The A. Jess Shenson Recital Series has brought extraordinary singers, pianists, and other collaborative partners to Stanford since its first season in 2005. This recital series offers Bay Area audiences the opportunity to experience live vocal performances in the intimate setting of the recital hall, conveniently located in the heart of Stanford campus. In addition to their recital appearances, the vocalists give masterclasses and question-and-answer sessions for Stanford students, enabling personal student and artist interaction. The series is generously funded by the Ben and A. Jess Shenson Funds at Stanford University.

All Shenson recitals and masterclasses take place in Campbell Recital Hall.

 

Sunday, April 7th, 2013, at 2:30 p.m.
Edward Parks, baritone, with John Churchwell, pianist

 

Program: selections from Grieg, Strauss, Vaughan Williams, Finzi, Griffes, and Quilter.

A recent graduate of the Metropolitan Opera’s Lindemann Young Artists Development Program, Edward Parks made his Metropolitan Opera debut as Fiorello in Il Barbiere di Siviglia, and has since appeared as Schaunard in La Bohème and as Larkens in La Fancuilla del West, which was broadcast in HD around the world. He is a member of the Marilyn Horne Foundation, which has presented him in recital in New York, and has participated in the Ravinia Festival’s prestigious Steans Institute for Young Artists. A National Winner of the 2008 Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, Mr. Parks was named a first place winner at the 2010 Gerda Lissner Foundation International Vocal Competition and has received awards from the George London Foundation, the Marilyn Horne Foundation, the Irma M. Cooper Opera Columbus International Vocal Competition, the Connecticut Opera, the Palm Beach Opera Competition, and the Music Academy of the West.

One of the leading collaborative pianists of his generation, John Churchwell enjoys a career on the concert stage as well as in the nation’s leading opera houses. In August 2011, Mr. Churchwell was named the new Head of Music for San Francisco Opera. For the past fourteen years, Mr. Churchwell has been an assistant conductor for both the Metropolitan Opera and the San Francisco Opera. In that time, he assisted on more than 85 productions and has collaborated with some of the world’s leading conductors including James Levine, Nello Santi, Nicola Luisotti, James Conlon, Donald Runnicles, Sir Charles Mackerras, Marco Armilliato, and Fabio Luisi. A champion of American music, John has participated in the world premieres of John Harbison’s The Great Gatsby and Jake Heggie’s Dead Man Walking. On the recital stage, Mr. Churchwell has partnered some of today’s most sought-after vocalists including Joyce DiDonato, Diana Damrau, Dawn Upshaw, Carol Vaness, David Pittsinger, Patricia Schuman, Jill Grove, Karen Slack, and Anthony Dean Griffey. | Admission: $10 general admission | $5 students (Stanford students free with SUID) | $9 seniors. Advance tickets at the Stanford Ticket Office, Phone: 650.725.2787

Monday, April 8th, 2013, at 4:15 p.m.
Masterclass with Edward Parks

This masterclass for Stanford vocal students is free and open to the public.

 

Sunday, May 5th, 2013, at 2:30 p.m.
Erin Neff, mezzo soprano, with Kumaran Arul, Stanford faculty pianist

 

Program: selections from Dvorák, Grieg, Montsalvage, Eisler, Schoenberg, and Weill

Mezzo-soprano Erin Neff’s dynamic performance abilities and radiant sound have earned her the veneration of her musical peers and made her an audience favorite throughout the country. Equally at home in the operatic, lied, and oratorio repertoires, Ms. Neff is much sought after in the vocal profession. Ms. Neff was most recently heard as the Empress Ottavia in West Edge Opera’s production of Coronation of Poppea. She made her solo debut with the San Francisco Opera as Blanche in their 2000 production of Louise and since then has returned to make several appearances with the company, including productions of Rigoletto, The Bonesetter’s Daughter, Simon Bocca Negra, and The Marriage of Figaro. She has also sung with Berkeley Opera, Santa Rosa Symphony, West Edge Opera, Opera Parallele, Livermore Valley Opera, Composer’s Inc, North Bay Opera, San Francisco Lyric Opera, Festival Opera,Sacramento Opera, and Pacific Orchestra. She is also a frequent recitalist and featured guest artist at the Mendocino Music Festival, the Jewish Music Festival, and the Telluride Chamber Music Festival and was invited to the Gilmore International Keyboard Festival to sing the alto solo in Rossini’s Petite Messe Solonelle and a concert of Janácek's music. She has also been heard at the San Francisco Symphony singing the alto solo in Beethoven’s Choral Fantasia. She has presented the songs of composer Chris Praetorius in the world premiere of his song cycle Songs of Mathilde, as well as the world premieres of Allen Shearer’s The Dawn Makers and Dodo and Celia (his adaptation of Middlemarch). She recently depicted the role of Myrtle Wilson in the west coast premiere of John Harbinson’s The Great Gatsby. Ms. Neff also works collaboratively with multimedia artists developing installations for museums. Her work has been seen at the SJICA, Oakland Museum, Stanford Gallery, and Culver Center for the Arts. Ms. Neff was on staff at UCSF for ten years teaching voice and now runs her own private voice studio and group voice classes. | Admission: $10 general admission | $5 students (Stanford students free with SUID) | $9 seniors. Advance tickets at the Stanford Ticket Office, Phone: 650.725.2787

Monday, May 6th, 2013, at 4:15 p.m.
Masterclass with Erin Neff

This masterclass for Stanford vocal students is free and open to the public.

 

 

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