David Conte‘s award-winning American Death Ballads received its European premiere, performed for the first time ever, with voice and orchestra. (June 30, 2017, London). The piece later received its French premiere in its original version for voice and piano. (July 4, 2017, Paris)
Performers for each venue:
London House, London, England:
Goodensemble
Michael Poll, Conductor
Brian Thorsett, tenor
Schola Cantorum, Paris, France:
Brian Thorsett, tenor
Richard Masters, piano
American Death Ballads was composed especially for tenor Brian Thorsett. David Conte and Thorsett have been frequent collaborators since 2011. Thorsett premiered American Death Ballads at the San Francisco Conservatory, November 1, 2015, with pianist John Churchwell, and at the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) Conference in Chicago, July 10, 2016, with pianist Warren Jones. This was the winner of the NATS American Art Song Competition for the 2016 Convention.
Source: Events | Michael Poll
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