Internationally acclaimed tenor Jon Lackey and pianist James Jelasic combine intimacy with drama in their moving performance of this masterful and lyrical recording of beloved German Lieder from the 18th and 19th centuries.

25 MP3 Songs in this album (67:43) !
Related styles: CLASSICAL: Art songs, CLASSICAL: Romantic Era

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Details:
Jon Lackey, Tenor
About the Artist

Tenor, Jon Lackey, garners international acclaim for his appearances both on the solo recital stage and as a concert soloist with symphony orchestras. His distinctive voice is a unique blend of both a heldon and lyric tenor â a combination that has lead critics to refer to Mr. Lackeyâs voice as having both âpenetrating powerâ and âfocused lyricismâ. Mr. Lackeysâ vocal prowess is due in great part to his study of the bel canto singing technique with his master teacher, Ilse Metternich, in Munich, Germany.

Mr. Lackey has sung countless performances internationally, many of which have been broadcast live to millions around the world by the BBC, Radio France, WGMS Radio in Washington, D.C., and PBS Television. He has sung for U.S. Presidents, foreign heads of state, ambassadors, and royalty. Mr. Lackey had the rare privilege of residing for a year with the Richard Strauss Family in Munich, Germany, and resided in Paris, France for a year while studying with the internationally acclaimed baritone, Gérard Souzay. In recognition of Mr. Lackeyâs remarkable abilities as a performer and his demonstrated interest in the French culture, the Government of France sponsored his residency during the annual international summer music festival at the Maurice Ravel Academy in St. Jean-de-Luz, France.

A native of Seattle, Washington, Mr. Lackey began his music studies at the age of ten and by the age of sixteen made his public debut as a tenor soloist in Handelâs Messiah. He received a Bachelor of Music degree in Vocal Performance on scholarship from Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, Washington, and did graduate music studies at both the University of Washington in Seattle and at Kent State University in Akron, Ohio.

Included among the many honors received by Mr. Lackey throughout his career was being the Top National Finalist in the prestigious National Federation of Music Clubs Voice Competition, scoring above all of the nearly 300 classically trained singers from throughout the United States.

Mr. Lackeyâs extensive music career has included a full-time position as tenor soloist with the United States Air Force Band and Singing Sergeants in Washington, D.C., and positions as resident tenor soloist for prominent church congregations in Seattle, Washington, D.C., and Paris, France. He has appeared as a guest artist with numerous symphony orchestras including LâOrchestre de Bordeaux, the Seattle Symphony, the Tacoma Symphony, the Arlington Symphony, the Williamsburg Symphonia, and the Washington Metropolitan Philharmonic. Mr. Lackey has appeared on stage in numerous prominent concert halls and recital stages including Salle Gaveau in Paris, France, the Hollywood Bowl, the Grand Olâ Opry, and Constitution Hall.

In addition to performing, Mr. Lackey is active as a voice teacher and guest lecturer. He is currently teaching on the faculty of Northern Virginia Community College and in his private studio. He was formerly on the music faculty of Pacific Lutheran University and taught music courses as a guest lecturer at the American College in Paris/WICE.

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Jon Lackeyâs Critical Reviews

âTenor, Jon Lackey, sang with ease, power, and flexibilityâ
-- Joseph McClellan, The Washington Post --

âJon Lackey: brilliant vocal temperament, dynamic, spiritual, and, our fortune,
adorned with a voice of magnificent timbre. â
-- Music Critic; Journal de Blois, France --

âTenor, Jon Lackey combined intimacy with drama in his moving performanceâ¦and his voice has a lightness and radiant warmth but is also capable of penetrating power.â
-- Roy Guenther, Music Critic; The Washington Post --

âJon Lackey possesses a tenor voice of extraordinary strength and focused lyricism.â
-- John Shulson, The Virginia Gazette --

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James Jelasic, Pianist
About the Artist

Piano virtuoso, Fulbright Scholar and International Steinway Artist, James Jelasic continues the rich musical heritage established by his maternal grandfather, Jan Nemec, a
composer and playwright in Czechoslovakia in the early 1900s. In the family tradition, Mr. Jelasic began his piano studies at the age of six and, by the age of nineteen, had twice been featured as a concerto soloist with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra.

Mr. Jelasic, a native of Dearborn, Michigan, received his early musical training at the Detroit Institute of Musical Arts, his Bachelor of Music degree in Piano Performance on full scholarship from Eastern Michigan University, and his Master of Music degree in Accompanying and Chamber Music from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. He has also done advanced studies at the Sorbonne in Paris and at Warwick University in Coventry, England. Mr. Jelasicâs master teachers include such distinguished artists as Joseph Gurt in Ypsilanti, Michigan; Gordon Green of the Royal Academy of Music in London, England; Eugene Bossart in Ann Arbor, Michigan; Martin Katz in Boulder, Colorado and Akron, Ohio; and Leonard Hokenson in Augsburg, Germany.

Mr. Jelasic resided for a year in Munich, Germany under the gracious patronage of the Richard Strauss Family. While there he performed extensively as both a soloist and accompanist, and conducted advanced research into the interpretation of the German lied. He then moved to Paris, having been awarded the prestigious Fulbright Scholar grant to research the interpretation of the French mélodie with the internationally acclaimed baritone, Gérard Souzay. At that time, in recognition of Mr. Jelasicâs remarkable abilities as a performer and his demonstrated interest in the French culture, the Government of France sponsored his residency during the international summer music festival at the Maurice Ravel Academy in St. Jean-de-Luz, France. During his residency in Paris, Mr. Jelasic was also a guest lecturer at the American College in Paris/WICE and did extensive concert touring throughout France and the United Kingdom.

Mr. Jelasic has received critical international acclaim for his appearances with numerous symphony orchestras and as a collaborative performer in concert recitals. The BBC, Radio France, WGMS in Washington, D.C., and PBS Television have broadcast several of his performances live. Mr. Jelasic has performed for U.S. presidents, foreign heads of state, ambassadors, inaugural balls and royalty. His recordings (WatersEdgeRecords.com) have garnered three semi-final GRAMMY® nominations and glowing critical reviews.

While classically grounded, Mr. Jelasicâs musical interests extend to traditional American ballroom dance music, which he often performs with his highly regarded society dance orchestra. Currently residing in metropolitan Washington, D.C., Mr. Jelasic maintains a full performance schedule as the leader of his dance orchestra as well as a classical soloist, accompanist/vocal coach, piano tutor, college lecturer and recording artist.

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James Jelasicâs Critical Reviews

âMr. Jelasicâs pianism was a sound to behold!â
-- Charles McCardell, The Washington Post --

âThe performance of accompanist, James Jelasic, was shimmering throughout.â
-- Roy Guenther, The Washington Post --

***** (Five-Star) âA Masterful Performanceâ
âJames Jelasicâs stirring performance of Chopinâs waltzes is the finest Iâve heard. His voicing technique combined with a precise execution of the music makes this one of the most listenable works I own. Open a bottle of wine, find a comfortable leather chair, and put on this CD. You wonât be disappointed.â
-- Mega Music Reviews.com --

âJames Jelasic â excellent musician with a talent admired by all â¦impressive and securely facile.â
-- Music Critique, Journal de Blois, France --

âIn his brilliant execution, Jelasic captures and transports us with his art to the imaginary musical world of Chopin, which is difficult to find in other recordings of Chopinâs music. With profound technique on the piano, when Jelasic plays Chopin, he makes us feel the composer's expression, times, passages of life, and personality.â
-- Eddie Galleno - La Nación, Washington, D.C. â

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About the Duo

Jon Lackey and James Jelasic established themselves as a recital duo when they first performed together in 1983 at the Blossom Music Festival, the summer residence of the Cleveland Symphony Orchestra. The artists share a profound interest in researching and performing solo vocal music. Their vast repertoire of German, French, English, and Italian music includes the worldâs most demanding literature â music that equally challenges both singer and pianist alike.

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The Duoâs Critical Reviews

âTenor Jon Lackey and pianist James Jelasic combined intimacy with drama in their moving performance of Schumannâs âDichterliebeâ. This approach was well suited to Lackeyâs voice, which has a lightness and radiant warmth but is also capable of penetrating power. Jelasic gave Lackeyâs interpretation sensitive support but also discharged superbly the pianoâs important expressive and structural role.â
-- Roy Guenther, The Washington Post --