Spring Awakening At OPERA America

As the days grow longer and we move into spring, pianist Riko Higuma and I are delighted to announce that we are bringing our Spring Awakening recital programme to OPERA America in New York City this April. Featuring music by Pergolesi, Handel, Rachmaninoff and a selection of traditional Chinese and Irish folk songs, this particular programme is a favourite of ours and promises to delight with a rich variety of springtime sounds - including a song from the Broadway musical of the same name.

Our performance will take place at 7:00 in the evening on Saturday the 12th of April in Scorca Hall at the National Opera Center, located on the 7th floor of 330 7th Avenue in Manhattan. A $25 suggested donation will be taken at the door and a small reception will follow the performance.

Night In The Brooklyn Library

On Saturday the 8th of March, pianist Riko Higuma and I will perform during an after-hours Night In The Library event at the Central Brooklyn Public Library, located at 10 Grand Army Plaza. Beginning at 7:00 in the evening and lasting until the wee hours of the next morning, these popular events include performances, screenings and discussions that celebrate and encourage the free flow of ideas. My performance with Ms Higuma will take place at 9:15 that evening in the Dweck Auditorium on the library’s lower level

Entitled The Sky Above Brooklyn - The Philosophy Of The Sublime, this particular event will focus on fresh ways of thinking about how to navigate the world around us with renewed attention, sensitivity and curiosity. Other participants include the artist and musician Laurie Anderson, representatives from the Brooklyn Institute for Social Research, the dancers Baye & Asa, authors Darryl Pinckney, Alissa Quart, Sarah Lewis and Molly Crabapple, mathematician Manil Suri and reporter Hamilton Nolan.

All programs are free. For more information or to RSVP, click here.

An Evening In Support Of Ukraine

On Friday the 17th of May, I will join pianist Irena Portenko and a host of other talented musicians for An Evening In Support Of Ukraine at Coliseum, located at 17 South Broadway in White Plains, New York. Featuring hors d’oeuvres, musical performances, cultural presentations and words from Sergiy Kyslytsya, Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the United Nations, all proceeds from this event will go to the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America in support of schools in Ukraine and the White Plains Rotary Club Foundation in support of local charities.

The event will begin at 5:00 that evening and conclude at 8:30. Tickets are $150 and may be purchased online by clicking here.

Song Cycles And Duets In NYC

I am delighted to join soprano Korliss Uecker and pianist Irena Portenko for an evening of song cycles and duets at St John’s In The Village in New York City, located at 218 West 11th Street, on Friday the 26th of January at 7:30 in the evening. In addition to my performance of the song cycle Les nuits d'été by Hector Berlioz, the evening will feature music by Clara Schumann, Alberto Ginastera, Claudio Monteverdi and others. And to top it all off, actress Adriana Ellis will offer a selection of spoken word pieces.

This concert is free and open to all, with suggested donation of $25 at the door.

Berlioz In White Plains

Pianist Irena Portenko and I will be bring part of the concert programme we presented in Austria and Germany this summer to the Downtown Music At Grace afternoon concert series in White Plains, New York on Wednesday the 20th of September. We will offer the song cycle Les nuits d'été by Hector Berlioz as well as a brief selection of traditional Irish songs, including classic arrangements by Sir Benjamin Britten and Sir Herbert Hamilton Harty.

The concert will take place at Grace Episcopal Church, located on the corner of Main Street and Mamaroneck Avenue in White Plains, and will begin at 12:10 that afternoon Thanks to the generosity of the concert series, this performance is free and open to all.

Austria And Germany: Summer 2023

I am delighted to announce that pianist Irena Portenko and I will premiere a new concert programme in Austria and Germany this August. Our audiences will be invited to join us on a musical voyage beginning in 19th century France with the song cycle Les nuits d'été by Hector Berlioz before sailing across the Celtic Sea to discover a beautifully curated selection of traditional Irish songs, including classic arrangements by Sir Benjamin Britten and Sir Herbert Hamilton Harty. Click the links below for more information.

12 August: Bad Gastein (Grand Hotel de l’Europe Gastein)

A return to the Music In The Alps Festival in Austria, Irena and I will debut our new concert programme on Saturday the 12th of August at 8:00 in the evening in the Wienersaal of the Grand Hotel de l’Europe Gastein, located at 14 Kaiser Franz Josef-Straße in Bad Gastein. Tickets may be purchased at the venue.

17 August: Lohr am Main (Alte Turnhalle)

Our first performance in Germany together, Irena and I will present our concert of Berlioz and traditional Irish songs on Thursday the 17th of August at 7:30 in the evening at the Alte Turnhalle, located at 2 Gärtnerstraße in Lohr am Main. Tickets may be purchased at the venue.

Dust And Ions

I am pleased to announce that I will be singing as part of upcoming New York City performances of Dust And Ions: a 90-minute concert experience rooted in composer Alex Wakim’s original album, combined with award-winning poetry from Yara Zgheib and dance choreographed by Erika Keller.

‘On a July night in 2020, a comet streaked over the earth’s northern hemisphere. Those who looked up saw something no one else would for the next 7,000 years: dust and ions, infinite sky-showering, shimmering stars. On an August night, that same year, the Beirut port exploded. Hundreds killed, thousands injured, millions of hearts decimated, and every day, millions of worlds end in millions of other places, and “we are all in the gutter,” Oscar Wilde said, “but some of us…” choose to look up and see and love and believe in stars, and get into cars and chase after comets, and write songs and poems. Alex wrote an anthem for beauty that crosses skies, transcends borders, pandemics, wars, and the limits of our tiny lives. It’s magnificent, expansive. I just added a few verses.’ - Yara Zgheib

The New York City performances of Dust And Ions will take place at 8:00 on the evenings of the 6th and 7th May at the Ailey Citigroup Theater, located at 405 West 55th Street in Manhattan.

To purchase tickets, click here.

A portion of the proceeds will go to support the children of Lebanon via the Kid’s First Association.

New York And New Jersey: Spring 2023

I am delighted to join pianist Irena Portenko and a host of other talented musicians for a handful of concerts throughout New York and New Jersey this spring to raise funds for Project Shelter House, a 120 square meter house built on 18 acres of land in the Ternopil Oblast of western Ukraine currently providing a home to several families from the eastern part of the country, as well as Irena’s special fund to aid young displaced Ukrainian musicians throughout the world. Click the links below for more information and to purchase tickets.

18 March: New York City (St John’s In The Village)

Irena and I will join Taiwanese-British cellist Shu-Wei Tseng and other special guests for a 7 p.m. performance at St John’s In The Village in New York City, located at 218 West 11th Street. The concert will be followed by a reception catered by Veselka - an iconic restaurant that has been serving traditional Ukrainian food in the heart of the East Village since 1954.

23 April: White Plains (Grace Church)

Irena and I will join soprano Korliss Uecker, bass Stefan Szkafarowsky, pianist Svetlana Gorokhovich, accordionist Joseph Mannino, and the Cuatro Puntos Ensemble to present In The Company Of Friends at 5 p.m. at Grace Church in White Plains, New York, located at 33 Church Street.

27 April: Jersey City (St Peter’s University)

An 7 p.m. performance at St Aedan’s Church on the campus of St Peter’s University in Jersey City, New Jersey, located at 800 Bergen Avenue. This concert is free and open to all.

29 April: Somers (St Luke’s Church)

Irena and I will join bass Stefan Szkafarowsky, pianist Svetlana Gorokhovich, and accordionist Joseph Mannino for a 7:30 p.m. performance at St Luke’s Church in Somers, New York, located at 331 Route 100.

Hometown Concert

Pianist Irena Portenko and I will bring our concert programme entitled The Circles That You Find to the Concerts at St Mary's series at St Mary of the Immaculate Conception Church, located at 1009 Stafford Avenue in my hometown of Fredericksburg, Virginia, on Friday the 20th of January at 8:00 in the evening.

Premiered in August of 2022 at the Music In The Alps Festival in Bad Gastein, Austria, with additional performances in Westchester County, New York in October and New York City in December, this collection of pieces by Gershwin, Handel, Ravel, Legrand and many other composers is a reflection on the difficult times our world has faced in recent years, the circular patterns often found in life, and the importance of hope and transcendence. Thanks to the generosity of the Concerts at St Mary's series, this concert is free and open to all.

Wishing you all a happy, healthy and prosperous new year!

New York And Austria: Summer 2022

Pianist Irena Portenko and I will be performing in two very special concerts this summer, including a return to the Music In The Alps Festival in Austria. Click the links below for more information and to purchase tickets.

30 July: Somers (St Luke’s Church)

Irena and I will join bass Stefan Szkafarowsky, baritone Gocha Abuladze and pianist Svetlana Gorokhovich for a 7 p.m. performance at St Luke’s Church in Somers, New York, located at 331 Route 100. All of the proceeds from ticket sales will go directly to benefit the people of Ukraine.

17 August: Bad Gastein (Grand Hotel de l’Europe Gastein)

For my first performance in Europe in over two years, I am thrilled to join Irena at the Music In The Alps festival in Bad Gastein, Austria once more to present a very special concert entitled The Circles That You Find. Joined by the talented Taras Voloshchuk on double bass, Irena and I have assembled a collection of pieces by Gershwin, Handel, Ravel, Legrand and many other composers to build a programme that reflects on the difficult times our world has faced in recent years, the circular patterns often found in life, and the importance of hope and transcendence. This concert will take place at 8 p.m. in the Wienersaal of the Grand Hotel de l’Europe Gastein.

To read my recent interview with CutCommon Editor Stephanie Eslake about The Circles That You Find, click here.

Carnegie Hall With Gocha Abuladze

I am thrilled and honoured to return to the Weill Recital Hall stage at Carnegie Hall in New York City to support Georgian baritone Gocha Abuladze in concert. This evening of song and solidarity will take place on Wednesday, 18 May at 8 p.m. and feature a selection of Georgian, Ukrainian, Polish, Italian, and American music. Proceeds from the concert will go to support displaced Ukrainian women and children.

For more information and to purchase tickets, click here.

Spring Awakening In Brooklyn

On Saturday, 14 May at 6 p.m., I’ll be joining pianist Riko Higuma and a surprise guest violinist at pinkFROG cafe in Brooklyn, New York for a concert entitled Spring Awakening. From Pergolesi to Björk, and from an 88-key to a toy piano, this performance promises to delight with a rich variety of springtime sounds - including a selection from the Broadway musical of the same name.

For more information and to purchase tickets, click here.

Greenwich Concert For Ukraine

On Friday, May 13 at 7 p.m., I’ll be joining pianist Irena Portenko, bass Stefan Szkafarowsky, violinist Innesa Tymochko Dekajlo, bandurists Duet Malvy, and musicians from the Greenwich Chamber Players at Round Hill Community Church in Greenwich, Connecticut for a concert to raise funds for charities supporting Ukrainian relief.

100% of the proceeds from the event will be donated to World Central Kitchen and Razom to support their ongoing efforts to provide humanitarian aid to people in Ukraine as well as Ukrainian refugees who have temporarily relocated to other European nations.

For more information and to purchase tickets for this concert, click here.

Tarrytown Concert For Ukraine

UPDATE: My heartfelt thanks goes out to everyone who made this sold-out concert such an incredible success. To see some news coverage of the evening, click here.

On Sunday, 27 March at 8 p.m., I’ll be joining pianists Irena Portenko and Svetlana Gorokhovich, operatic bass Stefan Szkafarowsky, and the Ukrainian Chorus ‘Dumka’ of New York (recently featured on Saturday Night Live) at Tarrytown Music Hall for a concert to raise funds for charities supporting Ukrainian relief, including Razom and United Help Ukraine.

In early 2020, Irena and I travelled to Ukraine together to give concerts in Kyiv (Kiev) and Odessa. The overwhelming warmth of the audiences, the talent and drive of the young musicians I met there, and the incredible beauty of the country's culture and spirit made my being in Ukraine one of the most memorable and moving experiences of my life thus far. It is my great honour and privilege to sing in support of the Ukrainian people.

To purchase tickets for this concert, click here.

Sister Sangre

I’ll be joining a host of talented artists, including Branden Janese and Jacquelyn Gallo, for an evening of seasonal song, poetry and refreshments, all tinged with the gothic. Join us for Sister Sangre at 526 East 11th Street (between Avenues A and B) in New York City on Friday, 22 October. Doors open at 8 p.m. and the show starts at 8:30 p.m. Free and open to all.

You'll Never Walk Alone

On Sunday the 18th of July at 3:00 p.m. EST, I’ll be joining Korliss Uecker (soprano), Tammy Hensrud (mezzo-soprano), Travis Sherwood (baritone), Stefan Szkafarowsky (bass), and pianists Svetlana Gorokhovich and Irena Portenko for You’ll Never Walk Alone — a concert to close out the 2021 New York edition of the Music In The Alps festival.

To purchase tickets to see the performance live at St John’s In The Village, or virtually via Musae, click here.

This Is The Record Of John

On Thursday, 24 June at 6pm EST, I’ll be singing ‘This Is The Record Of John’ by Orlando Gibbons with a viol quartet as part of a livestreamed Choral Evensong with the Church Club of New York for the Feast of the Nativity of St John the Baptist. The Evensong will also feature new music by Opus Illuminate based on the hymn ‘Ut Queant Laxis’ and preaching from the sites of St John the Baptist’s birth (Ein Karem) and his baptising activity (Aenon).

To tune in, visit the YouTube channel of St John’s In The Village by clicking here.

Metropolitan Opera Guild Master Class

I was honoured to recently take part in a master class with soprano Jane Marsh, hosted by the Metropolitan Opera Guild, exploring three different types of tenor voices. The term ‘tenor’ was created in relation to classical and operatic voices, where classification is not only based on a singer’s vocal range, but also vocal weight and colour.

This master class will be presented online on 2 May 2021 at 3pm EST. For more information or to register for the class, click here.

Message From The Pleiadians

I am thrilled to announce that my collaboration with slow drip DMT on the single ‘Message From The Pleiadians’ is now available on all digital platforms. Inspired by the Pleiades (also known as the Seven Sisters and Messier 45), this epic soundscape gives voice to the shimmering star cluster that has most fascinated and inspired people throughout the world since antiquity.

Stream ‘Message From The Pleiadians’ on Apple Music, Spotify or YouTube today. Happy listening!

‘Canst thou bind the sweet influences of Pleiades, or loose the bands of Orion?’ — Job 38:31

Bach In Business

On Friday the 20th of November at 8:00 p.m. EST, I’ll be giving a virtual concert with David Charles Tay (tenor) and Riko Higuma (harpsichord). Whimsically entitled Bach In Business, this performance marks my return to the concert stage after several months away, and will feature works by composers including Bach, Handel and Purcell.

We’ve partnered with Musae to livestream the concert from St John's In The Village in New York City, which will allow our audience members to feel like they are right there with us onstage from the comfort of their own homes. There is even an option to order a VR headset for a 3D experience for those who purchase a ticket at a higher price point.

Ticket prices start at just $5, and the proceeds go directly to us, the performers. The concert will also be available to view after the livestream for those who purchase tickets, so never fear if 8 PM EST doesn’t work well for your particular time zone.

To purchase tickets, click here. We look forward to sharing this virtual performance experience with you!