Ramey, Karita Mattila, David Daniels, Jose Carreras, Lawrence Brownlee, Cecilia Bartoli, Kiri Te Kanawa, Kathleen Battle and Sylvia McNair, just to name a few. Season after season, the world’s musical capitals figure prominently in his schedule.

Mr. Katz is a native of Los Angeles, where he began piano studies at GUEST ARTIST the age of five. He attended the University of Southern California and studied the field of accompanying with its pioneer teacher, SERIES PRESENTS Gwendolyn Koldofsky. While yet a student, he was given the unique opportunity of accompanying the master classes and lessons of such luminaries as Lotte Lehmann, Jascha Heifetz, Pierre Bernac and Gregor Piatigorsky. Following his formal education, he held the position of pianist for the US Army Chorus for three years, before moving to New York where his busy international career began in earnest in 1969.

In more recent years, conducting has played a more significant role in Mr. Katz’s career. He has partnered several of his soloists on the JESSE BLUMBERG podium for orchestras of the B.B.C., Houston, Washington, D.C., Tokyo, New Haven and Miami. His editions of Handel and Rossini operas have been presented by the Metropolitan, Houston Grand baritone Opera and the National Arts Centre in Ottawa. He has conducted staged productions of more than 15 operas for both the Merola Program, the Pacific Music Festival and the University Opera Theatre MARTIN KATZ in Ann Arbor. Finally, the professional profile of Martin Katz is completed with piano his commitment to teaching. Since 1984, Michigan has been his home, where he has been chair for the School of Music’s program in collaborative piano, and has played an active part in operatic productions. He has been a pivotal figure in the training of countless young artists, both singers and pianists, who are working all over the world. The University has recognized this work, making him the first Arthur Schnabel Professor of Music. In addition to his work there, he is a regular guest at Santa Fe Opera, Songfest Institute, San Francisco Opera, the Canadian Operatic Arts Academy, Chicago College of Performing Arts, and the New National Theatre of Tokyo. Mr. Katz is the author of a comprehensive guide to accompanying, “The Complete Collaborator,” published in 2009 by Oxford University Press. Wednesday, February 13, 2013 Robert J. Werner Recital Hall 8:00 p.m.

This performance is made possible through the Philippe Art Song Fund Endowment Baritone Jesse Blumberg is equally at home on opera, concert, and recital stages. Some of his recent engagements include Niobe, Regina di Tebe at Boston Early Music Festival, Bernstein’s Mass at London’s Royal Festival Hall and performances with the New York Festival of PROGRAM Song. He has performed roles at Minnesota Opera, Pittsburgh Opera, Utah Opera and Boston Lyric Opera, and made concert appearances with American Bach Soloists, Los Angeles Master Chorale, Charlotte Winterreise, D. 911 (1827) Franz Schubert Symphony, Apollo’s Fire and the Vail Valley Music Festival. Jesse has Gute Nacht (1797-1828) toured with the Mark Morris Dance Group and the Waverly Consort, and has given recitals for the Marilyn Horne Foundation. A very active Die Wetterfahne performer of new music, he has premiered important works by Lisa Gefror’ne Tränen Bielawa, Tom Cipullo, Conrad Cummings, and Ricky Ian Gordon, and Erstarrung works closely with several other renowned composers as a member Der Lindenbaum of the Mirror Visions Ensemble. Wasserflut Jesse’s 2012-2013 season includes debuts with New York City Opera, Auf dem Flusse Lincoln Center’s American Songbook series, Oratorio Society of NY, Rückblick Pacific MusicWorks, Seattle Baroque Orchestra and Fargo-Moorhead Irrlicht Opera. In addition, he will return to American Bach Soloists, Apollo’s Fire, Mark Morris Dance Group, New York Festival of Song, TENET/ Rast Green Mountain Project and Boston Early Music Festival. Frühlingstraum Einsamkeit Jesse has been recognized in several competitions, and was awarded Third Prize at the 2008 International Robert Schumann Competition Die Post in Zwickau, becoming its first American prizewinner in over thirty Der greise Kopf years. In 2007 he took first prizes in the International Hilde Zadek Die Krähe Singing Competition in Vienna and the National Federation of Music Letzte Hoffnung Clubs Young Artist Competition. Im Dorfe Jesse received a Master of Music degree from the University of Der stürmische Morgen Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, received undergraduate Täuschung degrees in History and Music from the University of Michigan Der Wegweiser and participated in young artist programs at The Santa Fe Opera, Glimmerglass Opera, the Ravinia Festival and Chicago Opera Theater. Das Wirtshaus Jesse is also the founder and artistic director of Five Boroughs Music Mut Festival, which brings chamber music of many genres to every corner Die Nebensonnen of New York City. Der Leiermann Martin Katz “The most musically astute collaborator working today.” Wiener Tagesblatt “The gold standard of accompanying.” New York Times

“Martin Katz must surely be considered the dean of collaborative pianists,” said the Los Angeles Times. One of the world’s busiest CCM has become an All-Steinway School through the kindness of its donors. collaborators, he has been in constant demand by the world’s most A generous gift by Patricia A. Corbett in her estate plan has played a key role celebrated vocal soloists for four decades. He has appeared and in making this a reality. recorded regularly with Marilyn Horne, Frederica von Stade, Samuel

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