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Heather Parker, soprano and Derrick Parker, bass-baritone Vocal Recital

October 21st, 2015

Doors open: 7:00 pm
Event begins: 7:30 pm
Event Website: http://liberalarts.oregonstate.edu/music

Described by Opera News as “radiating glamour, both vocally and physically…” American soprano Heather Parker captivates audiences of opera and concert alike, with her warm and colorful voice, alluring spirit, and dynamic stage presence. A versatile singing actress, Parker possesses an uncommon gift of expressing the full range of human emotions, while bringing every word to life.

Transitioning into fuller lyric repertoire, Ms. Parker most recently performed the soprano soloist in Beethoven’s 9th Symphony with the Spokane Symphony and Nedda in I Pagliacci with Spokane Opera in 2010 to great acclaim. She was described as having “the seductive looks and sensuous voice just right for Nedda.” In 2009 Ms. Parker appeared as a featured artist in an all Mozart concert with Opera Ft. Collins, as well as various other concerts and recitals. She sang the role of Pamina in Mozart’s Magic Flute for Spokane Opera and was a featured artist in the company’s 25th Anniversary Gala. During a very successful stint with the Seattle Opera Young Artist Program performing Musetta in La bohème and Pamina in an adaptation of The Magic Flute, Ms. Parker was immediately engaged to return to the main stage as Frasquita in Carmen, starring Stephanie Blythe. Subsequent Seattle Opera mainstage roles include Antonia in Les Contes D’Hoffmann, and Zerlina in Don Giovanni. Other recent performances included Micaela in Carmen with Lyric Opera of Kansas City and Granite State Opera, Susanna in Le nozze di Figaro with Pensacola Opera, Opera North, Spokane and Granite State Opera, and Casilda in The Gondoliers with the Deer Valley Music Festival. In the same festival, Parker also thrilled audiences singing Mozart’s Exultate Jubilate and Vesperae Solennes De Confessore with the Utah Symphony. Other career highlights include Musetta in La bohème with the Jacksonville Symphony, and Spokane Symphony, Adina in L’elisir d’amore with Granite State Opera, Tytania in A Midsummer Night’s Dream with Opera North, Norina in Don Pasquale with Spokane Opera, and Zerlina in Don Giovanni with the Jacksonville Symphony, Spokane Opera,and Annapolis Opera. Concert works include the soprano solos in Hadyn’s The Seasons, Handel’s Messiah, and Mozart’s C Minor Mass.

Heather currently resides in Washington state with her husband, bass-baritone Derrick Parker, daughter Grace, and Tibetan Spaniel Sophie.

Hailed by Opera News for his “vividly flavored vocalism” and “tall and commanding” presence, Atlanta native, bass-baritone Derrick Parker impresses audiences around the globe. Performances in the 2008-09 season included Alidoro in La cenerentola with Fort Worth Opera and Escamillo in Carmen with Opera Santa Barbara. He also sang Haydn’s Creation with the Atlanta Symphony under the baton of Robert Spano, Mozart’s Requiem and Bernstein’s Mass with the Utah Symphony, as well as Messiah with the National Chorale at Avery Fisher Hall. Last season, he returned to Fort Worth Opera for Raimondo in Lucia di Lammermoor and Chautauqua Opera as Don Alfonso in Così fan tutte. He sang Alidoro in La cenerentola with Portland Opera and reprised the role in a return to Utah Opera as well as sang Colline in La bohème with Cleveland Opera. In the summer of 2008, he returned to join Cape Town Opera on tour in Oslo and Berlin, reprising Crown in Porgy and Bess.

Mr. Parker marked his European operatic debut with performances of Mel in Tippett’s The Knot Garden at the Scottish Opera and recently sang Crown in Porgy and Bess with Cape Town Opera on tour in Sweden as well as in Africa. Other recent performances include Colline in La bohème with Fort Worth Opera and Lyric Opera of Kansas City, Escamillo in Carmen with Chautauqua Opera, Masetto in Don Giovanni with Houston Grand Opera, New Orleans Opera, and Collatinus in The Rape of Lucretia with Chicago Opera Theatre. Other performances to his credit are Figaro in Le Nozze di Figaro with Pensacola Opera, Opera North and Chautauqua Opera, Pizarro in Fidelio with Virginia Opera, Belcore in L’elisir d’amore with Granite State Opera, High Priest in Samson et Dalila with Orlando Opera, Sam in Un ballo in maschera with Palm Beach Opera, Leporello in Don Giovanni with Opera Birmingham and Wolf Trap Opera, Raimondo in Lucia di Lammermoor with Opera Theatre of St. Louis, and Don Alhambra in The Gondoliers with Utah Opera at the Deer Valley Music Festival.

No stranger to Spokane, he has performed numerous times with Spokane Opera including title roles in both The Marriage of Figaro and Don Giovanni, and most recently as Sarastro in The Magic Flute.

Derrick Parker is the recipient of a Richard F. Gold Career Grant as well as a Sullivan Foundation Award. Among his other awards are prizes from the Fritz and Lavinia Jensen Foundation and Liederkrantz Foundation. He is a former member of the prestigious Houston Grand Opera Studio Program as well as Glimmerglass Opera’s Young American Artist program, Wolf Trap Opera’s Filene Young Artist Program, and a studio artist with Chautauqua Opera. He holds a Master of Music from the Eastman School of Music and Bachelor of Music from Florida State University. He is currently on the voice faculty at Gonzaga University.

Tickets Non Refundable

Heather Parker, soprano and Derrick Parker, bass-baritone Vocal Recital

Date / time Wed, October 21, 2015 Doors open: 7:00 pm Event begins: 7:30 pm Buy Tickets

Venue info First Congregational Church, Corvallis 4515 SW West Hills Rd
Corvallis, Oregon, 97333

Online tickets-sales for this show are closed.