BIOGRAPHY
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IAN GELLER was just named Artistic
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Director of the newly formed Capitol Opera
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Albany in Albany, NY. He launched the
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company on June 5, 2010 performing
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Sex, Drugs, & Violence in Grand Opera,
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a recital of favorite operatic arias with quite
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irreverent commentary, at The Linda -
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WAMC’s Performing Arts Studio in Albany.
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Ian was hailed: “One of the leading baritones
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of his country,” on a recent European tour.
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He has given scores of recitals in the USA
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and abroad to unusual critical acclaim.
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His repertoire encompasses approximately four hundred songs in eight languages,
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including cycles of Beethoven, Schubert, Schumann, Brahms, and Mahler, as
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well as dozens of operatic roles and oratorios.
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Operatic performances include his highly acclaimed appearances in London, Berlin, and Vienna, singing the title role in Der Kaiser von Atlantis (The Emperor of Atlantis), an opera written by Viktor Ullmann in the Terezin concentration camp in 1942, in the production of the Wiener Kammeroper with the Austrian Radio Orchestra. He repeated his success in Los Angeles in the production of this opera by Opera Terezin. Ian sang the title role in Giuseppe Verdi’s Nabucco and Alfonso XI in Gaetano Donizetti’s La Favorita with the da Corneto Opera in Chicago; Giorgio Germont in Verdi’s La Traviata with the Metropolitan Lyric Theater in New Jersey, the Island Lyric Opera on Long Island, NY, and the 89th St. Opera Festival in New York; the title role in Verdi’s Rigoletto with Opera on the Sound in New York; Scarpia in Giacomo Puccini’s Tosca with the Opera Factory in Chicago; Papageno in W.A. Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte with the Lincoln Opera in Chicago and Rockford, IL; Peter (the father) in Engelbert Humperdinck’s Hänsel und Gretel with the Pittsburgh Opera Theater and Erie Philharmonic; Valentin in Charles Gounod’s Faust with the Peoria Civic Opera; and Alfio in Pietro Mascagni’s Cavalleria rusticana with Chelsea Opera in New York. He portrayed two characters, Harry Boland and Lloyd George, in the world premiere of The Death of Michael Collins by Revs. Edward J. McKenna and Andrew Greeley produced by the Opera Factory in Chicago. Ian has performed operatic excerpts with the Chicago Chamber Orchestra, Dieter Kober, conductor, the Charlotte (NC) Philharmonic Orchestra, Albert E. Moehring, conductor, and the West Coast Opera Theater in Palm Springs, CA, as well as a live operatic broadcast on WFMT in Chicago.
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Ian frequently presents a special program, Sex, Drugs, & Violence in Grand Opera, which includes twelve favorite arias from operas dealing with those very subjects (are there any other operatic subjects?) along with highly irreverent commentary, which some folks think is the best part of the program!
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Click to go to a special webpage: Sex, Drugs, & Violence in Grand Opera.
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Ian Geller has sung the solos in many oratorios. For his Los Angeles Music Center debut at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion he sang Ernest Bloch’s Avodath Hakodesh (Sacred Service) with the Los Angeles Master Chorale and Sinfonia Orchestra, Paul Salamunovich, conductor, which was broadcast nationwide on KUSC. Ian Geller also performed this work with the North Shore Choral Society and Orchestra of Illinois in the Chicago area celebrating the Bloch Centenary, alongside Bloch’s Psaume 22, David Larson, conductor; and also with the Camerata Singers in Chicago and Highland Park, IL, Wayland Rogers, conductor.
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Opening the newly rebuilt Music Center, Theater am Park, in Eitorf near Bonn, Germany, Ian was soloist with the Siegtal Madrigal-Chor, Käthe Gepp-Herold, conductor, in two sold-out performances of Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana, a work which he also sang with the University of Central Oklahoma Orchestra and Chorus in Edmond, OK, Lon Dehnert, conductor; and the North Shore Choral Society, Donald Chen. conductor, celebrating the Orff centenary.
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Ian Geller sang J.S. Bach’s Das Weihnachtsoratorium (The Christmas Oratorio) with the Kölner Philharmoniker and Agnes-Chor Angermund, Heinz-Jacob Spelmans, conductor, in Düsseldorf. He was soloist in Johannes Brahms’ Ein deutsches Requiem, Haydn’s Paukenmesse (Mass in Time of War), Felix Mendelssohn’s St. Paul, Ralph Vaughn Williams’ Dona Nobis Pacem and Five Mystical Songs, and William Walton’s Belshazzar’s Feast, all with the Tower Chorale and Orchestra, James Winfield, conductor, in the Chicago area. With the North Shore Choral Society and Orchestra, Donald Chen, conductor, he has soloed in.Robert Convery’s I Have a Dream and Alice Parker’s A Sermon from the Mountain celebrating Martin Luther King; he sang in the Midwest premiere of Dominick Argento’s Jonah and the Whale, and Johann Nepomuk Hummel’s Missa Solemnis in C, as well as in the above mentioned Avodath Hakodesh and Psaume 22 of Ernest Bloch, and Carmina Burana of Carl Orff. He sang in Franz Joseph Haydn’s Mass in Honor of St. Nicholas and a selection of Jewish music with the Camerata Singers and Orchestra, Lake Forest, IL, Stephen Blackwelder, conductor; Maurice Duruflé’s Requiem with the Westminster Chamber Orchestra and Choir, Lake Forest, IL, Stephen Blackwelder, conductor; Jewish music with the DePaul University Community Chorus, Stephen Blackwelder, conductor; and W.A. Mozart’s Requiem and Erich Zeisl’s Requiem Ebreico with the DuPage Chorale and Orchestra in the Chicago area, Lee Kesselman, conductor. With the Northwest Suburban Symphony, Bernhard Ebstein, conductor, he was soloist in G.F. Händel’s Judas Maccabæus. In addition, Ian Geller has sung countless performances of Händel’s Messiah.
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Broadcasts, besides the above mentioned L.A. Music Center debut, include the historic concert opening the Arnold Schoenberg Institute in Los Angeles, where he sang songs of Schoenberg, including the world premiere of a newly discovered Schoenberg song, Gruß in die Ferne, broadcast on KUSC. On WFMT in Chicago, Ian has been heard in two Dame Myra Hess Concerts from the Chicago Cultural Center, a special recital of fifteen Schubert Lieder for the program “Schubert Live!” with pianist Shirley Anne Seguin, and appearances on “The Midnight Special” and “Live from Studio One.” On TV Ian has been featured on “Friends,” from WNBQ (NBC) in Chicago and “Of Cabbages and Kings,” from WLS-TV (ABC) in Chicago singing Jewish cantorial music.
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An avid Lieder singer, Ian sang Gustav Mahler’s Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen with the Chicago City Symphony, Leon Stein, conductor; and songs of Mahler and Ravel with the Fox Valley Symphony (Appleton, WI), Kate Tamarkin, conductor, and has given recitals in many cities across the USA, including New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, Seattle, Oklahoma City, throughout the Miami area, in Canada, and throughout Germany. In Chicago he presented his three program series, “The Nineteenth Century German Lieder Cycle,” which includes on Program I: Beethoven’s An die ferne Geliebte, Mahler’s Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen, and Schumann’s Dichterliebe, with pianist Melody Lord, on Program II: Schubert’s Die Winterreise, with pianist Laurence Davis, and on Program III: Brahms’ Romanzen aus ‘Magelone,’ with pianist Joseph Cisar.
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For details see the pages under: Repertoire and Performance list pages 1 2 3.
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Ian has journeyed to Southern California for concerts annually since 1988, usually in the depths of winter, (why not?) often with stops along the way. Venues have included the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles, the Brand Library Music Series in Glendale, the Presbyterian Church of Beverly Hills Music Series in Beverly Hills, Clubhouse Three Music Series in Laguna Woods, Leisure Village in El Toro, The Village in Hemet, Oceana Music Series in Oceanside, and, along the way, the University of Central Oklahoma in Edmond, OK for several recitals and master classes.
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Called: “A leading exponent of Jewish music,” Ian has performed in dozens of concerts of Jewish music for congregations across the country. He served as Cantor and Music Director of major congregations in the Chicago and Los Angeles areas, including Temple Israel of Hollywood (Los Angeles), Am Shalom (Glencoe, IL), Temple Sholom (Chicago), North Shore Congregation Israel (Glencoe), Oak Park Temple (Oak Park, IL), Congregation Kol Ami (Chicago), and Temple Chai (Long Grove, IL). He conducted many concerts in Southern California as Music Director of the American Jewish Choral Society and served as Choir Director of Temple Israel of Long Beach, CA.
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Ian wrote, produced, and starred in a highly successful one-man musical fantasy, CHELM!, based on Jewish folklore and featuring favorite Jewish folksongs, which won rave notices for a run in Chicago. Ian has also performed CHELM! in British Columbia, New York, and California.
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Click here to go to a special webpage for CHELM! Download Ashrenu.
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Ian has recorded two CDs of art songs including a CD of Schubert’s Die Winterreise, with Melody Lord, piano. He was engaged by the National Association of Teachers of Singing to give a program at their National Convention which included the world premiere of the work which won their composition competition, Gardner Read’s song-cycle Nocturnal Visions, along with Gustav Mahler’s Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen, with Linda Hirt, piano. That performance went unrecorded because of a disconnected wire! The following day, however, Ian recorded those works with Linda Hirt and they have now been issued on the CD, “Ian Geller Sings Art Songs” along with songs of Schubert, Wolf, Strauss, Bartók, Ives, Ravel, Bloch, and his own works with pianists Joseph Cisar, Sam Magrill, and Michael Wilson. Gardner Read wrote to Ian Geller: “I can’t imagine their finding anyone that could do it better than you – I still treasure having the cassette, which I play often!”
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For more information see the page: CDs and Downloads.
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He also has two CDs of Jewish music. One is of the songs from his musical fantasy, CHELM! with pianist Stuart Leitch. The other, “Ian Geller Sings Jewish Music!” is of cantorial, liturgical, and folk songs in Hebrew and Yiddish.
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For more information see the page: CDs and Downloads.
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Download two of Ian’s compositions: Mi chamocha and Ashrenu.
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(What a difference in harmonic style)!
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Ian is also an accomplished conductor. He frequently performs as conductor and soloist simultaneously.
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Download Max Janowski: Avinu Malkenu; Chicago Choir Singers,
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Ian Geller, baritone and conductor; Paul Vander Weele, organ.
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Ian is a master voice teacher. He has been particularly successful building power and high notes through ease, relaxation, proper support and the open throat. Students have gone on to professional careers in opera and concert, films and Broadway. Teaching credentials include the faculties of Delaware State University in Dover where he was Choir Director and taught voice, theory, and conducting, the American Conservatory of Music (Chicago) where he was chair of the voice department and conducted performances of the ACM Orchestra, and Northeastern Illinois University (Chicago), where he taught voice, theory, composition, conducting, and was conductor of several choirs. He also taught voice at Concordia University (River Forest, IL), and the Chicago Conservatory College. Ian also teaches privately.
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For more information see the page: Teaching or call Ian at 917-439-1563.
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Ian’s initial musical education was as a composer, and although he has supported himself primarily within the realm of singing, he continues to compose. He has written orchestral music, chamber music, and, as well might be expected, songs. His Sonata for Piano and Violin, newly revised in 2007, recently received its first performance in Paul Hall at the Juilliard School in New York played by his son, violinist Noah Geller, and pianist Darrett Zusko. Ian was invited by the College Music Society to sing some of his own art songs, with pianist Susan Nowicki, at their 2005 Northeast Chapter Annual Meeting at Bridgewater State College in Bridgewater, MA. Some of his work has been writing original music and arranging traditional liturgy and folk music for concerts of Jewish music and the synagogue service. His musical fantasy, CHELM! is a product of this activity.
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Again, see the page: CDs and Downloads.
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Download Mi chamocha and Ashrenu.
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Click here to go to a special webpage for CHELM!
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The Chicago-born baritone was educated at the Juilliard School of Music and the University of Southern California where he received his doctorate and taught. In addition, Ian holds a degree in Composition from the American Conservatory. He also studied at Roosevelt University, New York University, and the Chicago Conservatory College.
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For more information see the page: Curriculum vitae.
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After Ian’s Canadian debut at the Salt Spring Festival of the Arts in British
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Columbia, the review called him: “A truly great artist with a truly great voice.” He has been termed “extraordinary,” “phenomenal,” “astonishing,” “superior,” “marvelous,” “amazing,” and more in a growing series of rave reviews.
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For more information see the page: Reviews.
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