Aaron Blake as Nadir from 'The Pearl Fishers' by Bizet at Tulsa Opera
As part of his Artist in Residence offerings during King’s 2024-25 academic year, Grammy-winning tenor Aaron Blake is leading two vocal arts masterclasses for students in Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia.
The events offer area vocalists the opportunity to work with and learn from an internationally recognized tenor who regularly performs with the Metropolitan Opera, Cincinnati Opera and Los Angeles Symphony, among other organizations.
“Art has the capability to profoundly and positively impact a community through its ability to inspire and facilitate meaningful connections,” Blake said. “I look forward to welcoming students from area high schools and colleges and encouraging them in their artistic futures.”
One class is offered for high school juniors and seniors, with the second designed for college-level vocalists. Area students have the opportunity to attend through their schools and also audition to work with Blake individually during the classes. There is no charge to attend.
The High School Masterclass is held Thursday, Oct. 24, from 10 a.m. to noon at First Presbyterian Church, 701 Florida Avenue, Bristol, Tennessee.
Geared towards juniors and seniors who foster musical gifts and a desire to study voice at the collegiate level, this fun and educational class focuses on presentation, diction, style and vocal technique.
The goal of the class is for participants and those in the audience to gain a better understanding of the voice, along with a grasp of helpful tools to navigate their own technical path as singers. It will include instruction in classical voice as well as other potential genres.
Attendance is open on a first-come, first-served basis to high school choral instructors, their classes and interested members of the community.
Up to five students from each school may audition to receive personal instruction during the class, and a total of five participants and two alternates will be chosen. More information on how to register and audition is available at www.king.edu/aaron-blake-masterclasses.
College-Level Masterclass is held Saturday, Oct. 26 from 1–3 p.m. at Memorial Chapel, King University, Bristol, Tennessee.
The college-level masterclass is designed for musicians from regional colleges and universities who are actively studying vocal performance. Participants are encouraged to fine-tune an already well-developed skill set to help them shape a promising career in the classical vocal arts. Topics include advanced vocal technique, diction and presentation.
Twenty submissions are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. Five participants and one alternate will be chosen.
For additional information on how to register to attend, or to submit an audition video to participate in either class, visit the masterclass page on King’s website. Audition videos will be accepted up to Sept. 15.
Additionally, Blake presents a recital Friday, Oct. 25 at 7 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church in Bristol, Tennessee. The performance is open to the public, with additional details available soon at www.king.edu/events.
A graduate of the Juilliard School in New York and The Shepherd School of Music at Rice University in Houston, Blake has earned international recognition for his artistry. He is the recipient of the 2017 George London Foundation Award and in 2022 was recognized with a Grammy award for his role as the High Priest of Amon in The Metropolitan Opera’s “Akhnaten.”
Highlights from Blake’s recent performance season include a return to the Metropolitan Opera for the Bizet’s “Carmen,” as well as to the Israeli Opera for their opening gala concert. He performs with the Los Angeles Symphony, and portrayed the role of Don Ottavio in “Don Giovanni” with The Cincinnati Opera. This season, in addition to concert and recital work, Blake returns to the Metropolitan Opera for two productions including the Met Live in HD broadcast of “The Tales of Hoffman” on Oct. 5, 2024, and later Mozart’s “The Marriage of Figaro.”
For more information, contact marketing@king.edu.
