Glimmerglass Shimmers with Talent All Summer Long
BUENA PARK, Calif. — Glimmerglass Performing Arts Center was established in 1975 by a dedicated group of Cooperstown musicians, artists, educators and amateur opera lovers who wanted to bring opera to their beautiful upstate New York community. Over the ensuing years, Glimmerglass Opera has become renowned for its co-productions with such prestigious opera companies as Boston Lyric Opera, Florida Grand Opera, Opera North UK, Houston Grand Opera and New York City Opera. The relationship with New York City Opera was further strengthened when Paul Kellogg, General Director of Glimmerglass Opera for 17 years, was named General and Artistic Director of New York City Opera. An informal partnership between the two companies has resulted in several co-productions created and first performed at Glimmerglass. Newsday recently called Glimmerglass "the source of a river of ideas that flows toward Manhattan."
For the last two summer seasons, Glimmerglass Opera has been home to five Yamaha pianos used in the artistically challenging Young American Artists Program for exceptional singers in the first stages of their professional careers. These pianos, C5 and C3 conservatory grands, a GC1 grand and two P22 uprights, were used for rehearsals and recitals throughout June, July and August. Amy Burton, soprano, also used one of the pianos for a Master Class offered in mid-June prior to the season.
Adrien Finlay, Music Administrator at Glimmerglass, says the summer placements of Yamaha pianos have been valuable, particularly since several pianos are relegated to storage for nine months of each year. "The Yamaha pianos were all wonderful instruments. It's hard to keep a piano in full working order when you only use it for performances during two months of the year. We need to be able to rely on these pianos and place them in venues where they would stay put for the season," he says. "Artist Pianos in Syracuse, delivered the grand pianos to three locations – Otesaga Hotel and Fenimore Art Museum, both in Cooperstown, and Grace Episcopal Church in Cherry Valley. One of the upright pianos was placed at a co-director's house, which made it very convenient and advantageous for extra coaching hours as singers could come right over to the house."
Twenty-eight singers were selected for this summer's Young American Artist Program following a rigorous application and audition process that attracted hundreds of applicants. The program, established in 1988, allows young artists to appear in mainstage productions and prepare for and present a solo song recital. Many of them already hold degrees from highly regarded conservatories, but the opportunity to work with professional coaches at an early career juncture is crucial. "This year, the pianists and coaches or mentors in summer residence to work with these artists were from Opera Company in Philadelphia, Chicago Opera and Florida State University; the rest were high-demand professionals who perform with or coach singers on a year-round basis." Each of the performances, Finlay notes, attracted 150-200 people, a capacity crowd. "This is our way of giving back to the community. I attended many of the recitals and they were all fabulous and very well-attended."
For more information, please visit www.glimmerglass.org.
For more information, write Yamaha Corporation of America, Piano Division, P.O. Box 6600, Buena Park, CA 90622, telephone (714) 522-9011, e-mail infostation@yamaha.com.
 Glimmerglass Opera General Director Paul Kellogg |
Adrien Finlay, Music Administrator at Glimmerglass, says the summer placements of Yamaha pianos have been valuable, particularly since several pianos are relegated to storage for nine months of each year. "The Yamaha pianos were all wonderful instruments. It's hard to keep a piano in full working order when you only use it for performances during two months of the year. We need to be able to rely on these pianos and place them in venues where they would stay put for the season," he says. "Artist Pianos in Syracuse, delivered the grand pianos to three locations – Otesaga Hotel and Fenimore Art Museum, both in Cooperstown, and Grace Episcopal Church in Cherry Valley. One of the upright pianos was placed at a co-director's house, which made it very convenient and advantageous for extra coaching hours as singers could come right over to the house."
Twenty-eight singers were selected for this summer's Young American Artist Program following a rigorous application and audition process that attracted hundreds of applicants. The program, established in 1988, allows young artists to appear in mainstage productions and prepare for and present a solo song recital. Many of them already hold degrees from highly regarded conservatories, but the opportunity to work with professional coaches at an early career juncture is crucial. "This year, the pianists and coaches or mentors in summer residence to work with these artists were from Opera Company in Philadelphia, Chicago Opera and Florida State University; the rest were high-demand professionals who perform with or coach singers on a year-round basis." Each of the performances, Finlay notes, attracted 150-200 people, a capacity crowd. "This is our way of giving back to the community. I attended many of the recitals and they were all fabulous and very well-attended."
For more information, please visit www.glimmerglass.org.
For more information, write Yamaha Corporation of America, Piano Division, P.O. Box 6600, Buena Park, CA 90622, telephone (714) 522-9011, e-mail infostation@yamaha.com.
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