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Home , Asheville Lyric Opera, Lili Chookasian, Robert Hart Baker, Zar und Zimmermann

1 James Taylor,

525 Williamsdale Drive Bon Air, VA 23235 804.615.9773 [email protected]

EDUCATION Master of Music, Performance, , New

Haven, CT B.A., Music Performance, Birmingham-Southern College, Birmingham, AL

ADJUNCT PROFESSOR 2006-2014 University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA • Served as advisor and consultant for a student-led opera program. • Recruited, taught and mentored private students, and provided advice on career options. Seven students have gone on to careers in opera in the US and Europe. • Assisted students with major recitals and gaining admissions to graduate programs. • Taught private lessons to Majors and non-majors. Directed 8 Distinguished Major recitals.

ADJUNCT PROFESSOR 2006-2014 Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA • Taught private lessons to Music Majors and theater students. • Assisted students with preparation for recitals. • Taught master classes in the region.

DIRECTOR OF OPERA/ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF VOICE 2001-2006 University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL • Developed relationships with students, parents and high school choral directors from 5 states to aid admissions. • Recruited 100+ students annually and assisted in acquiring needed scholarships. • Increased program visibility in the community and state by establishing relationships with Fortune 500 and Fortune 50 companies to raise funds for the department. • Created and managed an opera performance program. • Grew the department budget over 5 years through media promotion, fundraising activities and increased ticket sales. • Hired and supervised performers and stage staff; planned, directed and conducted performances. • Negotiated with music publishing companies to reduce the costs of performance rights. • Raised $5K for a high school voice competition by developing partnerships with prominent businesses.

DIRECTOR OF OPERA/ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF VOICE 2000-2001 Drake University, Des Moines, IA • Managed the program budget and handled all personnel issues. • Developed relationships with potential students, parents, and choral directors to aid recruitment. • Supervised all aspects of the opera performance program - chose material, directed and conducted all major performances. • Held multiple off campus performances to aid in recruiting and fundraising.

DIRECTOR OF OPERA/ADJUNCT PROFESSOR 1998-2001 Connecticut College, New London, CT • Managed the program budget and handled all personnel issues. • Developed relationships with potential students, parents, and choral directors to aid recruitment. • Supervised all aspects of the opera performance program - chose material, directed and conducted all major performances

Operatic Repertoire

Florestan Fidelio Beethoven Don Jose Bizet Danilo The Merry Widow Lehar Nerone L’Incoronazione di Poppea Monteverdi Pinkerton Puccini Cavaradossi Puccini Max (WP) Addressee Unknown Roven Alfred Die Fledermaus Strauss Eisenstein Die Fledermaus Strauss Lenski Tchaikovsky Manrico Verdi Parsifal Parsifal Wagner Siegmund Die Walküre Wagner

Baritone Repertoire: Lafitte The Cabildo Beach Claudio Beatrice et Bnedict Berlioz Escamillo Carmen Bizet Sid Albert Herring Britten Belcore L’Elisir D’Amore Donizetti Enrico Lucia di Lammermoor Donizetti Pelleas Pelleas et Melisande Debussy Valentin Gounod Mercutio Romeo et Juliette Gounod Araspe Tolomeo Handel Tonio I Pagliacci Leoncavallo Silvio I Pagliacci Leoncavallo Zar Zar und Zimmermann Lortzing John Sorel The Consul Menotti Melchior Amahl and the Night Visitors Menotti Tom/John The Face on the Barrom Floor Mollicone Figaro Le nozze di Figaro Mozart Count Almaviva Le nozze di Figaro Mozart Masetto Don Giovanni Mozart Guglielmo Cosi fan Tutte Mozart Papageno Die Zauberflöte Mozart Barney(Lackey) The Ballad of Baby Doe Moore Marcello La Boheme Puccini Schaunard La Boheme Puccini Sonora La Fanciulla del West Puccini Sharpless Madama Butterfly Puccini Figaro Il Barbiere di Siviglia Rossini Dandini La Cenerentola Rossini Falke Die Fledermaus Strauss Posa Don Carlo Verdi Germont La Traviata Verd Ford Verdi Marullo Rigoletto Verdi Alfred (cv) Der besuch der alten Dame Von Einem Thomas Putnam The Crucible Ward

Musical Theatre

Cervantes/Don Quihote Man of La Mancha Sweeney Sweeney Todd John Adams 1776 Billy Bigelow Captain von Trapp The Sound of Music Carl Magnus A Little Night Music Robert Mission New Moon Pierre/Red Shadow Desert Song Adam Pontipee Seven Brides for Seven Brothers Joe Cable Tony West Side Story John the Baptist/Judas Godspell Lun Tha The Kind and I

Concert Repertoire Tenor Soloist An die ferne Geliebte Beethoven Tenor Soloist Symphony No. 9 Beethoven Tenor Soloist Magnificat Bach Tenor Soloist Handel Samson Samson Handel Obadiah Elijah Mendelssohn Paul St. Paul Mendelssohn Tenor Soloist Mozart Tenor Soloist Christmas Oratorio Saint-Saens Tenor Soloist Mass Schubert Tenor Soloist Mass in G Schubert Tenor Soloist On Wenlock Edge Vaughan-Williams Tenor Soloist Hodie Vaughan-Williams Tenor Soloist The Songs of Travel Vaughan-Williams Tenor Soloist 8 Romanze per Tenore Verdi Soloist Cantata 56 Bach Bass Soloist Cantata 76 Bach Bass Soloist Cantata 82 Bach Bass Soloist Cantata 140 Bach Bass Soloist Magnificat Bach Jesus/Bass Soloist Johannes Passion Bach Bass Soloist Weinachts Oratorium Bach Soloist Dover Beach Barber Baritone Soloist An die ferne Geliebte Beethoven Baritone Soloist Ein Deutsches Requiem Brahms Baritone Soloist Liebeslieder Waltzes Brahms Baritone Soloist Vier ernste gesänge Brahms Baritone Soloist A Shropshire Lad Butterworth Baritone Soloist Love Blows Where the Wind Blows Butterworth Baritone Soloist Old American Songs I & II Copland Baritone Soloist Requiem Fauré Baritone Soloist Requiem Durufé Raphael/Adam The Creation Haydn Simon The Seasons Haydn Bass Soloist Messiah Handel Bass Soloist Dettingen Te Deum Handel Baritone Soloist Selected Opera/Oratorio Arias Handel Baritone Soloist A letter from Sullivan Ballou Kander Baritone Soloist Selected Operatic Arias Lortzing Baritone Soloist * Mahler Baritone Soloist Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen Mahler Bass Soloist Missa Brevis in G Mozart Bass Soloist Mass in C Minor Mozart Baritone Soloist Selected Operatic Arias Mozart Baritone Soloist Carmina Burana Orff Baritone Soloist Come Ye Sons of Art Purcel Baritone Soloist Don Quichotte a Dulcinée Ravel Baritone Soloist Mourning Scene Rorem Baritone Soloist Mass in A-flat Major Schubert Baritone Soloist Mass in G Major Schubert Baritone Soloist Schwanengesang Schubert Baritone Soloist Five songs from William Blake Thomson Baritone Soloist Dona Nobis Pacem Vaughan-Williams Baritone Soloist Fantasia on Christmas Carols Vaughan-Williams Baritone Soloist Five Mystical Songs Vaughan-Williams Baritone Soloist Hodie Vaughan-Williams Baritone Soloist Sea Symphony Vaughan-Williams Baritone Soloist Vaughan-Williams Baritone Soloist Songs of Travel Vaughan-Williams Baritone Soloist Four Walt Whitman Songs Weill Baritone Soloist Soldier Songs Weisgal

Repertoire Directed Le nozze di Figaro Die Zauberflote Cosi fan Tutte Don Giovanni The Impressario The Crucible L’Elisir D’Amore La Boheme The Tragedy of Carmen Did and Aeneas La Serva Padrona The Ballad of Baby Doe The Telephone The Consul Il Barbiere di Siviglia Die Fledermaus Amahl and the Night Visitors The Old Maid and the Thief South Pacific

Conductors: William Boggs, David Itkin, Christopher Larkin, James Caraher, Mark Graf, Timothy Myers, , Patrick Summers, Peter Mark, Thomas Beveridge, L. Thomas Vining, Victoria Bond, Mark Flint, Chris Nance, Raymond Harvey, Mattias Kuntsch, Lawrence Gilgore, Lawrence Leighton Smith, Mark Gibson, Giampolo Bracali, Shinik Hahm, Paul Polivnik

Directors: Sir John Copley, Sir Colin Graham, Ned Canty, Ken Cazan, Matthew Lata, Lillian Groag, Joshua Major, Scott Parry, Bruce Donnel, David Malis, Marciem Bazell, Hans Nieuwenhuis, Cynthia Edwards, Paula Williams, Michael Ehrman, Chris Mattaliano, Rhoda Levine, David Pfeiffer, Paula Suozzi, Gary Race, Keturah Stickhan, Karen Coe Miller

Master Classes/Coaches: Placido Domingo, William Hicks, , Lili Chookasian, Eleanor Steber, Benjamin Luxon, Irwin Gage, Nico Castel, Jon Spong, Benno Schollum, John Moriarty, Ted Taylor, Joseph Walsh, Armen Guzelimian, Mikael Eliason, Alan Darling, Mark Lawson, Emily Olin, Brian Suits, Susan Morton, Joan Krueger, Douglas Dickson, Dale Girard,

Teachers: Jackson Sheats,, Melvin Brown, Richard Cross, Doris Yarick-Cross, Sherrill Milnes, Andrew Gainey, Vahan Kanzadian, Dale Girard, David Leong

Opera Companies: , , Virginia Opera, Anchorage Opera, Opera Carolina, Nederlands Reis Oper, Oper Stuttgart, Theatre Augsburg, Gottigen Handel Festpiele, Dutch International Opera centrum, Opera Company of North Carolina, Central City Opera, Hawaii Opera Theatre, Virginia Opera, El Paso Opera, Western Opera Theatre, , Cedar Rapids Opera Theatre, Connecticut Opera, Connecticut Grand Opera, Tampa Bay Opera, Sarasota Opera, Miami Lyric Opera, Harrisburg Opera, Ash Lawn-Highland Summer Festival, Natchez Opera, Pensacola Opera, Huntsville Opera, Birmingham Opera Theatre, SORG Opera, Whitewater Opera, Opera, Treasure Coast Opera, Brevard Music Center, Academy of Vocal Arts, Yale Opera

Orchestras/Oratorio Goups: Choral Society of Durham (NC), St. Louis Philharmonic , Prince William Symphony, Fresno Philhatrmonic, Duke Choral, Richmond Choral Society, Alabama Symphony, Arkansas Symphony, National Chorale, Oratorio Society of Charlottesville-Albemarle, Princeton Pro Musica, Oratorio Society of New Haven, Mystic River Chorale, Michigan State University Orchestra and Choral Groups, Riverside Symphonium, Pensacola Symphony, Transylvania Symphony, Tuscaloosa Symphony, Red Mountain Chamber Orchestra, Shoals Symphony Orchestra, Yale Symphonium, Yale Symphony, Huxford Symphony

Reviews

Cervantes/Don Quixote “As the nobleman-knight, James Taylor (not the pop singer) is a commanding presence. In the dual role of Don Miguel de Cervantes and Quixote, he has to move from madness to lucidity and back again. His voice is strong and clear, and his interpretation of the night’s big song ‘The Impossible Dream” is indeed a highlight.” WCVE Richmond

Siegmund in Die Walkure “James Taylor’s resplendent tenor captures the angst and turmoil of Siegmund” Die Walküre, Ladue (St. Louis) News

“First, the cast was terrific - all of them. James Taylor as Siegmund and Amber Smoke as Sieglinde even looked alike. Their singing was beautiful, and their acting really drew you into them. I felt more compassion for them last night than I had remember ever feeling for them before. I would like to have heard more of him.’ Die Walküre, Blake’s Blog (St. Louis)

Manrico in Il Trovatore “James Taylor’s Manrico was absolutely tremendous, his voice beautiful, commanding, and inspiring” Greenville (SC) News

Don Jose in Carmen “James Taylor’s Don Jose sang with a sweet toned legarto, and despite having to get through the opera without a rehearsal, he brought a surprising amount of fire to his furious Act 3 farewell to Carmen and the opera’s violent finale. In an opera without heros, there was one on stage Saturday night.” Miami Herald “The tenor, James Taylor (Don Jose), has a flexible voice, excellent phrasing, and a very appealing stage presence, especially of note in the Flower Song. In the final confrontation, he elicited musical and dramatic fireworks.” El Nuevo Herald

Enrico in Lucia di Lammermoor "Two other men revealed great voices and strong acting ability in this production. James Taylor's powerful, dramatic baritone was exactly the voice needed to convey the passions and arrogance of Enrico, Lucia's scheming brother, who does not allow any love he might have for his sister to come between him and the achievement of his goal to marry her off to a man she does not love. Taylor managed to gain the audience's immediate dislike in his first scene and intensified it through the opera." Classical Voice of North Carolina "As Lucia's brother, Enrico, baritone James Taylor matches Talise Trevigne's dramatic intensity and vocal lyricism. His is not a huge voice, but he uses it subtly, most effective in Enrico's moving duet with Lucia." Raleigh News & Observer

Marcello in La Boheme “Baritone James Taylor as Marcello is superb. His rich voice has great beauty as well as dramatic power and made him very convincing as Musetta’s long suffering lover, especially in Act III, where he must show compassion for Mimi and Rodolfo while all the time dealing with his fickle mistress. His shift from concerned friend to belligerent lover is key to the effectiveness of this scene, and he made every line believable.” Asheville Citizen-Times “James Taylor, with an equally gorgeous voice, played Marcello with verve. Taylor not only sings magnificently, but projects his character very well.” The El Paso Times “James Taylor, portraying Marcello, has that special aura that wins over the audience. His clear baritone earned well deserved applause.” Juarez, Mexico

Figaro in Il Barbiere di Siviglia “The other impressive voice belonged to James Taylor, who made a rascal of Figaro, and garnered the first big ovation of the evening. He had the moves with a rich, focused baritone.” Providence Journal “The guest artist (Rockwell Blake) was in remarkable form, but he certainly did not dominate the proceedings, for he was beautifully partnered by baritone James Taylor, whose portrayal of Figaro was far more musical than many we’ve seen or heard over the years.” Durham Herald Sun “The Figaro, James Taylor, was also superb. He showed he could handle the coloratura style quite well. His Figaro was endearing as the pragmatic fixer whose plots almost always worked, even if not always as he pleased.” Asheville Citizen-Times

Baritone in Carmina Burana “Along with superb soloist James Taylor, the ensemble captured the exuberance and pungent wit of the medieval Latin, turning the somewhat earthy offering into an exciting theatrical delight. Mr. Taylor’s lusty chanting of tavern songs was a highlight.” Chattanooga Times-Free Press

Sharpless in Madama Butterfly “Resounding singing and acting Kudos to James Taylor, the Sharpless.” Asheville Citizen-Times

Verdi Gala “The best singing of the night came from baritone James Taylor. His bright, clear tone, strong high notes and dramatic readings were simply marvelous. His scenes from Don Carlos were the most satisfying moments of the evening” New Orleans Times-Picayune

Baritone in Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 “The baritone, James Taylor, was the cornerstone of the fourth movement. Of the four soloists, Mr. Taylor was the most up to the part with a lovely sense of style and approach to the music.” Princeton Packet

Escamillo in Carmen “Baritone James Taylor played a dashing Escamillo. He has an elegant lyric baritone with excellent French diction. His Toreador aria was warmly received.” Port St. Lucie News “James Taylor, our Escamillo, gave the best vocal and dramatically integrated performance of the evening. He used his dark baritone to project a dramatically convincing, preening, macho sports hero. Vocally, he managed the high and low extremes well, and brought vitality and life to every scene he was in, even spurring the others to energy.” Asheville Citizen-Times

Figaro in “James Taylor was our Figaro. He made our hero a loveable fellow with a quick wit and good timing. He used his warm baritone very well, and carried off his scenes with aplomb.” Charlottesville Daily Progress

Baritone Soloist in Brahm’s Ein Deutsches Requiem “The baritone, James Taylor, is heard in the third and sixth movements, and what a fine voice he has. With his first phrase, the rich, supplicating quality of it pierces through like the voice of a prophet: ‘Lord, teach me to know the measure of my days on earth…’ In the sixth movement he sounded a visionary, clarion call: ‘Lo, I unfold unto you a mystery…’ And his voice could be heard even above a very complicated chorus, one of the most difficult choral passages, which the singers executed flawlessly” Tuscaloosa News

Lafitte in Amy Beach’s The Cabildo "James Taylor brought a believable charisma to the imprisoned Lafitte, his potent baritone adding a disturbing uneasiness to his ghostly character.” Birmingham News

Claudio in Berlioz’ Beatrice et Benedict “James Taylor sang well.” The New York Times

Dandini in La Cenerentola “Stylish is the best qualifier for James Taylor’s Dandini.”

Danilo in Die Lustige Witwe “James Taylor’s performance was appropriately rakish. The clarity and focus of his singing helped to provide a musical counterpoint to the cat and mouse game of romance.” Tallahassee Democrat

Eisenstein in Die Fledermaus “Of course the most important element of operetta is singing. Every performer gave a consistent, high quality vocal performance, especially James Taylor’s Eisenstein. His delivery and performance was polished, natural and complete. His comic timing was terrific.” Portland (Maine) Press Herald

Student Testimonial

To Whom It May Concern-

It is my great honor to write today in support of Mr. James Taylor- my teacher, mentor, and dear friend. We are blessed every so often with people in our lives who make a truly significant impact on our course, and Mr. Taylor has absolutely been that in my life and the lives of so many others.

I met Mr. Taylor as a student at the University of Virginia in 2007. I was pursuing my degree in music and immediately joined Mr. Taylor's studio upon his arrival. After just one lesson, his passion for singing and bringing life and artistry to the music was readily apparent, and I just had to be a part of it. Over my years at UVa in Mr. Taylor's studio, I grew immensely as a technical singer, as a performer, and really as a person. "Coach" Taylor (as I have now called him for many years due to our shared affinity for sports, as well as to his caring and motivational style of teaching) helped each student find solid technical footing, but also tailored lessons for each student to his or her needs and proficiency. Above all, Coach Taylor helped me find the joy of making music because he brought his own experiences from the stage and the business into the classroom, so that we could delight in what the future might hold- those real moments of artistry. His lessons gave us the tools for the stage and the real-world, not just the practice room. He stepped up to helped UVA found its own opera company for student performers and became a champion of so many efforts to get us real performance experience we could carry forth after UVA. Personally, after eight years in Management Consulting, I called Coach Taylor in the Spring of 2017 to discuss my interest in leaving my job to fully pursue my passion for singing- the passion he helped cultivate. Ten years after meeting Mr. Taylor, I still view him as a mentor and a great inspiration, and I am proud to say that- with his help- I am indeed now pursuing an international career as a singer. Despite all of the business of his own life, Coach Taylor still finds the time to support students like me, and I think that speaks volumes to his character and immense heart. I will always hold my experience in Mr. Taylor's studio as some of the most valuable in my entire education. I consider myself so incredibly lucky to have studied under him and cannot urge more wholeheartedly that you consider his candidacy, that he may continue to profoundly and positively impact the lives of young singers and students.

If I can provide any further information, please do not hesitate to contact me at [email protected] or 404-944-1735.