Soprano The glorious award-winning voice of Norma Mayer has thrilled audiences from the Italian opera stage to the African-American church. Critics have been ecstatic in their praise (Santa Cruz Good Times: "remarkable opera diva … true operatic force to contend with…a unique essence…an attractive nuance that she brings to the role." Coast Weekly: "a real find." Monterey Herald: "splendid singer … a meltingly rich voice." Awards and honors for her vocal artistry include the Margarette McGammon Award of Excellence awarded by the Fort Worth Opera Guild, finalist of the International Puccini Vocal Competition, winner of the National Society of Arts and Letters Vocal Competition, numerous National Association of Teachers of Singing awards, and finalist of the Tuesday Music Club Vocal Competition. Norma has performed throughout the United States, as well as in Europe, in operas and concert appearances. Recent tours have taken her to Italy, Russia, Estonia, Germany, and France. An avid recitalist, Norma often collaborates with her husband, flutist Richard Mayer. The two performers have recorded three CD’s together (At The Rimsky-Korsakov Museum, In Concert At L’Eglise St.-Pierre, and Cathedral). The Mayer’s have also recorded several DVD's (Norma and Richard Mayer Live in Estonia, SPIRITUAALID Norma ja Richard Mayer, and Spirituals Concert at Wave Street Studios).
Flutist Flutist Richard Mayer is at home in many musical genres, including classical, jazz, and pop. He was a founding member of the influential Russian rock group ZA in 1970's Leningrad, which pointed the way for the subsequent acoustic folk-jazz movement there. Richard also performs extensively with his wife Norma Mayer, the operatic soprano. Together they play a vast repertoire encompassing early music, art songs, opera, African-American spirituals, show tunes, and jazz.
Noted author, musician, and artist Bill Minor talks to Norma and Richard about their lives in music.
Edith Eisler is a violinist, violist, and teacher, as well as Strings magazine's corresponding editor from New York. She has also written extensively about music for New York Concert Review, Listen!, Stereophile, and Amazon.com, among others.
 This review was written after Norma and Richard's concert at the Jewish Museum in Augsburg, Germany on September 6, 2009.
 This review was written after Norma and Richard's concert at the former synagogue in Bopfingern-Oberdorf, Germany on May 5, 2010.
 These reviews were written after Norma and Richard's concert at the former synagogue in Bopfingern-Oberdorf, Germany on May 6, 2011.  This review was written after Norma and Richard's concert at the former synagogue in Hainsfarth, Germany on May 25, 2011. |