ANN ARBOR FESTIVAL OF SONG PRESENTS THE TWENTY-SIXTH ANNUAL WEEK AFTER ART FAIR SONG FEST TUESDAY-FRIDAY, JULY 23-26, 2019 KERRYTOWN CONCERT HOUSE, ANN ARBOR OUR 25TH ANNIVERSARY TUESDAY, JULY 23, 8:00PM THURSDAY, JULY 25, 8:00PM LIZ PEARSE, PERFORMER SEX, DRUGS, AND OPERA SCENES FRIDAY, JULY 26 8:00PM CABARET SCHMABARET WEDNESDAY, JULY 24, 8:00PM Herz, Schmerz/Toujours L’amour 2019 ARTISTS Key to abbreviations: BGSU = Bowling Green State Univ; EMU = Eastern Michigan Univ; MOT= Michigan Opera Theatre; UM = Univ of Michigan Pianist KEVIN BYLSMA‘s work has taken him in recent years to Venice, Paris, Romania, Eastern Europe, New York City, Boston, Los Angeles, and Thailand. Recent collaborations include recitals with Jennifer Rowley, Irina Mishura, Michelle DeYoung, and Kathryn Lewek, and accompanying masterclasses of Samuel Ramey, Dianne Soviero, and Marilyn Horne. His music directing and coaching credits include Ann Baltz' OperaWorks in Los Angeles, Toledo Opera, MOT, OPERA!Lenawee, Papagena Opera Company, and the UM. Currently serving as Head of Music Preparation at Toledo Opera, and Lecturer of Opera at the College of Musical Arts at BGSU, Kevin has also served the Toledo, Adrian, and Greater Lansing Symphony Orchestras as keyboardist, and since 1993 has been associate organist at Mariners' Church of Detroit. CHRISTINE AMON, MEZZO-SOPRANO, a Grand Rapids native, has performed in recent seasons with Opera Carolina, Nashville Opera, Opera Memphis, Toledo Opera, Opera Louisiane, Union Avenue Opera, and Opera Grand Rapids. In 2018 she was a finalist in the Lotte Lenya Competition hosted by the Kurt Weill Foundation for Music. She is a voice instructor in the Grand Rapids area. She also has been a member of the professional choir at the historic Mariners’ Church of Detroit. She holds degrees from Grand Valley State University and BGSU, and will be beginning her doctoral studies at the UM this fall. GREGORY ASHE, TENOR, Is a native of Huber Heights, and earned his BME and MM degrees from BGSU. Opera credits include Sportin’ Life in Porgy and Bess: Redux at Cincinnati Opera’s YAP, Arias in Motion at OperaWorks in LA, French Soldier #3 and The Deputy in MOT’s production of The Grapes of Wrath, and in Italy he played Herbie Jenkins in the world premiere opera Buffalo Soldier. Other credits include solos and ensemble work with MOT, Rackham Choir, Dayton Opera, Toledo Opera, Masterworks Chorale, Toledo Choral Society, and Kirk in the Hills in Bloomfield Hills. He resides in Sterling Heights, Michigan. EMILY BENNER, SOPRANO, has performed roles with MOT and Toledo Opera, and in concert with the Detroit and Toledo Symphonies. Other credits include Toledo Symphony and Southwest Michigan Symphony Orchestra. She is the recipient of numerous awards, and was a regional finalist in the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions. A graduate of the UM, she maintains connections with the Phoenix Ensemble, Brave New Works, The Ann Arbor Festival of Song, Michigan Opera Works, and Vox Early Music Ensemble. She is currently on the faculty of EMU, and is a longtime member of the professional choir at the historic Mariners’ Church of Detroit. CLAIRE CHARDON, SOPRANO, a Michigan native, has established herself as a versatile artist on the operatic, musical theater, and concert stage. Some recent highlights include appearances with Michigan Opera Theater, performing the role of Despina in Mozart’s Così fan tutte with the Bay View Music Festival, and singing as the soprano soloist in Fauré’s Requiem. In addition, Claire has sung the roles of Clara in Light in the Piazza, Adele in Die Fledermaus, and Valencienne in The Merry Widow. Claire earned her Bachelor of Music degree from Grand Valley State University and her Master’s degree from BGSU, and sings weekly at the historic Mariners’ Church of Detroit. KAREN COOK, SOPRANO, is a choral music specialist, and currently sings with Audivi, sounding light, Detroit Concert Choir, Detroit Chamber Choir, LancasterChorale, Taylor Festival Choir, Tennessee Chamber Chorus, the Oregon Bach Festival, historic Mariners’ Church of Detroit, Toledo Opera Chorus, and Knoxville Opera Chorus. She has been a soloist in McGlynn’s Celtic Mass, Mozart’s Vesperae solennes de confessore, Handel’s Messiah, Schubert’s Mass in G, and Bach’s Magnificat. This summer Ms. Cook will debut with the Baroque on Beaver festival as a soloist in Mozart’s Requiem, and this fall she will join British ensemble Voces8 as a member of their US Scholars Programme. MATTHEW COOK, PHD, TENOR, is Assistant Professor of Historic Preservation and Cultural Geography at Eastern Michigan University, where he is also working on a Second Bachelors (technically his third; he may have an academia addiction…) in Music. Although he has been a musician for as long as he can remember, he earned his MS and PhD in Geography from the University of Tennessee. He’s quite certain that singing kept him from losing his sanity during this period! Cook regularly sings with EMU Choir, Detroit Concert Choir, and the historic Mariners’ Church of Detroit. He is thrilled to make his debut with the Ann Arbor Festival of Song! JASON DUIKA, BARITONE: Last fall Jason sang his first Marcello in La Bohème with West Bay Opera (CA) where the reviews said, “Jason Duika sang with glorious round tone, and unimpeachable legato.” In his most recent portrayal of Hérode in Massenet’s Hérodiade, with New Amsterdam Opera, John Yohalem noted, “Jason Duika has a sizable and remarkably lofty baritone, which should serve him well for Verdi roles - he topped ‘Vision fugitive’ with an A-flat. And yet his delivery seemed effortless, lyric, a melting, manly sound.” Jason will sing the title role in his first Nabucco this October with West Bay Opera. MONICA ELY, SOPRANO, from Mobile, Alabama, completed the Summer Vocology Institute at the University of Utah with the National Center of Voice and Speech, and she sings professionally in several local and regional choirs as a chorister and soloist, including the historic Mariners’ Church of Detroit. She teaches applied voice at a large SE Michigan high school. Mrs. Ely made her debut in 2014 as the soloist in the Ludolph Arens Mass, and in 2017 she was the soloist in Bach’s Ascension Oratorio with the Detroit Concert Choir and the Michigan Sinfonietta. JOHN GLANN, BARITONE, has performed over forty leading roles in opera and musical theatre. He recently gave the world premiere of composer Patrick Michael Wickham's Songs of Death and Taxes with the Lecoq Ensemble in Paris, which should be released on recording this fall. John studied at BGSU and Indiana University, and maintains a private teaching studio in New York City. Congratulations to Jane and Kevin for twenty-five great years of song! JENNIFER GOLTZ, SOPRANO, specializes in new chamber music, opera, and cabaret. Her reputation for interpretive sensitivity, vocal virtuosity, and musical precision has inspired dozens of composers to write for her. Her collaboration with composer-pianist Logan Skelton spans two decades, two continents, and numerous song cycles. She is a founding member of the new music ensemble Brave New Works and has appeared with Milwaukee-based Present Music. She recorded the role of the god Pan in Kamran Ince’s opera Judgment of Midas for Naxos; she can also be heard on Albany, Centaur, MSR Classics, AMP, and Blue Griffin Records. KO KAIDEN, BARITONE: A native of Kamakura, Japan, Ko began his professional music career as an oboist, playing with symphony orchestras in Japan. Upon moving to New York in 1990 he expanded his excellent woodwind skills by becoming a woodwind doubler in Broadway productions. Inspired by a recording of acclaimed tenor José Carreras and pianist Martin Katz, an experience he describes as life-changing, he began his vocal training with a goal of professional singing. He soon became a sought-after performer and has been praised for his “musical sensitivity” and his “intelligence in the delivery of text” by Francisco Casanova, Metropolitan Opera. HILLARY LABONTE, MEZZO-SOPRANO is committed to performing and producing exciting new opera. Most recently, Hillary sang Polyxo in Kate Soper’s Here Be Sirens and the title role in Kaija Saariaho’s Émilie. Last year she sang the world premiere of Sean Doyle’s Tenebrae with the BGSU New Music Ensemble and appeared as Dorabella in Mozart’s Così fan tutte. She is one half of Duo Rossignol, a voice/flute ensemble with Dr. Mary Matthews. Hillary holds degrees from the Peabody Institute and Baldwin Wallace University. Currently, Hillary is completing her Doctorate in Contemporary Music Performance at BGSU. Learn more at www.hillarylabonte.com. MICKEY MILLER, SOPRANO, specializes in contemporary works across a spectrum of operatic, choral, and chamber settings. Last year, she performed Soper’s Here Be Sirens, Reich’s Tehillim, Stephenson’s Symphony No. 2, Haber’s Scene X: The Voice Imitator, and Constantidines’ Rosanna in recital at Carnegie Hall. Notable operatic roles include Donna Elvira (Don Giovanni), Abigail Williams (The Crucible), and Anne Truelove (The Rake’s Progress). Miller holds degrees from Louisiana State University, University of Missouri-Columbia, and iscurrently pursuing her Doctorate in Contemporary Music at BGSU. She can be seen this fall in Mackey’s Places we can no longer go. JOHN MINK, BASS-BARITONE, earned his MM in voice at BGSU, and a bachelor’s in music business from Mansfield State University of Pennsylvania. Opera and musical theatre credits include Alfio (Cavalleria Rusticana), Uncle Billy (The Outcasts of Poker Flats), Grandpa Moss (The Tender Land), the Sergeant of Police (The Pirates of Penzance), the title role in Pasatieri’s Signor Deluso, Claude Frollo (The Hunchback of Notre Dame), Joe Hardy (Damn Yankees), Adam (The Apple Tree), Bobby (Company) and the title role in Sweeney Todd.