Podcasts about Denyce Graves

We're spending time this week listening to some of our favorite interviews of 2024. We begin with opera star Denyce Graves, who came to town in February to appear in a production centering on Mary Cardwell Dawson, who grew up during Jim Crow but founded the first Black opera company in America. Graves talks about her mission to preserve Dawson's legacy and more.

Tune in for part 2 featuring world-renowned mezzo-soprano opera superstar,⁠ Denyce Graves.⁠ Denyce has graced all the major world opera house stages and concert halls during her 30+ year long career. From humble beginnings to winning a Grammy for Best Opera Recording, Denyce's talent is unmatched.  Leslie and Denyce discuss her greatest mentors, inspirations, the three tenors, and her greatest passion - ⁠The Denyce Graves Foundation. ⁠ Founded in 2021, The Denyce Graves Foundation focuses on educating and mentoring the future generation of opera singers while honoring the history of vocal artists that are less known but have had a major impact on the arts in America. Their motto: "Artistic excellence has no racial, physical, or economic limitations." If you enjoy The Interview with Leslie, please subscribe on your favorite platform and leave us a review. Follow us on Instagram ⁠@theinterviewwithleslie⁠.

Tune in for a new episode featuring world-renowned mezzo-soprano opera superstar, Denyce Graves. Denyce has graced all the major world opera house stages and concert halls during her 30+ year long career. From humble beginnings to winning a Grammy for Best Opera Recording, Denyce's talent is unmatched.  Leslie and Denyce discuss her greatest mentors, inspirations, the three tenors, and her greatest passion - The Denyce Graves Foundation.  Founded in 2021, The Denyce Graves Foundation focuses on educating and mentoring the future generation of opera singers while honoring the history of vocal artists that are less known but have had a major impact on the arts in America. Their motto: "Artistic excellence has no racial, physical, or economic limitations." Leslie and Denyce had such an amazing conversation that we are splitting it into two parts! Part two will be released on July 10, 2024 at 7 AM EST  If you enjoy The Interview with Leslie, please subscribe on your favorite platform and leave us a review. Follow us on Instagram @theinterviewwithleslie.

In honor of the fashion shows in Paris this week, we are reaching into The Interview's archives to bring you Leslie's interview with fashion icon, Deeda Blair.    The woman Harper's Bazaar calls, “the very embodiment of style and substance”, Deeda Blair, A Force for Good is a conversation not to be missed.  Listen to Episode 13 of The Interview with Leslie and step into the magical world of Deeda Blair — legendary hostess, fashion maven, and a force for good with her extraordinary philanthropic work in science and medicine. If you enjoy The Interview with Leslie, please subscribe on your favorite platform and leave us a review. Follow us on Instagram @theinterviewwithleslie. -------- NEXT WEEK! Stay tuned for a new episode featuring world-renowned mezzo-soprano opera superstar, Denyce Graves. In this episode, Leslie and Denyce talk about her rise from humble beginnings to the stage of the Met, her career as one of the greatest ever mezzo-soprano opera singers and her life's work of supporting students of color in the classical vocal arts through her teaching and the work of her foundation, the Denyce Graves Foundation. Leslie and Denyce also discuss her exciting new residency collaboration happening right in Leslie's neighborhood.  Tune in to this new episode, next Wednesday, July 3rd.

Acclaimed opera singer Denyce Graves is in Charlotte as part of her mission to tell the story of North Carolina native Mary Cardwell Dawson, and she shares that story on the next Charlotte Talks.

One of the most extraordinary figures in American classical music is someone you may never have heard of. Mary Cardwell Dawson, born in 1894 in Madison, NC, was a musician, teacher, and founding director of the National Negro Opera Company, the longest-running, all-Black opera company which helped launch the careers of many singers. Now her story is being told in a 'play with music', The Passion of Mary Cardwell Dawson , which is being produced by Opera Carolina and stars internationally acclaimed mezzo-soprano Denyce Graves. In this episode, she tells us about Dawson’s determination and accomplishments. Learn more about Opera Carolina's production of The Passion of Mary Cardwell Dawson Pictured: Denyce Graves; by Devon Cass/IMG Artists.

While mezzo Briana Hunter has had many meaningful conversations behind closed doors about important issues in opera today, like power dynamics and the use of Blackface, she has also been frustrated with how these conversations frequently play out online. Often these differences are generational. As part of her residency with the Artist Propulsion Lab, she convenes singers from four different generations to bring these conversations out into the open. She is joined by soprano Martina Arroyo, mezzo Denyce Graves, and soprano Hannah Jones.

Mezzo soprano Denyce Graves made her name in the 90s with the roles of Carmen and Delilah. One of only a handful of black opera singers at the time, she toured the most prestigious concert halls around the world. The Grammy winner has also sung at presidential inaugurations, on Sesame Street, and at Ruth Bader Ginsburg's memorial service. Though Graves continue to perform, she has turned her attention towards giving back – and recently launched the Denyce Graves foundation to both support the next generation of black vocalists – and honor the history of “hidden voices” who have come before.

Today, it's Midday on the Arts. We begin with a conversation about a program designed to help further the educations and careers of young people of color in classical music. It's called Shared Voices, and it connects students studying at HBCUs with the top schools of music and conservatories across the country. It is the brainchild of Denyce Graves, one of the most acclaimed opera singers of her generation. As a performer, teacher and the founder and artistic director of the Denyce Graves Foundation, she has been a fierce advocate for artists of color, and a leader in advancing diversity, equity and inclusion in classical music. Denyce Graves is the Rosa Ponselle Distinguished Faculty Artist in Voice at Johns Hopkins University's Peabody Institute here in Baltimore. She also teaches at the Julliard School in New York City, and at the University of Toronto. She joins us on Zoom… And with Tom in the studio is JoyAnne Amani Richardson. She's an acclaimed pianist, composer and conductor, who serves as the Music Director of the Denyce Graves Foundation.  (Photo credit: Denyce Graves-Montgomery by Devon Cass)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Let's talk CULTURE...and when I say culture--I mean the ARTS! I'm throwing it back to one of my favorite episodes as I wrap up a year-long engagement with one of my favorite clients, Lyric Opera Chicago and round the corner on my last term on the board of Opera America. One of the most acclaimed mezzo sopranos of our time is joining me on The Culture Soup Podcast®, and I'm so proud to call her friend! She debuted at the Metropolitan Opera, She's sung for multiple Presidents. She is on the faculty at Juilliard. She even sang at the home going of Ruth Bader Ginsburg and she is on a mission to tell the story of Black people in opera. Meet the prolific and lovely Denyce Graves-Montgomery! She is the Founder of the Denyce Graves Foundation of which I am an advisory board member, and she is dedicated to telling the stories of Black people in Opera that you've never heard before. Tune in on Thursday to hear our conversation where we talk about the importance of seeing Black people in all aspects of Opera…from the stage to the composers, librettists and directors. We also talk about the importance of telling Black stories and seeing Black artist play characters that aren't historically cast that way. It's on this throwback episode of The Culture Soup Podcast®.

New host Khadija Mbowe is joined by esteemed soprano Karen Slack for a no-holds-barred conversation about excellence, expectations, and self-esteem. In this episode, you'll hear:[00:00] MUSIC: Hannibal, Healing Tones, Karen Slack with The Philadelphia Orchestra [03:25] Fairytale love story[05:19] Music in the household[07:29] Veterinary dreams[8:27] Journey into classical through CAPA (Creative and Performing Arts High School)[13:14] MUSIC: Bizet, Habanera, Denyce Graves [14:11] Undiagnosed learning challenges[15:07] The double-edged sword of winning the Rosa Ponselle scholarship [18:45] Approach to mentorship[25:49] MUSIC: Price, Bewilderment  (with text from Langston Hughes), Michelle Cann and Karen Slack[27:09] See the need, fill the need [29:03] #KikiKonversations[33:14] Who heals the healers; unrealistic expectations placed on black women[36:49] The struggle for self-care MUSIC: Barnes, Taking Names,  Karen SlackLinks from this episode: BANFF Opera in the 21st Century ProgramBellini, "Casta Diva," Maria CallasWagner, "Tristan Und Isolde" - Prelude & Leibestod,  Jessye Norman and Herbert von Karajan Opera Philadelphia Sounds of Learning Rehearsal Program  La Forza Del Destino (Ponselle's debut)  Michelle Cann on the HearTOGETHER podcast#SayTheirNames#KikiKonversationsKhadija MboweKaren Slack

Naima Burrs , M.M., is a violinist and conductor from Richmond, VA. Burrs studied at the University of Northern Iowa where she received a Master of Music degree in violin performance while serving as a Graduate Assistant during her studies. She also holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music from Virginia Commonwealth University.Naima was featured as a guest on NPR's show "With Good Reason", where she discussed her upbringing and career, and performed works celebrating the contributions of African American composers and musicians.  Burrs has performed as a section violinist with many ensembles including the Richmond Symphony Orchestra,  the Roanoke Symphony Orchestra, the Williamsburg Symphony Orchestra, and the Waterloo Cedar Falls Symphony Orchestra as well as serving as principal second violin with Opera on the James and as concertmaster of Summer Garden Opera.Naima was one of twelve violinists chosen internationally to participate in the 2014 Scotia Festival of Music, a chamber and orchestral music festival held in Halifax, Nova Scotia where she performed with the legendary cellist Lynn Harrell. Also in 2014, Burrs served as concertmaster for Steven M. Allen's new opera The Poet, starring mezzo-soprano Denyce Graves, in Washington, DC. In addition, Burrs served as concertmaster of a chamber orchestra for a PBS documentary about the life and work of Paul Lawrence Dunbar, also featuring the compositions of Steven M. Allen. In 2019, Naima participated in the Colour of Music Festival (COMF) in Columbia, South Carolina as part of the festival orchestra and as a member of the festival's all-female virtuosi ensemble.She was one of four conductors chosen to participate in the 2021 Wintergreen Music Festival, as a Summit Conductor, where she worked with master teachers James Ross and Erin Freeman. This July, she will travel to Quebec, Canada to study with Yannick Nézet- Séguin and Thomas Rösner through the conducting academy of Domaine Forget at Charlevoix.Naima was recently appointed Music Director of the Petersburg Symphony Orchestra in Petersburg, Virginia. During the 2021-22 season, she served as conductor of the Hopkins Concert Orchestra and the assistant conductor of the Hopkins Symphony Orchestra at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland.  Beginning in the Fall of 2022, Burrs will also serve as the orchestra director at the University of Richmond.Burrs is a full time instructor at Virginia State University (Petersburg,VA). She has also served on the faculty at Longwood University (Farmville, VA) and Hampden-Sydney College (Hampden-Sydney, VA). Naima is currently pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts Degree (D.M.A.) in instrumental conducting at The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. The Truth In This ArtThe Truth In This Art is a podcast interview series supporting vibrancy and development of Baltimore & beyond's arts and culture. Mentioned in this episode:Naima Burrs  To find more amazing stories from the artist and entrepreneurial scenes in & around Baltimore, check out my episode directory. Stay in TouchNewsletter sign-upSupport my podcastShareable link to episode ★ Support this podcast ★

Opera singer Denyce Graves talks with Naomi Lewin about what it's like to be an international opera star.

G'day, Scorekeepers! Welcome back to THE SCORE and if you like light Lin-Manuel Miranda shade, have we got an episode for you! This week, we are joined by multi-hyphenate mezzo-soprano Mia Athey, who is currently singing Mercédès in MN Opera's new production of Bizet's Carmen through May 22. She talks to us about working with the legendary Denyce Graves as well as how colorism and her biracial identity have impacted her career and the kind of stories she'd like to tell (0:42:11). But before that, get to know Lee, Paige and Rocky a bit better as they play a round of Icebreakers (0:05:31). What are their most unpopular opinions? All will be revealed (but spoiler alert: we apologize in advance to the Hamilton stans). And, finally, as always, start your week off with some Pure Black Joy, a segment highlighting the Black people, places and things that are making us happy this week (1:26:28). Let's do it to it, y'all! Hosts: Lee Bynum, Rocky Jones, Paige Reynolds Guest: Mia Athey Links Mia Athey (https://www.miaathey.com/ (Website)) (https://www.facebook.com/MiaTheMezzo (FB)) (https://www.instagram.com/therealmiaathey/ (Insta)) MN Opera's Carmen (https://mnopera.org/season/2021-2022/carmen/ (Buy Tickets)) Patti Labelle - Where My Background Singers (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z84QdJlPpHE (YouTube)) School Daze (https://www.amazon.com/School-Daze-Laurence-Fishburne/dp/B000P9ULIC/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3E9GUM3KSHVBF&keywords=school+daze&qid=1652481284&sprefix=school+daze%2Caps%2C128&sr=8-1 (Amazon))

What more is there to say, Scroekeepers? Today on THE SCORE we are joined by the incomparable Denyce Graves: world-renowned opera singer, recording artist, philanthropist and, now, stage director. Be sure to catch her directorial debut when the curtain goes up on MN Opera's new production of Bizet's Carmen from May 7-22! Hosts: Lee Bynum, Rocky Jones, Paige Reynolds Guest: Denyce Graves Music: Das Rheingold: "Erda's Warning" (MN Opera) Links MN Opera's Carmen (https://mnopera.org/season/2021-2022/carmen/ (Buy Tickets)) Come work on our team!!! (https://mnopera.org/about/jobs/ (Website)) New episodes of THE SCORE drop every other Monday. If you like what you hear, please support us and SUBSCRIBE to the show on your favorite podcast app and be sure to SHARE our show with your friends. Also, leaving a 5-star REVIEW on Apple Podcasts is a great way to help get the word out. For more info about the exciting EDI work happening at MN Opera, please visit https://mnopera.org/edi/ (mnopera.org/edi). Email your questions or comments to thescore@mnopera.org

You may not think you know the opera “Carmen,” but you probably do. It's full of catchy tunes that are easy to hum. In the same way, you may not think you know Denyce Graves, but you probably have heard her powerful voice. Graves is regarded as one of the greatest “Carmen” singers of all time and one of the great mezzo-sopranos of the 21st century.  She's performed around the world with The Three Tenors. In 2020, she sang in the rotunda of the U.S. Capitol where the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg lay in state. The first time Graves sang the role that made her famous was in the Minnesota Opera's 1991 production of “Carmen.” The 19th century French opera by composer Georges Bizet tells the story of a soldier's possessive infatuation for a Romani factory girl that leads to his downfall. This spring, Graves has returned to the Twin Cities, not to sing, but to direct the company's production of “Carmen,” which opens in May.  At 9 a.m. Wednesday, MPR News host Angela Davis spoke with Graves about opera, growing up in Washington, D.C. and what it's been like to be a Black woman singing her way to the top of a traditionally white, European musical art form. Guests:  Denyce Graves is recognized as one of the great mezzo-soprano opera singers of our time. She's performed at Metropolitan Opera, Vienna Staatsoper, Royal Opera House – Covent Garden, San Francisco Opera and on many other stages around the world. She is directing Minnesota Opera's “Carmen,” which opens in May. Ryan Taylor is president and general director of the Minnesota Opera. Subscribe to the MPR News with Angela Davis podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or RSS. Hear their conversation using the audio player above and read the highlights below. “The one thing that we reached for, that everybody reached for during COVID, were the arts,” Graves said. “And we could see how vital and essential the arts were… We're watching movies, we're watching plays, we would listen to opera. Listening to music, reading books – that was the anchor that everybody held onto. And that's what opera has the power to do: to unite people.” Graves grew up in Washington, D.C. and, with her mother's guidance, she sang at church. Opera came later. “In the neighborhood that I grew up in, nobody was listening to opera,” Graves said.  A music teacher encouraged Graves throughout her early years – first as she expressed a love for music in kindergarten, then through junior high school chorus and finally as a student at a performing arts high school, where she discovered opera. And she has distinct ties to Minnesota. “The relationship that I've had with Minnesota Opera has just been one that has defined my whole career,” she said. She landed her first role, as Carmen, with Minnesota Opera. She said that role took her everywhere. “And I mean everywhere – there wasn't an opera house that I didn't sing in all over the world, with everybody. And now here I am, 30-something years later, directing…” Once again, Graves will debut with Minnesota Opera, now as a director. “This first experience has changed the whole trajectory of how I see myself and where I'm going to go and what lies ahead. And so I'm just really, really grateful,” she said. Besides directing “Carmen” for the Minnesota Opera, Graves keeps busy with her foundation, which invests in education to share the stories of African American musical figures. Graves said that work is inspired by opera singer Mary Cardwell Dawson, who, unable to find work in an environment permeated by racism after graduating from a conservatory in 1925, established her own music school and opera company.

It's another beautiful fake spring Monday here in Minneapolis, so you know what that means! It's time for another episode of your fave podcast, THE SCORE! This week, we've learned that when it comes to equity, diversity, inclusion and access work, you've got to celebrate the victories when they come along. So up top, don't mind us as we toot our own horns and those of our colleagues at MN Opera for something we think is pretty darn cool (0:04:36). Then join us for an in-depth conversation with soprano Symone Harcum, who is singing the role of Micaëla in our upcoming production of Carmen (0:26:04). She tells us all about her HBCU experience, what it's like working on Carmen with her mentor Denyce Graves, and her complicated feelings about Ms. Micaëla. Then, we watched another Carmen-adjacent movie! This time the four us revisited the 1954 classic, Carmen Jones, starring Dorothy Dandridge and Harry Belafonte (0:52:36). And we had some complicated feelings about that too. Finally, we'd never leave you without a Pure Black Joy (1:12:49). This time, we celebrate friend of the pod, Ari Fulton, Jelly's Last Jam at Theater Latté Da and... whatever Rocky's going on about. You'll see. Let's do it to it, y'all! Hosts: Lee Bynum, Rocky Jones, Paige Reynolds Guest: Symone Harcum Music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LwrJCqF29xE ("De tendre amour" (Symone Harcum) from MN Opera's The Anonymous Lover) Links Symone Harcum (https://www.symoneharcumsoprano.com/ (Website)) (https://www.instagram.com/symoneharcumsoprano/ (Instagram)) MN Opera's Carmen (https://mnopera.org/season/2021-2022/carmen/ (Website)) "2022 Lucille Lortel Awards: See the Complete List of Nominees" (https://playbill.com/article/2022-lucille-lortel-awards-see-the-complete-list-of-nominees (Playbill)) Jelly's Last Jam at Theater Latté Da (https://www.latteda.org/jellys-last-jam (Website)) New episodes of THE SCORE drop every other Monday. If you like what you hear, please support us and SUBSCRIBE to the show on your favorite podcast app and be sure to SHARE our show with your friends. Also, leaving a 5-star REVIEW on Apple Podcasts is a great way to help get the word out. For more info about the exciting EDI work happening at MN Opera, please visit https://mnopera.org/edi/ (mnopera.org/edi). Email your questions or comments to thescore@mnopera.org

Guten morgen, dear Scorekeepers! It's another beautiful Monday in Post-Slap America! Y'all... we tried. I swear we tried. We tried so, so hard not to dip our toes into The Slap Discourse, but after a chat about the grace of soon-to-be-Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, we just couldn't resist (0:02:40). But the good lord invented timestamps for a reason, so for those of you who just can't, we have the most delightful, insightful and hilarious guest on the show today! Zoie Reams is an incredible young, Black mezzo soprano, Minnesota Opera's first Company Member, and is about to take the stage this May in the title role of our brand new production of Bizet's Carmen, directed by the legendary Denyce Graves (0:40:27). Plus, in honor of Carmen, we thought it would be fun for the four of us to take a look back at 2001's Carmen: A Hip Hopera, a modern-day adaptation, starring our queen... Beyoncé, of course (1:07:53)! And as if that wasn't enough Pure Black Joy, as always, we'll start your week with a little snack for your soul (1:30:46). Let's do it to it, y'all! Hosts: Lee Bynum, Rocky Jones, Paige Reynolds Guest: Zoie Reams Music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ufezE1bq_4U (Minnesota Opera's Albert Herring - "Meet Me at Quarter Past Eight in the Street") Links MNOp's Carmen (https://mnopera.org/season/2021-2022/carmen/ (Website)) Zoie Reams (https://imgartists.com/roster/zoie-reams/ (Website)) (https://www.instagram.com/zoieimani/ (Instagram)) (https://www.facebook.com/mzozoie/ (FB)) New episodes of THE SCORE drop every other Monday. If you like what you hear, please support us and SUBSCRIBE to the show on your favorite podcast app and be sure to SHARE our show with your friends. Also, leaving a 5-star REVIEW on Apple Podcasts is a great way to help get the word out. For more info about the exciting EDI work happening at MN Opera, please visit https://mnopera.org/edi/ (mnopera.org/edi). Email your questions or comments to thescore@mnopera.org

#OTD Mezzo-soprano singer Denyce Graves was born in Washington, DC.

Join us as we head to Washington, D.C. to talk with operatic royalty, mezzo-soprano Denyce Graves, about how her whole career and life has led her to the doorstep and purpose of her Foundation. Walking in the footsteps of Mary Caldwell Dawson, the Denyce Graves Foundation will bring lasting change to not only Pittsburgh, but to communities all across the United States as well as the World. www.thedenycegravesfoundation.org www.screamingdivas.com  

We open this segment with a recording of internationally acclaimed opera star Denyce Graves, singing "American Anthem" in the Rotunda of the US Capitol at the memorial service for Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg in September of last year. Justice Ginsberg was a big fan of opera, and a big fan of Denyce Graves, and in that regard the Justice is most certainly not alone. Denyce Graves has sung in the major opera houses and with the major symphony orchestras of the world. And as she continues to perform and teach, she has recently undertaken a project to restore the original home of the National Negro Opera Company, located in Pittsburgh, and to rescue from historical neglect the many influential African Americans who distinguished themselves in the world of opera. This week, she is at the Glimmerglass Festival, a longtime summer destination for opera lovers in upstate New York, appearing in a play with music about the founder of the National Negro Opera Company, Mary Cardwell-Dawson. Denyce Graves joins us on Zoom from Cooperstown, NY… See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One of the most acclaimed mezzo sopranos of our time is joining me on The Culture Soup Podcast®, and I'm so proud to call her friend!She debuted at the Metropolitan Opera, She's sung for multiple Presidents. She is on the faculty at Juilliard. She even sang at the home going of Ruth Bader Ginsburg and she is on a mission to tell the story of Black people in opera.Meet the prolific and lovely Denyce Graves-Montgomery! She is the Founder of the Denyce Graves Foundation, and she is dedicated to telling the stories of Black people in Opera that you've never heard before.Tune in on Thursday to hear our conversation where we talk about the importance of seeing Black people in all aspects of Opera…from the stage to the composers, librettists and directors. We also talk about the importance of telling Black stories and seeing Black artist play characters that aren't historically cast that way.We also get into the issue of how the Black community can deem artists in this art form or the genre itself “not Black enough.”What is Black?What's Black about the Opera?We have answers, and you may be surprised.It's on the next episode of The Culture Soup Podcast®.We're everywhere the best podcasts stream!

Renown opera singer, Ms. Denyce Graves, frequents the world's greatest opera halls and concert halls. After sharing her favorite vocal warm ups, she schools Reid on a few opera phrases and tells the story of how her passion was born. She is a household name in our house (because she sang the letter "O" on Between the Lions.) www.denycegraves.com "Talk Time with Reid Moriarty" is a series of 7-minute interviews with people Reid finds interesting, and you might too! Unlikely. Unscripted. Unaffected. www.reidmoriarty.com

WTOP Entertainment Editor Jason Fraley chats with opera star Denyce Graves, who will perform at the National Memorial Day Concert on Sunday.

Known for her spice-filled performances in Georges Bizet's, Carmen, Denyce Graves has brought her passion for music and food to a new stage--her kitchen! The 2020 global pandemic inspired the commencement of "Cooking with Denyce." As opera houses and concert venues around the world were closed to most musicians, Graves would bring her industry friends together-virtually to cook a variety of recipes with a twist of opera. April 1-4, 2021, Graves will bring "Cooking with Denyce" to the home of Marc & Diana Reid Chazaud of Pittsburgh for her first off-site taping and introduce The Denyce Graves Foundation and its first philanthropic project with the National Opera House.   WQED-FM's Anna Singer had a chance to talk with Denyce about her "Cooking with Denyce" project, as well as the Denyce Graves Foundation.   

BLACK OPERA LIVE is a weekly live interview program featuring candid conversations and in-depth discussion with Black opera stars of today, legends of the stage, emerging artists, composers, conductors and many more! This week on BLACK OPERA LIVE a dynamic artist who needs no introduction. THE Denyce Graves. We welcome this incredible artist to our show on Monday. You better not miss this one! --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/blackopera/support

Our final guest of the Black History Month series is one you won’t want to miss! Known for her astounding voice, masterful performances, and passion for opera, Denyce Graves is an absolute opera star. Not only that, but she’s using her new foundation (The Denyce Graves Foundation) to advocate for the revival of The National Opera House which was originally The National Negro Opera House. This commitment to the arts and passion for diversity is what makes us proud to have her on the show!

In Part Twelve of The Visceral Voice's new limited series, Christine and Kimberly listen to "The Voice Of: The Music Director & Orchestrator."John Bell (Music Director) On Broadway, John has conducted My Fair Lady, Fiddler on the Roof, On the Town, and An American in Paris. He is also the music director of the First National Tour of Lincoln Center Theater's My Fair Lady.  John has been the music director/supervisor at Irish Rep for their innovative digital streaming production of Meet Me in St Louis, as well as On A Clear Day You Can See Forever, Finian's Rainbow, Donnybrook, and their gala concerts since 2014. For City Center Encores: Brigadoon, Me and My Girl, The New Yorkers, Cabin in the Sky, Do I Hear A Waltz, Lady Be Good, and more (Associate Music Director). Other New York credits: Sondheim's Marry Me A Little(New Cast Recording) and Adam Gwon's Ordinary Days(Keen Company); Radio City Christmas Spectacular; Candideat Carnegie Hall.  He holds a BFA in Musical Theatre from Ithaca College, a Masters in Music from CUNY, and has studied at the Manhattan School of Music.Josh Clayton (Orchestrator) Josh's orchestrations have been heard across the country in the National Tour of Lincoln Center's Tony-winning revival of My Fair Lady. Other recent orchestration credits include; The King and I (National Tour), Titanic (Signature Theatre and South Korean productions) and A Funny Thing…Forum (Two River Theatre). He has provided arrangements for many shows at the Irish Repertory Theatre in NYC including productions of Meet Me In St. Louis, On A Clear Day, Finian's Rainbow, Donnybrook! Recently,  On Broadway, Josh provided additional orchestrations for Gypsy (with Patti LuPone), On The Town (Revival), and was the assistant conductor of the 2009 revival of Finian's Rainbow. He has provided orchestrations for such stars as Patti LuPone, Kristin Chenoweth, Nathan Lane, Cheyenne Jackson, and Denyce Graves. He is currently the assistant musical director of the New York City Center Encores! series.Be sure to check out my Self-Care Membership, courses, and events at www.thevisceralvoice.com! And follow us on Instagram!Are you willing and able to becoming a Supporter of The Visceral Voice Podcast to help keep this podcast running? Please click here.

This week Phil and Adam talk to a returning guest. Azia Wiggins helps answer a voice message. She also shares about her journalism project. She tells them about the most authentic people in her life. They all talk about Code-Switching vs Inauthenticity. Adam's Artist Suggestions for Appreciating the Spiritual (many more could be added): American Spiritual Ensemble, Kathleen Battle, Leontyne Price, William Warfield, Simon EsteGrace, Bumbry, Paul Robeson, Shirley Verrett, Jessye Norman, Lawrence Brownlee, Pretty Yende, Marian Anderson, Denyce Graves, Willard White, Seth McCoy Phil's Artist Suggestions for Appreciating Black Gospel (many more could be added): Fred Hammond, Hezekiah Walker, Donald Lawrence, John P. Kee, Kirk Franklin, Clark Sisters, Rance Allen, Canton Spirituals, Jonathan McReynolds, Kim Burrell, Mississippi Mass Choir, the Winans, BeBe and CeCe Winans, Marvin Winans, any Mass Choir Azia's Article: Sick And Tired: No Time To Rest For The Resilient Black Woman In Mississippi Develop Authenticity: 20 Ways to Be a More Authentic Person --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/pawpod/message

Director Jennifer Williams interviews composer Ricky Ian Gordon. A leading writer of vocal music that spans art song, opera and musical theater, the GRAMMY-nominated and OBIE Award-winning composer’s work has been performed and recorded by such internationally renowned singers as Renée Fleming, Dawn Upshaw, Nathan Gunn, Stephanie Blythe, Denyce Graves, Judy Collins, Kelli O’Hara, Audra MacDonald, Kristin Chenoweth, and the late Lorraine Hunt Lieberson, among many others. We discuss the role art plays in healing a community, composing authentic voices, and the relationship between musical theater and opera. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

Operatic soprano Renée Fleming has been called ‘the people’s diva,’ performing at key moments in our nation’s story, like when she sang at ground zero after 9/11. For this special episode, she talks with Kim about how music can help us mourn, heal, and celebrate as we send off a particularly tough 2020 and nestle into the holidays. She also describes a few portraits that hold special meaning for her, because portraits are what we’re all about! See the portraits we discuss: Renée Fleming by Annie Leibovitz is here. Denyce Graves and Marc Mostovoy by Nelson Shanks is here. Leontyne Price by Bradley Phillips is here. Special thanks to Dr. Lonnie Bunch, Secretary of the Smithsonian, and the Smithsonian National Board for making this podcast possible.

1. Mason Bates - The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs: Scene 7, That Can Also Be a Ticking Clockhttps://spoti.fi/3nEI1OG2. Pamela Z - Badagadahttps://youtu.be/9_d6UFZZ8ck?t=2433. Errollyn Wallen - Gun Gun Gunhttps://spoti.fi/3kHe4Mb4. Judah Adashi - Risehttps://youtu.be/s2NCPiX3A1MYou can listen to these before or after the episode, or you can pause our podcast and go listen to each piece as we introduce them. Panelists:Bass Robert Ellsworth Feng is acclaimed for having a “commanding darkness and thickness to his tone,” and is a born collaborator who performs with artists of all mediums. Robert is the recipient of the George Woodhead Prize in Voice and the Peabody Career Development Award and placed second in the NY Classical Music Society International Voice Competition. Performance highlights include Don Giovanni (Il Commendatore) with Kor Productions, The Mikado (Ko-Ko) with Hawaii Opera Theatre, Tobias Picker’s Emmeline (Pastor Avery) with Manhattan School of Music, and more. Robert has premiered new works including Tony Small’s Qadar and Nick Peros’ Lamentation of Ruin. During quarantine, Robert performed in Social Distance Opera's production of Street Scene as Henry Davis, with Seagle Music Colony, and was a featured artist for Tony Small's Virtual Masterclass series for the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Washington. Robert received his Bachelors at Peabody, his Masters at Manhattan School of Music, and is an alumni of Seagle Music Colony. Robert is also a proud member of the Hawaii Opera Theatre Mae Z. Orvis Opera Studio.Taylor-Alexis DuPont is a young and engaging Mezzo-Soprano from Orlando, Florida. Since graduating with her Masters in Voice from the Peabody Conservatory while studying with Denyce Graves, Taylor-Alexis has performed with the Metropolitan Opera, the Ising International Young Artist Festival in Beijing and Suzhou, China, the Glimmerglass Festival, Prototype Festival, Sarasota Opera, St. Petersburg Opera, Opera Orlando, First Coast Opera, Christman Opera and City Lyric Opera. Performance highlights include Cendrillion (Prince Charmant), Così fan tutte (Dorabella), Ruslan and Ludmilla (Prince Ratmir), The Snow Maiden (Lel) and Pinocchio (Pinocchio). Earlier this year Taylor-Alexis performed as an ensemble member and soloist cover in the Metropolitan Opera’s wildly successful production of Porgy and Bess and made her debut with Heartbeat Opera in a new work titled Lady M. Taylor-Alexis is currently working with the Florentine Opera as a Baumgartner studio artist for the 2020-2021 season.Praised for her “vocal control and exquisite refinement,” soprano Teresa Ferrara is dedicated to music’s power to transcend social divides and inspire people of all ages and backgrounds. She has performed as a solo vocalist at the Kennedy Center and her chorus work has allowed her to perform often with the National Symphony Orchestra. She has earned many awards for her singing, including the George Woodhead Prize in Voice from the Peabody Conservatory, the Award for Excellence in the Arts from the National Society of Arts and Letters, and The Washington Post Music and Dance Scholarship Award. Ms. Ferrara has performed repeatedly with Maryland Lyric Opera, Baltimore Musicales, and the IN Series. Notable opera credits include Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro (Countess Almaviva) and Così fan tutte (Despina), as well as Donizetti’s L’Elisir d’Amore (Giannetta), Massenet's Chérubin (L'Ensoleillad), and Viva V.E.R.D.I. - The Promised End, (Soprano). A graduate of the Master of Music program at Peabody, she plans to continue to pursue musical endeavors that stretch the norms of classical music and seek to educate and serve the community.

Denyce Graves was a favorite opera singer of the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg who sang at her memorial on Friday September 25, 2020 who was the first woman as well the first person of Jewish heritage to lay in state at the Capital. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

Imagine losing your father at 14, losing your brother a decade later, and looking down the barrel of the same heritable heart condition that killed them both. Imagine learning in your first year of surgical residency that your continued existence will depend a new implantable device, called an ICD. A device so new, you will likely be the first surgeon in the world to have one implanted. A device that will allow your life to continue, but most likely put an end to your surgical career. That’s exactly what happened to today’s guest, one of the nation’s renowned transplant surgeons, Dr. Robert Montgomery. Robert has performed over 1000 kidney transplants and his research has advanced the field in areas such as desensitization, multiple organ transplants, gene and cell-based therapies, and perhaps most famously, domino paired donations. And if that’s not enough, he is also credited in the Guinness Book of World Records for most kidney transplants performed in one day. One more thing…Robert is also heart transplant recipient. A heart transplant performed by the very surgical team he hired, and currently leads as the director of the Langone Transplant Institute at NYU. Wondering about the Ave Maria intro music? Well, that’s Robert’s wife, world famous mezzo-soprano, Denyce Graves. Get ready for a wild journey of an episode. With said, let’s get started.

With an operatic career rising to stratospheric heights, star mezzo-soprano J'Nai Bridges takes a moment out of her run as Delilah in Washington National Opera's current production of Camille Saint-Saëns grand opera "Samson and Delilah."  Marking her debut with the company, Bridges drops in on THE OPERA DIVA SERIES to chat about her career, future appearances, her love for basketball and much more.  Past guests of the series include Christine Brewer, Leona Mitchell, Nicole Cabell, Denyce Graves, Othalie Graham, Lisette Oropesa, Elizabeth Futral, Angela M. Brown and Carmen Balthrop among others.

Opera singer Denyce Graves talks with Naomi Lewin about what it's like to be an international opera star.

Today we celebrate opera singer Denyce Graves

Today we celebrate opera singer Denyce Graves

Robert Montgomery, MD, is director of the Transplant Institute at NYU Langone. At Johns Hopkins, he & team developed technique to procure live kidney donations and the "Domino" chain of transplants. He is married to opera diva Denyce Graves.

Have you ever wondered why others seem to have meaningful lives or powerful moments, while you don’t feel that is true for you?   Today I am speaking with a dear friend, an international opera star named Denyce Graves-Montgomery who reveals that it is not the moments of glamour that have meant the most in her life… but rather the moments that have opened her to meaningful discoveries.   You may be surprised to find out how a homeless man touched her life as much as any of the past presidents or famous celebrities she has had the chance to know.    You will even discover that a moment of complete blunder ended up creating a connection that has lasted for decades. Find out how meaningful moments are happening to us all the time… IF we know how to recognize the opportunities.   Read the full show notes at ronbaker.net/podcast

ON THE PROGRAM Bach/Hess: Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring Mozart: Sonata in c-minor, K. 457 Molto Allegro Rachmaninoff: Prelude in g-sharp minor, Op. 32, No. 12 Prelude in b-minor, Op. 32, no.10 Prelude in G Major, Op. 32, No. 5 Prelude in A Major, Op. 32, No. 9 Chopin: Barcarolle, Op. 60 Beach: Soirée de Vienne (Concert Paraphrase on motives from Die Fledermaus) FROM THE PIANOFORTE WEBSITE Hailed for his prodigious technique, and praised by the Washington Post for an “unusually fresh and arresting approach to the piano,” pianist Michael Adcock has cultivated a versatile career as soloist, chamber musician and pre-concert lecturer. Michael Adcock earned the Master’s, Artist Diploma and Doctoral degrees from the Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore, where he studied with Leon Fleisher and Ellen Mack, in addition to being an adjunct member of the theory and chamber music faculties. Mr. Adcock took his Bachelor’s degree from the Oberlin College-Conservatory where he graduated Pi Kappa Lambda. At Oberlin, he was twice awarded the Kaufmann Prize in chamber music and received the Hurlbutt Award as most outstanding graduating senior in the conservatory. Mr. Adcock attended secondary school at the North Carolina School of the Arts, where he received the Irwin Freundlich Memorial Piano Award. Recipient of the 1998 Lili Boulanger Memorial Award, Mr. Adcock was also a prizewinner in the 1996 Washington International Competition, as well as the Kosciusko Foundation Chopin Competitions in Chicago and New York. Mr. Adcock gave his Carnegie Weill Recital Hall debut in 1998. In January 2016, Mr. Adcock was a featured artist on Washington, DC’s WETA-FM “Front Row Washington” and has also been featured on radio broadcasts in New York City (WQXR) and Tampa, FL (WUSF). Recently, Mr. Adcock is a featured soloist in “Samuel Barber: Absolute Beauty”, the first-ever documentary on the composer (2016; H. Paul Moon, director). Michael Adcock’s new solo CD, “Keyboard Transcriptions,” will be available on the Centaur label in early May 2017, and includes Prokofiev’s transcription of his Romeo and Juliet ballet, as well as the Gershwin-Wild Seven Virtuoso Etudes. Mr. Adcock has collaborated with many notable musicians, among them Denyce Graves, Ani Kavafian, Gervase dePeyer, James Buswell, Timothy Eddy, Carol Wincenc and the St. Petersburg String Quartet. A former Artist-in-Residence at the Aspen Institute (MD), Mr. Adcock has been affiliated with many chamber series and summer festivals and was for 17 years a faculty member of the Musicorda Festival. Mr. Adcock is currently associate piano faculty at the Sarasota Music Festival, a faculty member of the Washington Conservatory of Music in Bethesda, MD, and artistic director of the UU Chalice Concert Series in Columbia, MD. A native of Virginia, Mr. Adcock makes his home in Silver Spring, MD. Michael Adcock’s website is: www.michaeladcockpiano.com

Today we celebrate opera singer Denyce Graves

Today we celebrate opera singer Denyce Graves

Each day during February, we posted a “Classical Music Moment in Black History” on our Facebook page to show the contributions of black artists to classical music throughout history. We’ve collected our twenty-eight February entries in this article. By the way, these entries were originally part of an episode of the Classical Classroom podcast (audio included below).  Composer Chevalier de Saint-Georges.  In the mid-to-late 1700’s, Chevalier de Saint-Georgeswas an Afro-French composer who was also France’s best fencer. After Napoleon re-instituted slavery in France, de Saint-Georges’ works were rarely played, though lots of his work has been recorded since the 1970’s. In 1803, virtuoso violinist George Bridgetower, who had studied under the leader of the Royal Opera, played with Beethoven. Beethoven then dedicated his Violin Sonata No. 9 in A Major to Bridgetower, and they premiered the piece together. Later, the two had a falling out – something to do with a lady – and Beethoven changed the piece’s name. It’s now called the Kreutzer Sonata. Poet Rita Dove wrote a book about Bridgetower and Beethoven’s relationship. Soprano Elizabeth Taylor Greenfield, “The Black Swan”.  In 1853, soprano Elizabeth Taylor Greenfield – people knew her as the “Black Swan” – made her New York debut at the Metropolitan Hall. While she could sing, her skin color would have denied her entrance to the concert. But that didn’t slow Greenfield down: In 1854, this classy lady sang a command performance before Queen Victoria. Composer Scott Joplin.  In 1868, innovative composer and pianist Scott Joplin was born in Texas. Joplin wrote 2 operas, one ragtime ballet, and 44 original ragtime pieces before he died. Composer Harry Thacker Burleigh.  From 1892-95, Antonin Dvorak – not black as you might know, but stick with me – was director of the National Conservatory of Music in New York City. The woman who founded the school, Jeanette Thurber, opened the school to men, women, blacks, and whites – pretty unusual for that time. Dvorak felt that a true American style of music should grow out of African- and Native-American music. Harry Burleigh, one of the earliest African-American composers and one of Dvorak’s pupils, introduced Dvorak to American spirituals. In 1898, Afro-British composer Samuel Coleridge-Taylor wrote the musical Hiawatha’s Wedding Feast. It was wildly successful during his lifetime. Coleridge-Taylor also visited the States and inspired American blacks to become composers. Tenor Roland Hayes.  In 1921 tenor Roland Hayes gave a performance before King George V of England. In 1923, Hayes debuted at Carnegie Hall. He was the first African American man to become famous worldwide as a concert performer, and he became one of the world’s greatest Lieder interpreters. In 1926, Undine Smith Moore graduated cum laude from the Juilliard School. She was the first graduate of Fisk University, a historically black school, to receive a scholarship to Juilliard. According to the Richmond Times-Dispatch, Moore became “…one of this country’s most prominent composers and arrangers of choral works, many based on or inspired by Negro spirituals and folk songs.” Composer William Grant Still.  1931 was the year William Grant Stillbecame the first Black American composer to have a symphonic work performed by a major American orchestra. The Rochester Philharmonic performed his Afro-American Symphony. Stills had another big “first” in 1949 when his opera Troubled Island – based on a libretto by Langston Hughes – was performed by the New York City Opera, becoming the first opera by a black person to be performed by a major company. William Grant Still was also the first black man to conduct a major orchestra (LA Phil) and he won 2 Guggenheim fellowships. In 1933, Caterina Jarboro became the first black woman to appear in a leading role with a major American opera when she again played the title role in Aida with the Chicago Opera.  Composer Florence Price. Also in 1933, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra performed Florence Price’s Symphony in E Minor. She was the first female African-American composer to have a symphonic composition performed by a major American symphony orchestra. Baritone Todd Duncan and Anne Brown. Culver Pictures/file 1935. In 1935, George Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess opened on Broadway, with baritone Todd Duncan as Porgy, and sopranos Anne Brown as Bess and Ruby Elzy as Serena. In 1945, Todd Duncan became the first African American to sing with a major American opera company, when he played the role of Tonio Leoncavallo’s I Pagliacci with the New York City Opera. Contralto Marian Anderson In 1939, both the Daughters of the American Revolution and the District of Columbia’s Board of Education refused to allow contralto Marian Anderson to use Constitution Hall and Central High School auditorium for a recital respectively. So, she gave her concert on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial instead, drawing a crowd of 75,000 – not to mention the millions who listened on the radio. (To read more about the performance, go here.) Lyric Soprano Camilla Williams (l) with Margery Mayer. Courtesy of Fred Fehl/New York City Opera. Also in 1945, lyric soprano Camilla Williams signed a contract with the New York City Opera in 1946, becoming the first African American to do so with a major American opera company. She debuted with the role of the heroine in Madama Butterfly. And in 1947, soprano Helen Phillips was the first African American to sing on the stage of the Metropolitan Opera. In 1951 William Warfield and Muriel Rahn were the first black concert artists on TV – they appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show. Soprano and educator Dorothy Maynor. In 1953, soprano and educator Dorothy Maynor was the first black person to sing at a US presidential inauguration when she performed the national anthem for Dwight Eisenhower. Composer Margaret Bonds. Wikimedia Commons. Margaret Bonds, who frequently collaborated with Langston Hughes, was one of the first black composers and performers in the US to gain recognition. In 1965, when the Freedom March on Montgomery, Alabama took place, she wrote Montgomery Variations for orchestra, dedicating it to Martin Luther King, Jr.. For more information about Ms. Bonds, check out this piece from WBUR 90.9 FM. Conductor Henry Lewis. In 1968 Henry Lewis became the first black conductor and music director of a major American orchestra when he was appointed to the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra. He was also the first African-American to conduct at the Metropolitan Opera. 1972 saw Scott Joplin’s opera Treemonisha finally premiere – 55 years after his death – at the Atlanta Memorial Arts Center. In 1976, Joplin posthumously received a special Pulitzer Prize for his contributions to American music. Trumpeter Wynton Marsalis. Photo by Luigi Beverelli. Courtesy Mr. Marsalis’ website. In 1983 and 1984, trumpeter Wynton Marsalis became the only artist ever to win Grammy Awards for both jazz and classical records. He won the Pulitzer Prize for Music in 1997 for Blood on the Fields, a three-hour oratorio for 3 singers and a 14-member ensemble. The oratorio follows the story of an African couple sold into slavery in the US. In 1987, conductor Paul Freeman became Founding Musical Director of the Chicago Sinfonietta. This orchestra’s mission is “Musical Excellence Through Diversity”. Dr. Freeman served for 24 years. Violinist Aaron Dworkin. Courtesy of the MacArthur Foundation website. Violinist Aaron Dworkin founded the non-profit Sphinx Organization in 1996 to cultivate the development of young black and Latino musicians in the classical music profession. The Sphinx Competition, spotlights young black and Latino string players on a national platform. Composer George Walker received the Pulitzer Prize in 1996 for Lilacs for Voice and Orchestra, a work commissioned by the Boston Symphony Orchestra as part of its tribute to tenor Roland Hayes. This was the first time a living African American won the prize for music. Mezzo-Soprano Denyce Graves. Courtesy of the artist’s website. In 2001 mezzo-soprano Denyce Graves sang “America the Beautiful” and “The Lord’s Prayer” at the National Day of Prayer and Remembrance Service at the Washington National Cathedral following the September 11 attacks. James DePriest conducting the Oregon Sympony. Courtesy of the Sympony’s website. In 2005, James DePriest, one of classical music’s most accomplished conductors who at the time of his death in 2013 was Laureate Music Director of the Oregon Symphony and Director Emeritus of Conducting and Orchestral Studies at the Juilliard School, received the National Medal of Arts. Tim Brooks won a 2007 Grammy award for Best Historical Release with his Lost Sounds: Blacks and the Birth of the Recording Industry, which includes performances by Harry Burleigh, Roland Hayes, and Edward Boatner. Tenor Noah Stewart. Photograph: Mitch Jenkins Mitch Jenkins/PR. In 2012, tenor Noah Stewart became the first black musician to top the UK Classical Album Chart. Of course, we had to leave a GAGILLION people out of our daily Black History Month Facebook posts because (duh) there are just not enough days in the month. Like Jeffrey Mumford, Awadagin Pratt, David Baker, Imani Winds, André Watts, Chelsea Tipton, Thomas Wilkins, Morris Robinson, Lawrence Brownlee, Valerie Coleman, Rachel Jordan, and Tona Brown. And Daniel Bernard Roumain. And Black Violin. And… you get the idea!  But, blacks are still one of classical music’s most under-served communities. As of 2011, according to the League of American Orchestras, only 1.83% of our nation’s orchestras’ makeup was black. Aaron Dworkin has pointed out that African-American composers are often missing in traditional classical music station programming. But people like Dworkin and many others are working to change that!  We hope you’ve enjoyed learning about all of these awesome artists.

Talking Smooth Jazz welcomes vioinist Chelsey Green.  Having shared the stage with artists including Roberta Flack, MC Lyte, Denyce Graves, Ruben Studdard, J.Cole, Questlove and Black Thought of The Roots, emerging artist Chelsey Green brings the unmatched tone, richness and vibrancy of acoustic violin and viola playing to audiences in a whole new way.  We will talk to Chelsey about her current cd, Still Green: The EP and her upcoming project, The Green Room. Follow Chelsey on Facebook and Twitter.

Tonight!! On "TheMusicBox!" It's a  RADIO-A-THON to help raise funds to introduce gifted, yet under-served youth to the same world-class arts training provided at the nation's top summer arts & music programs! This is made possible, through a summer arts program called Teen Arts Program, or 'TAP!' [A partnership with the DC Jazz Festival and Hosted at Howard Univerisity] The 3-week overnight multidisciplinary summer camp & 1 week jazz camp has become the best hidden secret and premier summer arts camp on the East Coast. This year's ambassadors include world-renowned opera diva Denyce Graves,The Joffrey Ballet residency, Ray Mercer from Lion King, Oscar Hawkins (Kirov Ballet/Cirque Du Soleil) and 30+ additional resident artists who will teach multidisciplinary classes from Opera to Hip Hop. The icing on the cake is that the program will culminate with showcases and a Broadway style musical at the Kennedy Center accompanied by a professional chamber orchestra alongside the camp instrumentalists Join guest co-host [and the man behind the idea to rally the financial support of fellow musicians and artists], Mr. Kevin Williams, and I, as we talk to former camp student Tariq AlSabir, who went from Hip-Hop to Opera at Peabody Conservatory on a full scholarship! We also speak to resident artist, D.C.'s award winning percussionist/composer, Victor Provost!  We can't wait to see you, as we unite to teach and help our children in any way that we can! The harvest is plenteous, but the laborers are few!   -Tanya, Stellar/Dove Award Nominated Recording Artist  

Today's podcast is with Mark Tavern, an A&R administrator, mentor, speaker, blogger, and creator of strategies for the new music industry among other things. Mark has made a career out of helping musicians execute their creative vision. His industry experience spans more than 18 years, with positions at record labels and at performing arts organizations. Whether the music is hip-hop, rock, pop, jazz or classical, he's leveraged his education, creative sensibility, management skills, operations expertise, administrative experience and industry contacts to deliver artistic and commercial success. Mark has worked on a wide range of projects including Justin Bieber, The Roots, Mariah Carey, India.Arie, Whitney Houston, The Killers, Adam Lambert, Kelly Clarkson, Angie Stone, Maroon 5, Carrie Underwood, The Chieftains, Etta James, Jim Brickman, Andy Summers, Dave Douglas, Eliane Elias, Tom Harrell, Fourplay, Dominique Eade, Denyce Graves, Leontyne Price, a dozen Broadway cast albums including Urinetown, Avenue Q, Cabaret and Ragtime, and more than 15 opera productions at companies such as the Glimmerglass Festival, Glyndebourne (UK) and New York City Opera. In today's conversation we are going to be talking about the realities of the new music industry, finding the right studios and the right producers, artist development, the new rockstar dream, the value of music and "free" music, traits of successful artists, editing out the soul of a song, and whole lot more! I really enjoyed today's interview and I am sure you will too! It contains lots of insight for a career in today's new music industry. Aaron Bethune. Music Specialist. Creative Collaborator. http://www.playitloudmusic.com & http://www.abovethenoise.ca For More Information on Mark please visit his website: http://www.marktavern.com For a list of projects Mark has worked on please visit: http://www.artistdirect.com/artist/mark-tavern/2616237

Recognized worldwide as one of today's most exciting vocal stars, Denyce Graves continues to gather unparalleled popular and critical acclaim in performances on four continents. USA Today identifies her as "an operatic superstar of the 21st Century," and the Atlanta Journal Constitution exclaims, "if the human voice has the power to move you, you will be touched by Denyce Graves."Her career has taken her to the world's great opera houses and concert halls. The combination of her expressive, rich vocalism, elegant stage presence, and exciting theatrical abilities allows her to pursue a wide breadth of operatic portrayals and to delight audiences in concert and recital appearances. Denyce Graves has become particularly well-known to operatic audiences for her portrayals of the title roles in Carmen and Samson et Dalila. These signature roles have brought Ms. Graves to the Metropolitan Opera,Vienna Staatsoper, Royal Opera, Covent Garden, San Francisco Opera, Opéra National de Paris, Lyric Opera of Chicago, The Washington Opera, Bayerische Staatsoper, Arena di Verona, Deutsche Oper Berlin, Opernhaus Zürich, Teatro Real in Madrid, Houston Grand Opera, Dallas Opera, Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires, Los Angeles Opera, and the Festival Maggio Musicale in Florence. Patrick D. McCoy, "The African-American Voice in Classical Music" will speak with Ms. Graves about her special friendship with the late contralto Marian Anderson, the role of African-American Church in her development as a singer and her role in the special commemorative recital honoring the historic Grace Bumbry White House recital during the Kennedy administration.