Baritone Nathan Wyatt of Carrboro, N.C., Sings at 2014 Fall Island Vocal Arts Seminar

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Nathan Wyatt, a baritone from Carrboro, N.C., will be featured in the 2014 Fall Island Vocal Arts Seminar at SUNY Potsdam’s Crane School of Music.

POTSDAM, NY (05/15/2014)(readMedia)-- Nathan Wyatt, a baritone from Carrboro, N.C., is among only nine rising musicians chosen from a national search to take part in the 2014 Fall Island Vocal Arts Seminar.

Now in its third season, the Fall Island Vocal Arts Seminar will feature the local artist in masterclasses and concerts from May 19 to May 24 at SUNY Potsdam's Crane School of Music. Audiences will be able to take in world-class recital performances throughout the week.

Metropolitan Opera star Stephanie Blythe '92 co-founded the Fall Island Vocal Arts Seminar, along with Executive Director Dr. Carleen Graham, a professor of opera at The Crane School of Music. The unique program, which is in residence at the College, is a venue for emerging singers and pianists to cultivate their artistry through contemporary American art song.

Six singers and three pianists between the ages of 23 and 35 were selected from a competitive national audition to work with Blythe and Music Director Dr. Alan Smith, a noted pianist, vocal coach and composer.

The 2014 Fall Island participants include:

• Jordan Davidson, tenor, from Philadelphia, N.Y.
• Adam Ewing, baritone, from Hiawatha, Kan.
• Kate Jackman, mezzo-soprano, from Tyler, Texas
• Hyona Kim, mezzo-soprano, from Seoul, South Korea
• Sara LeMesh, mezzo-soprano, from San Rafael, Calif.
• Ryan McCullough, pianist, from Eureka, Calif.
• Ronny Michael Greenberg, pianist, from Montreal, Quebec
• Peter Walsh, pianist, from San Diego, Calif.
• Nathan Wyatt, baritone, from Carrboro, N.C.

The nine emerging artists will take part in an immersive series of coaching sessions, masterclasses, lectures and recitals. The Fall Island Vocal Arts Seminar is aimed at reinvigorating individual artistry through American art song, by hand-picking emerging artists of unique and promising ability.

Along with Crane alumna Margaret Lattimore '91, Blythe and Smith will present "America Sings!," a program that celebrates American art and folk song, including the works of Dr. Smith, on Tuesday, March 20 at 7:30 p.m. in the Proscenium Theater in the College's new Performing Arts Center. Tickets for the benefit recital are $25 for the general public and $20 for SUNY Potsdam faculty, staff and students. All proceeds will benefit the Fall Island Vocal Arts Seminar. To purchase tickets, contact the Community Performance Series Box Office at (315) 267-2277 or visit www.cpspotsdam.org.

This year's Fall Island Vocal Arts Seminar will feature three public masterclasses, where Blythe and Smith will work with the Fall Island participants. The masterclasses will be offered on Thursday, May 22 at 10 a.m. and 7:30 p.m., and on Friday, May 23 at 10 a.m. in the Sara M. Snell Music Theater at The Crane School of Music.

A culminating recital featuring the seminar Fellows will be held on Saturday, May 24 at 7:30 p.m. in Snell Theater. These educational events are free and open to the public. Seating is available on a first-come, first-serve basis.

About the musician:

Baritone Nathan Wyatt has been praised as a "standout," known for "vividly etched phrasing" and a "sensitive and natural" voice by the Baltimore Sun. Recent performances include the role of the Abbot in Mark Morris' production of Benjamin Britten's "Curlew River" at the Tanglewood Music Center, Robert Kennedy in the world premiere of Joshua Bornfield's "Camelot Requiem" with the Figaro Project, Marullo in Verdi's "Rigoletto" with Annapolis Opera, the title role in "Don Giovanni" with the Figaro Project, and John Proctor in "The Crucible" and Guglielmo in "Così fan Tutte," both with Peabody Opera Theater.

This year, Wyatt premiered Nico Muhly's work for baritone and orchestra, "Pleasure Ground," with the Cincinnati Symphony, as part of the MusicNow Festival. In 2012, he premiered Jake Heggie's "Epilogue: Under the Blessing of your Psyche Wings," featured in the Opera America Songbook, at the opening ceremony of the National Opera Center in New York City. He also premiered William Bolcom's "Gettysburg, July 1, 1863," a commission by SongFest with support from the Sorel Organization that year. Acclaimed for his work in oratorio repertoire, Wyatt has performed as soloist in Vaughan Williams' "Dona Nobis Pacem," Haydn's "Lord Nelson Mass," Faure's "Requiem" and Bach's "Magnificat."

Wyatt made his Carnegie Hall debut in 2011, under the direction of Marin Alsop in the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra production of Honneger's "Jeanne d'Arc au Bûcher." Upcoming performances include a Vocal Fellowship at the 2014 Tanglewood Music Festival.

About the Fall Island Vocal Arts Seminar:

Now in its third season, the Fall Island Vocal Arts Seminar provides a venue for emerging professional singers and collaborative pianists to hone their love of art song and the collaborative experience. Led by Metropolitan Opera star Stephanie Blythe as Artistic Director, and Music Director Alan Smith, along with Executive Director Carleen Graham and Associate Director Audrey Saccone, the seminar has invited six singers and three pianists to Potsdam, NY, for a week of intimate and intensive study. All music performed is by living American composers. To learn more about the Fall Island Vocal Arts Seminar at SUNY Potsdam's Crane School of Music, visit www.fallisland.org.

About The Crane School of Music:

Founded in 1886, SUNY Potsdam's Crane School of Music has a long legacy of excellence in music education and performance. Life at Crane includes an incredible array of more than 300 recitals, lectures and concerts presented by faculty, students and guests each year. The Crane School of Music is the State University of New York's only All-Steinway institution. For more information about The Crane School of Music, visit www.potsdam.edu/crane.

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