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NEXT
CONCERT: Magnificat & More ... |
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Mezzo
Soprano
Minna Edel competition successes include
the Metropolitan Opera Competition (Regional Finalist), the
Rosa Ponselle International Vocal Competition (Semi-Finalist),
and the Léni Fé Bland Foundation’s 2002
and 2003 annual vocal competitions (Award Recipient). Much-lauded
recent performances include the Verdi Requiem, the St. John
Passion, and Mozart’s Coronation Mass and Regina Coeli
with the St. Alban’s Orchestra in Los Angeles, and
upcoming appearances include the Bach Magnificat and the
Brahms Alto Rhapsody with St. Alban’s as well as the
Duruflé Requiem and Haydn’s Mass in Time of
War with the Angeles Chorale. Ms. Edel has in addition performed
concert solos with the Masterwork Orchestra, the Sarasota
Opera, the OMTI Orchestra at Newark Symphony Hall, Komische
Kammer Oper München, and Dicapo Opera Theater.
On the operatic stage, Ms. Edel has performed the roles of Rosalinda (Die Fledermaus),
the Mother/Grandmother (Little Red Riding Hood) and Spectre (The Nightingale)
with Illinois Opera Theatre, Madama Brillante (L’Italiana in Londra) and
Elisetta (Il Matrimonio Segreto) with Komische Kammer Oper München, Echo
(Ariadne auf Naxos) with the dell’Arte Opera Ensemble in New York City,
La Prima Sorella Cercatrice (Suor Angelica) with the Sarasota Opera, and Mrs.
Hayes (Susannah) and Kate Pinkerton
(Madama Butterfly) with New York City’s Dicapo Opera Theatre. |
Organist John West’s received
his Master of Music degree with Honors from the New England
Conservatory of Music, Boston Massachusetts.
His initial studies of the organ began at the age of 13 under
the tutelage of Richard Purvis at Grace Cathedral San Francisco.
Throughout high school and college years he won numerous
awards as keyboard artist and vocalist. Mr. West’s
performances credits include solo appearances with the New
York Philharmonic Orchestra, and featured artist of American
Guild of Organists Region X Convention 2002. He has performed
at all of the major houses in Southern California including
the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, and the Hollywood Bowl. His
organ performances have been heard on the major instruments
in Southern California including the Hazel Wright Organ at
the Crystal Cathedral and the Great Organ of the First Congregational
Church Los Angeles. As a clinician and workshop advisor he
will hold a workshop for the American Guild of Organists
National Convention 2004 titled “The Organ In Contemporary
Worship and Contemporary Times”. In the traditional
popular genre he performs on the theater Organ and has been
featured by the Los Angeles Theater Organ Society. John’s
successful career is exceptionally varied.
After arriving
in Los Angeles he became a songwriter/producer for the legendary
recording company, MOTOWN. His songs have been heard in film
and recorded by world renowned artists such as jazz legend
Nancy Wilson, and Jennifer Holiday. John is also in demand
as a vocalist for movies, television, commercials and recordings
and has performed and recorded with such artists as Bette
Midler, Ricky Martin, Celine Dion and many others. Films
he worked on include “Matrix II”, “Terminator
III”, “Spider Man”, “Brother Where
Art Thou”, and “Meet the Parents”. Animated
feature films include “Legend of Mulan”, “Anastasia”,
and “The Lion King”. Television appearances include “Frasier”,
and “Ally McBeal” and the Academy Awards. In
fall of 1995 he performed as a featured vocalist in New York
with “Patti LuPone on Broadway” and as Guest
Organist at the Famed Trinity Church, Wall Street.
Mr. West
has toured throughout the world with performances spanning
distances from the Republic of Soviet States to the far northern
reaches of Alaska, throughout the entire United States including
Puerto Rico, and countries in South America. Currently Mr.
West is Artist In Residence/Organist at Bel Air Presbyterian
Church, Los Angeles. In February 2000 he was featured solo
artist for the longest running radio show for the organ,”Pipedream” with
Michael Barone. He has many published works out of New York,
Los Angeles and most recently has 2 pieces published by Augsburg
Fortress –Fanfare on “Sine Nomine and “ Now
Thank We All Our God”. His first solo organ compact
disc, “Rev’d Up Organ!” is already in its
second pressing. Mr. West has a second CD in production which
will include selections from the Pipedreams broadcast as
well as the Casavant/Rodgers Organ at Bel Air. |
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