I guess if you had to travel very far, it might as well be someplace warm and beautiful – like Hawaii! That’s exactly what AVA accompanist José Meléndez did last week. This was not a vacation, although I’m sure there was some sight -seeing time; he was there to play a recital, and work with the vocalists at the University of Hawaii, Manoa.
Mr. Meléndez, in conjunction with his friend mezzo-soprano Maya Hoover, has designed a recital of Latin American Art Songs (Canciones de América Latina), featuring music from Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Guatemala, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and Venezuela.
Ms. Hoover and Mr. Melendez have been friends since their days as students at Westminster Choir College in Princeton, NJ. She is a leading scholar and researcher of Latin American art songs, as well as an active performer, teacher, clinician, music education philosopher, and author. Ms. Hoover and Mr. Meléndez have had a long-time collaboration and regularly appeared in recitals, concerts, and master classes since their first recital together in 1997. Their unique partnership as a performing and teaching team, coupled with their specialization in Latin American art song, has lead to appearances throughout the United States and abroad.
So why Hawaii? In 2008, Ms. Hoover joined the faculty of the Hawaii Performing Arts Festival (Waimea), and later that year, took over as co-host/producer of "Great Songs" on Hawaii Public Radio, as well as acting faculty member at the University of Hawaii at Manoa.
While there, Jose had the opportunity to work with many of the singers at the University, in a master class format, as well as coaching and accompaning them in one-on-one sessions.
I’m also happy to report that Jose will be one of the new additions to the Glimmerglass Opera music staff this summer. He will be the principal coach for their production of La traviata as well as accompanying three recitals in July.
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