quipped, "All I wanted to do was get some people together
to sing, and the whole thing got totally out of hand." At the height of his
success with the San Francisco Choral Society, after conducting three sold-out performances of Carmina Burana at Davies Symphony
Hall in October 1992, Mr. Horn left San Francisco to pursue perhaps his most rewarding career, stay-at-home-Dad for his three
young boys. But music always seemed to follow, as did the Directorship of the Sequim Community Chorus in Washington, and after
relocating to New York, the Jamestown Choral Society. The Finger Lakes Choral
Festival, now entering its sixth season, is the current focus of Mr. Horn's life-long obsession with bringing people together
to sing great choral music.
|
|
|
Meet the Accompanists
Piano soloist for the Choral Fantasy and accompanist Dr. Ines Draskovic has
performed throughout Europe and United States. she is a graduate of University of Belgrade (Belgrade, Yugoslavia), Ithaca
College (MM) and Eastman School of Music (DMA). Her teachers include Alexei Nasedkin, Phiroze Mehta and Rebecca Penneys.
Dr. Draskovic has won several piano competitions, including the Ithaca College Concerto Competition, Republic of Serbia Piano
Competition and Piano Competition in Stresa, Italy, where she was a finalist. She has participated in festivals and masterclasses
in Europe and United States (Colorado). Formerly a faculty member at Ithaca College, Dr. Draskovic is currently teaching
at the Finger Lakes Community College in Canandaigua, NY. In addition to her solo career, she performs regularly with the
Finger Lakes Chorale and College Singers.
Accompanist, Dr. Susan J. Avery, Associate Professor of Music Education at
Ithaca College, was the former director of vocal ensembles and department chair of Waterloo High School for 24 years. She
received her BM from the Eastman School of Music, MM from Ithaca College and a PhD from Eastman, where she was awarded the
Eastman Graduate Teaching Assistant Prize for excellence in college teaching. Dr. Avery conducts elementary, junior high
and senior high honors, All-County and Area All-State Choruses throughout New York State; judges solo vocal and All-State
Vocal Jazz as well as choral major organizations for the New York State School Music Association (NYSSMA); and gives clinics
and workshops on the local, state and national levels in the field of music education. While teaching at Waterloo, her men's
ensemble Just Us was chosen to be the opening performing ensemble at the New York State School Boards Association's state
convention. Dr. Avery's choral ensembles consistently received high awards at festivals and her students participated in all
levels of local, state and national ensembles.
She currently conducts the Seneca Singers (an adult choir in her
hometown of Seneca Falls) and directs the faculty-staff choir voICes on the Ithaca College Campus in addition to her teaching
duties. Dr. Avery accompanies the summer conference Director’s Chorus and reading sessions and has served NYSSMA as
Piano Chair, High School Classroom Chair, Assistant Choral Chair; and the Choral Chair for New York State. Susan is currently
the Eastern Division Chair for the Music Educator’s National Conference (MENC) Adult and Community Music Education special
research interest group (SRIG). Her research on adult rehearsal preferences was presented at the University of Wisconsin-Madison
Lifelong Learning Symposium in April 2005 and two posters sessions (for original research/best practice) were given at Society
of Music Teacher Education in September 2005. Susan provided choral experiences to adults in the New Horizons Band camp at
Interlochen in summer of 2006. She has published in American Music Teacher, The School Music News, Music Educators’
Journal and contributed to MENC’s Benchmarks in Action: A Guide to Standards-Based Assessment in Music. Susan will be
presenting a session on Working with Adult Musicians at MENC’s All-Eastern Conference in 2007.
|
| |
|
Meet the Soloists
During the 2006-7 season, soprano Malinda Haslett took the stage as Guest Artist on Capital Hill in Washington, DC for
the American Cancer Society. Immediately following this charitable event, Ms. Haslett resumed her operatic schedule in France
in one of her signature roles as Nannetta in Falstaff with Le Grand Théâtre de Limoges. Juliette in Roméo et Juliette is next
with Nashville Opera, followed by appearances as soprano soloist in Mozart Requiem with both the Bangor Symphony Orchestra
and Eastern Connecticut Symphony Orchestras, and with the Lubbock Symphony Orchestra singing operatic favorites. Ms. Haslett
finished the season with a return to France at Le Grand Théâtre de Reims as Nannetta. Hailed in Paris and Brussels
by Le Soir and La libre belgique as “luminous,” Malinda Haslett performed the title character of La traviata,
a role she reprised later in the season in Connecticut with Maestro Anton Coppola. 2005 also brought about a debut with the
Utah Symphony and Opera as Juliette in Gounod’s Roméo et Juliette, followed by Frasquita in Carmen with San Diego Opera,
and returning to Augusta Opera as the featured soloist in their annual Home for the Holidays Concert. Celebrating Mozart,
Ms. Haslett sang two productions as Susanna in Le nozze di Figaro, joining the West Virginia Symphony and returning to Syracuse
Opera, where she had been named Artist of the Year for her performances last season as Pamina in Die Zauberflöte. Opera News
wrote “Ms. Haslett sang Ach, ich fühl’s with such meltingly limpid phrases that the audience held its collective
breath. She is a singer who deserves more attention.” Finishing the 2005-6 season, Ms. Haslett made her Mexican debut
as Zerlina in Don Giovanni with the Ópera de Zapopan, and bowed with the Queens Symphony Orchestra at home in New York.
Other operatic performances of note include her Lincoln Center debut with The American Symphony Orchestra as Bangsa and Erste
Mädchen in Hindemith’s Das Nusch-Nuschi, Oscar in Un ballo in maschera with the Atlanta Opera, Susanna in Le nozze di
Figaro with the Lyric Opera of Kansas City, her French debut as Pamina in Die Zauberflöte and Micaëla in Carmen with the Festival
Lyrique-en-mer, both Nannetta in Falstaff and Leïla in Les pêcheurs des perles with Sarasota Opera, the title role of Lyric
Opera of Cleveland’s La fille du Régiment, Valencienne in Die Lustige Witwe and Berta in Il barbiere di Siviglia, Adina
in L’elisir d’amore with Augusta Opera, Musetta in La Bohème with West Bay Opera, and in her native Texas: Norina
in Don Pasquale and Mabel in Pirates of Penzance with the Fort Worth Opera.
Active as a concert and recital artist, in North America Ms. Haslett has sung with the Calgary Symphony, Seattle Symphony,
Portland Orchestra, Orchestra of St. Luke’s, Pittsburgh Bach Choir, Santa Barbara Symphony, Stamford Symphony, Chautauqua
Symphony, Augusta Symphony, Ocean City Pops, and the Bar Harbor Festival. Ms. Haslett’s European symphonic credits
include a solo recital for the President of Italy, Luigi Scalfaro, as well as numerous performances throughout Europe and
Asia with the Quintessence Chamber Ensemble.
Ms. Haslett is a recipient of the prestigious Rotary International Ambassadorial Scholarship which led to study abroad. While
in Italy she won the Concorso Internazionale di Tito Schipa and the Concorso Internazionale di Roma. Her discography includes
Father And Son and Hymns to the Goddess, both with Parthenia XII and A Tribute to Diana, all on the Vox Label. As the title
character on Nicole, The Trial of the Century, by Grammy nominated composer Anthony Newman, she may be heard on the Albany
Label, and her most recent recording entitled A Yuletide Celebration was released in 2005.
Tenor Jonathan Boyd native of Corning, New York has performed in
opera and oratorio throughout Europe, North America and South America where his recent debuts have included the title Role
of Werther with Teatro Colón (Argentina), Tom Rakewell in The Rake’s Pogress with Opera Faber (Portugal), Roméo in Roméo
et Juliette with Utah Opera, Nashville Opera and Michigan Opera Theater, Don Ottavio in Don Giovanni with Opera Royal de Wallonie
(Belgium), and Tamino in Die Zauberflöte with both Festival Lyrique-en-mer de Belle Île (France) and Portland Opera (Oregon).
With Akouna, Opéra en plein air, (France) he made his debut in the role of Alfredo in La Traviata.
Mr. Boyd’s previous engagements have included those with San Francisco Opera’s productions of Falstaff, Turandot,
The Merry Widow (released on DVD), and Mother of Us All. With Teatro Colón he sang Lysander in A Mid Summer Night’s
Dream, and he presented, Belmonte in Die Entführung aus dem Serail at Le Grand Théâtre de Limoges. After Mr. Boyd’s
time as an apprentice with Florentine Opera of Milwaukee he has been invited back numerous times in roles that include those
of Don Ottavio in Don Giovann and Camille in The Merry Widow. With Virginia Opera Mr. Boyd debuted in the role of Rodolfo
in La Bohème while Michigan Opera Theatre, saw Mr. Boyd debut Tamino in The Magic Flute. His debut with Portland Opera was
in the role of Sam in Street Scene. While with Sarasota Opera Mr. Boyd was hailed in Opera News as “a standout and having
a ravishing mezza voce.” for his portrayal of Ferrando in Così fan tutte, in additional seasons with Sarasota Opera
his roles included Nadir in Les pêcheurs des perles and Fenton in Falstaff. Le Grand Théâtre de Limoges (France) also saw
Mr. Boyd as Fenton in Falstaff.
Mr. Boyd’s future engagements include performing the roles of Naraboth in Salome with Dallas Opera, Tamino in Die Zauberflöte,with
Lyric Opera of Kansas City Lysander in A Midsummer Night’s Dream with Opera de Nice (France), Alfredo in Chautauqua
Opera’s anniversary season production of La Traviata, Jachino in Fidelio with Portland Opera, a return to Nashville
Opera as Don Ottavio in Don Giovanni and a return to Portland Opera in the title role of Bénédict in Béatrice et Bénédict.
Mr. Boyd has an extensive repertoire in the operas of the 20th Century. They Include Michigan Opera Theater’s World
Premiere of Margaret Garner in the role of George Hancock and New York City Opera’s productions of Mother of Us All
and Central Park. Composer Lee Hoiby personally chose Mr. Boyd for the role of Romeo in his opera Romeo and Juliet, which
he Subsequently sang in the semi-staged performances at the Opera America convention in Vancouver, as well as with New York
City Opera, Stamford Symphony in Connecticut, and the National Symphony at the Kennedy Center. Mr. Boyd performed the role
of Sam in Susannah in two separate productions with Opera Columbus and L’Opéra de Montréal. Other roles include those
of Lyric Tenor in Postcard from Morocco, and the title role of Candide with Lake George Opera. While with Santa Fe Opera’s
production of A Dream Play, Mr. Boyd received an award from The National Federation of Music Clubs for his accomplishments.
Mr. Boyd’s Concert appearances have included those with the New York Philharmonic in Bach’s St. Matthew Passion
with Maestro Kurt Masur, the Philadelphia Orchestra in a recording of I Pagliacci with Maestro Ricardo Muti, with the Choral
Arts Society as tenor soloist in Haydn’s Creation at the
Kennedy Center, Mozart’s Requiem at Carnegie Hall, in Handel’s Messiah with the Baltimore Symphony, as well as
with Maestro Nicholas McGegan and Philharmonia Baroque. Subsequently, Mr. Boyd returned for a Christmas Gala Concert with
Philharmonia Baroque in Bach’s E flat Magnificat and Cantata 110. With Orchestre Métropolitain du grand Montréal Mr.
Boyd was the tenor soloist for Dvorak’s Stabat Mater. With I Musici de Montréal he appeared as tenor soloist in Finzi’s
Dies Natalis and in Britten’s Les Illuminations. In his debut with Virginia Symphony Mr. Boyd played the role of Mozart
in Rimsky Korsakov’s Mozart and Salieri.
|
Quinn Patrick, Mezzo Soprano |
The young American mezzo-soprano Quinn Patrick regularly receives
acclaim for the sweet purity and strength of a lyric voice enhanced by a sizzling coloratura facility and combined with an
engagingly sincere personality in a wide variety of operatic roles and concert repertoire spanning the centuries from Monteverdi
to Mark Adamo. Highlights of the current (2007-08) season include her Syracuse Symphony début singing Messiah conducted by
Daniel Hege, her first appearances at the annual Messiah Festival of the Arts in Lindsborg (KS) and a return to Mercury Opera
Rochester as Zerlina in Don Giovanni.
Last season she made her Lincoln Center début with The National Chorale singing Copland’s In the Beginning and Beethoven’s
Symphony No 9 and her début with the Jacksonville Symphony under Fabio Mechetti, as well as her eagerly-anticipated annual
series of Messiah appearances in the greater upstate New York area and a return to the Buffalo Philharmonic for a special
“Mozart Birthday Celebration” Gala. Recently she made her Carnegie Hall début in Mozart’s “Coronation”
Mass and a rare performance of Brusa’s Missa Pro Defunctis with the New England Symphonic Ensemble, performed Beppe
in L’Amico Fritz with Mercury Opera (a new company in Rochester, NY) and was soloist in Mozart’s Mass in C with
the Buffalo Philharmonic.
Other engagements included Meg in Adamo’s Little Women at the Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music, a role she first
sang in the opera’s east coast première at the Ash Lawn-Highland Festival; another Meg (Verdi’s Falstaff) with
Glimmerglass Opera; Hansel in the Buffalo Philharmonic’s annual holiday production of Hänsel und Gretel; Mercedes in
Carmen at Artpark and Ashlawn; and the Mother in Amahl and the Night Visitors with Buffalo’s Opera Sacra. Her interpretation
of Lulu in The Jumping Frog of Calaveras County in the Buffalo Philharmonic’s Foss Festival was broadcast internationally
on National Public Radio. Other concert appearances include Mozart’s Mass in c with the Western New York Chamber Orchestra
under Joel Revzen, Messiah with the Buffalo Philharmonic under guest conductor Robert Page and Mozart’s Requiem with
the Boulder Philharmonic.
A native of Texas, Miss Patrick received her training at Trinity University in San Antonio and the University of Colorado
at Boulder followed by participation in the Glimmerglass Opera Young American Artists Program and the Baltimore Opera Studio.
She was a Finalist in the 2006 National Association of Teachers of Singing Artist Award Competition, a Metropolitan Opera
Auditions Regional Finalist in 1998 and 1999 where she won Violette J. McCarthy and Spencer Foundation Awards, a Finalist
in the 1997 National Society of Arts and Letters Voice Competition and a Finalist in the 1998 Denver Lyric Opera Guild Competition.
A native of Mississippi and the son of A United Methodist minister, music has always been a central theme in the life of Grady
Bailey. His formative years in music were spent singing in church choirs, playing the piano and organ for services, and having
the privilege of working with wonderful church musicians and teachers throughout northeast Mississippi culminating in his
work with the Christ Church Cathedral Choir of Men and Boys in Indianapolis, Indiana while he lived there.
Grady is a graduate of Millsaps College in Jackson, Mississippi where he received his B.M. in Voice with a minor in Church
Music and Organ. It was here that he met two of the most influential teachers and mentors of his life, McCarrell Ayers (voice)
and Donald Kilmer (organ). He later attended Indiana University School of Music to pursue an M.M. in Voice where he had the
privilege of studying with Virginia Zeani and Nicolo Rossi-Lemini.
Grady Bailey has performed on concert stages and in churches and cathedrals throughout the United States and Europe,
and his extensive repertoire includes many and diverse works. Mr. Bailey is an accomplished singer specializing in oratorio
and art song. Major works have included Messiah (G.F.Handel), Elijah & Second Symphony (Hymn of Praise) (Felix Mendelssohn),
The Seasons (Haydn)The Seven Last Words of Christ (Theodore Dubois), Magnificat (J.S.Bach), Amahl & the Night Visitors in
the role of Kaspar (Gian Carlo Menotti), Solemn Vespers (W.A. Mozart), Mikado in the role of Nanki-Poo (Gilbert & Sullivan).
In 2005, Grady had the honor of premiering a set of new songs byRochester composer Cary Ratclifff, Two Songs of Moving On
set to the poetry of Edna St. Vincent Millay. Over his career, he has appeared with Mississippi Opera, Jackson Symphony Orchestra,
Indiana University Philharmonic, Indiana University Opera Theatre, Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, Vermont Symphony, Rochester
Institute of Technology Philharmonia, the Rochester Chamber Orchestra and members of the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra.
Grady has been lauded for the clear, supple and agile quality of his voice and his musical interpretation of repertoire
Mr. Bailey was Assistant to the Minister of Music and principal tenor with the First Unitarian Church of Rochester,
New York for seven years and now serves as Organist/Music Director for St. John’s Episcopal Church in Honeoye Falls,
New York. He is currently Adjunct Instructor in Voice at Rochester Institute of Technology.
Baritone Derrick Smith has emerged as a rising vocal sensation, singing with distinction in theaters around the world. Mr.
Smith sang the role of Joe in Show Boat at its 50th Anniversary performance at the California Musical Theater in Sacramento.
He was asked to repeat the same role at both the Marriott Lincolnshire Theatre's performances in Chicago and with Mercury
Opera of Rochester, receiving jubilant praise from critics and standing ovations from the audience. He has triumphed equally
performing the dual roles of Porgy and Jake in Porgy and Bess with the Chicago Sinfonietta at Chicago's Symphony Hall, Crown
in Porgy and Bess with the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra, and Leporello in Don Giovanni with the Malmo Symfoni Orkester in
Sweden. Mr. Smith performed with Opera Ebony in the debut of original opera Harriet Tubman at the Metropolitan Museum of
Art, singing the principal role of John Tubman. He was called on to repeat this role at the Arturo Schomberg Center in New
York City and at the Metro Theater in Syracuse, NY.
A frequent oratorio and concert soloist, Derrick Smith has performed in recital with renowned soprano Renee Fleming,
as well as performing as a soloist with the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, the Rochester Oratorio Society, the Long
Island Symphony, and the Chamber Group of the Toronto Symphony among others. His triumphant solo debut in Carnegie Hall last
year was with the New England Symphonic Ensemble, joined by choruses from around the U.S. Recently, Derrick was joined by
Herb Smith on trumpet with Peter DuBois on piano for a glorious holiday concert in Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall. He
has sung Handel's Messiah with the Rochester Oratorio Society, the Rochester Chamber Orchestra, the Corning Philharmonic,
the Mozart Requiem with the Geneseo Symphony and Chorus in Geneseo, NY, and with the Eastman Philharmonia in Eastman Theater
in Rochester. His performance singing the Brahms German Requiem with the Virginia Consort in Charlottesville, Va. was highly
praised. He was called to return to the Virginia Consort, singing a beautiful performance of the Mozart Missa Brevis in
C Major and Haydn's Pauken Mass. Mr. Smith has sung many classical and contemporary works, including performing as a soloist
in Grammy Award winner Jessye Norman's Jessye Norman Sings for the Healing of AIDS, which was held at the famous Riverside
Church in New York City and telecast live on PBS, and involving performances by a cast of celebrities.
Internationally, Derrick Smith performed roles in Porgy & Bess traveling with the Chicago Sinfonietta in Switzerland, Germany,
Belgium, and Russia; repeating the same roles with the Norrkerping Symphony in Sweden; and in the dual roles of Crown and
Jake again in Porgy and Bess as a part of the VI Festival De Artes De Itu in Brazil, which was televised throughout the country.
The following month he performed again in Russia in the title role of Eugene Onegin, as well as singing acclaimed performances
in Gershwin concerts at televised music festivals in both Moscow and Estonia. Mr. Smith has also performed at the International
Institute of Vocal Arts in Italy.
A graduate of The Eastman School of Music, Derrick Smith has trained and performed with the Glimmerglass Opera Young American
Artist Program and the Brereton International Music Symposium in England under Thomas Hampson, Horst Gunter, and Brigitte
Fassbaender. He has worked with coaches Angela Hawaleshka, Sherrill Milnes, and Thomas Paul, and continues to train under
Benton Hess and Wayne Sanders. In addition, Mr. Smith was a semi-finalist of the American Traditions Competition, and a winner
of the Outstanding Young Men of America Award. A winner of the New York Vocal Artist Competition and the William Warfield
Scholarship, Mr. Smith and Mr. Warfield, both Rochester, NY natives, performed and recorded together, and Mr. Smith always
shines performing Mr. Warfield's feature, "Ol Man River" from Show Boat.
Mr. Smith has trained and performed as a part of Songfest, held at Pepperdine University in California, where he sang premier
performances of works by Jake Heggie and John Harbison. Upcoming plans include several recordings, and many performances
in the greater Rochester area.
He is a Senior Associate Instructor of Voice at The Eastman School of Music's Community Education Department, and runs the
vocal curriculum of The Eastman School of Music's Music Horizons summer program for gifted teenage musicians
fingerlakeschoral@earthlink.net
|
