Opera composer Jake Heggie featured in Ethos New Music Society concert

World-renowned opera and art song composer Jake Heggie, whose residency at SUNY Fredonia opens the Ethos New Music Society’s 14th annual NewSound Festival, will be the guest conductor at a concert of his works performed by School of Music students and faculty at Rosch Recital Hall on Friday, Feb. 7, at 8 p.m.

Jake Heggie

Student singers will include sopranos Stephanie Doche, Nia Drummond and Margaret Van Norden, mezzo-soprano Allison Deady, countertenor Zachary Delcamp, and baritone Michael Hawk. Faculty performances will be given by baritone Daniel Ihasz and the ANA trio, comprised of soprano Angela Haas, cellist Natasha Farny and pianist Anne Kissel.

Admission to the concert is $4 for students, $8 for the general public.

Heggie is the American composer of the operas, “Moby-Dick,” “Dead Man Walking,” “Three Decembers,” “To Hell and Back,” “For a Look or a Touch,” “Another Sunrise” and “At the Statue of Venus.” He is considered one of the most famous living opera composers today and has written more than 250 songs, as well as concerti, chamber music, choral and orchestral works.

His songs, song cycles and operas are championed internationally by some of today’s most celebrated singers, including William Burden, Stephen Costello, Joyce DiDonato, Nathan Gunn, Susan Graham, Ben Heppner, Jonathan Lemalu, Jay Hunter Morris, Patti LuPone, Robert Orth, Kiri Te Kanawa, Morgan Smith, Frederica von Stade, Talise Trevigne and Bryn Terfel, among others.

The operas – most of them created with distinguished writers Terrence McNally and Gene Scheer – have been produced internationally on five continents.

Since its San Francisco premiere in 2000, “Dead Man Walking” has received more than 200 international performances. “Moby-Dick” is scheduled to have its East Coast premiere in February 2014 by the Washington National Opera at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. Since its 2010 world premiere at the Dallas Opera, “Moby-Dick” has also been produced by San Francisco Opera, San Diego Opera, State Opera of South Australia and Calgary Opera.

Upcoming projects of Heggie include “Great Scott” (libretto and story by McNally) for the Dallas Opera's 2015-16 season, along with works commissioned by Houston Grand Opera, Pacific Chorale, Pittsburgh Symphony and the Ravinia Festival.

Heggie’s latest recording, “here/after” (PentaTone Classics) features more than two hours of recent songs and chamber music.

The NewSound Festival showcases the music of the 20th and 21st centuries by featuring composers, performers and lecturers from across the country and is made possible by the Student Association. The Student Opera Theatre Association also provides support.

Heggie’s residency also includes a master class for student composers, a public lecture on his music and a workshop with student singers.

This year’s festival will also bring to campus the following: saxophonist Tim McAllister and composer Roshanne Etezady on Feb. 14, Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Steven Stucky on Feb. 17, composer/singer Gabriel Kahane on Feb. 21, composer/electric guitarist D.J. Sparr on Feb. 22, and composer Armando Bayolo on Feb. 23.

For more information, contact Ethos New Music Society faculty advisor Dr. Rob Deemer, Ethos New Music Society adviser, at deemer@fredonia.edu.