Diane Reich, Robert Brandt and Jared Pierce
International Conference "Theatre Between Tradition and Contemporaneity"
Theatre - Dance - Music - Visual & Multimedia Art - Arts Administration - Performing Arts Training - Theatre Design & Technology
Classically Theatrical / Theatrically Classic
Live performance by Diane Thueson Reich - Associate Professor of Voice, Division Chair for Classical Voice, Robert Brandt - Assistant Professor of
Voice and Jared Pierce - coordinator of group piano studies and a member of the piano performance faculty at Brigham Young University.
Dr. Diane Thueson Reich, soprano, is an Associate Professor of Voice, and Division Coordinator for Classical Voice at Brigham Young University. She has previously taught and been the Director of Opera at Central Washington University. She has earned doctoral and master’s degrees from Indiana University. At home in the concert hall or opera stage she has appeared in major operatic roles such as Marguerite in Faust, Anne Trulove in The Rake’s Progress, the title role in Strauss’ Arabella, Nanetta in Falstaff, Rosina in The Ghosts of Versailles, Mimì in La Bohème, Pamina in Die Zauberflöte, Valenncienne in The Merry Widow, and Antonia in The Tales of Hoffman. Dr. Reich has performed with professional opera and theater companies, including the Utah Festival Opera Company, Opera West, Indiana University Opera Theater, Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma City, and River City Players. She created the role of Rosamond in the world premiere of Michael Valenti’s opera, Beau Nash, performed with Portland Chamber Orchestra. A multiple Metropolitan Opera Audition winner in both the Utah and Indiana Districts, Dr. Reich also won first place in the Vera Scammon International S.O.S. Voice Competition, and was a finalist with The American Prize in Vocal Performance—Friedrich and Virginia Schorr Memorial Awards, in both the art song and opera/operetta divisions. She has been the recipient of numerous scholarship and academic awards as well. Dr. Reich’s research endeavors have led her to be a leading authority on the vocal music of contemporary composer Henry Mollicone.
Dr. Robert Brandt, baritone, has a special love for performing the art song repertoire. He was a finalist in the 2014 Mary Trueman Art Song competition, winning the Pierre Bernac prize for best French song performance. Other recital performances include Schubert’s Winterreise with pianist Roger Vignoles, a recital of Mendelssohn and Schumann lieder at Mendelssohn’s former home in Leipzig, Germany, and several performances with the Serafin String Quartet. A recent recital reviewer found Brandt’s tone to be: “capable of any color or emotion necessary. I noted a complete array of expression: love, hate, envy, comic, serious, threat and many more. He is expert at vocal communication.” In addition to his work as a recitalist, Robert has had success performing both opera and oratorio. Dr. Brandt earned BM and MM degrees in Vocal Performance from Brigham Young University, and a DM in Vocal Performance from Indiana University. After seven years of teaching at the University of Delaware, he is now a member of the BYU voice faculty.
Drs. Diane Reich (soprano), Robert Brandt (baritone) and Jared A. Pierce (piano), faculty at the School of Music at Brigham Young University, will present a live performance of Classically Theatrical/ Theatrically Classic. The program consists of classical and theatre repertoire with a twist. Non-English repertoire will be accompanied by supertitles translated into English. Each of these performers has had successful careers as soloists both nationally and internationally.
PRESENTATION OVERVIEW
Dr. Jared A. Pierce is coordinator of group piano studies and a member of the piano performance faculty at Brigham Young University. He holds music degrees from the University of Utah and BYU. His teachers included Susan Duehlmeier, Heather Conner, Irene Peery-Fox, and Stephen Thomas. Dr. Pierce is known as one of Utah’s rising generation of engaging, versatile, and entertaining pianists, composers, and teachers. As a collaborative pianist, Dr. Pierce has worked with hundreds of singers, instrumentalists, and numerous choirs. Recent professional collaborations include internationally renowned artists Øystein Baadsvik, Jutta Puchhammer-Sédillot, Jason Hardink, Dallyn Bayles, and Stephen Beus. Jared is currently the accompanist for the Utah Chamber Artists and the Utah Symphony Chorus. He has performed in over 20 states and in many countries including Spain, Portugal, France, Brazil, Vietnam, and Australia.
As classically trained musicians, and professors teaching traditional western classical music, we are fully aware that traditional styles of classical performance are not always engaging to contemporary audiences. The program thus takes traditional classical repertoire, presented in a more theatrical approach; theatre music performed with classical technique; and piano music intended for serious performance, presented with a comic touch. Reich, Brandt and Pierce have presented this program across the USA, including an invited performance at Indiana University, one of the premier music schools in the country. Audiences have responded enthusiastically to the content as well as the level of performance. “This vocal recital program was memorable in that was so much FUN for the listener, and yet displayed such mastery of instrument, artistic expression, and technical ability.” (Gerald Dolter, Professor of Voice, Texas Tech University)
Organized by IUGTE in collaboration with "ArtUniverse" and New International Performing Arts Institute