Taking on the role of an operatic Italian baritone or German tenor can be intimidating, but SFCM's Voice Department is here to help.

Voice Executive Chair Richard Cox and faculty member Lester Lynch's joint studio recital on December 3 is aimed at exposing students to more manageable, "bite-sized" works from great opera composers as an on-ramp to the grander moments in the repertoire.

Jacob Soulliere.

"I'm actually going to give Lester all the credit for this performance," Cox says. "It was his idea to explore the smaller, more intimate works of opera composers whose larger works students sing regularly. There's great value in learning the musical language of how a composer works in a smaller, more intimate setting like an art song and then watching how it's transferred and expanded into larger works."

Lynch says, "Richard and I were both on the operatic stage for some years: I sang a lot of Verdi and Puccini and he sang a lot of Wagner and Strauss. So this recital was a natural way of combining our expertise and instead of throwing students into the deep end of a Verdi or Puccini opera, exposing them to these incredible composers at the level of song."

The performance is an opportunity for both teachers and students to be exposed to new input from their peers. "Lester is a very famous Verdi baritone, and SFCM is just so lucky to have him here," Cox says. "It's really wonderful to have this experience of working with him and watching his studio do these things that he's had so much experience doing on stages all over the world."

Lynch adds, "I love to work with different folks and see how they do things. I think it's very healthy for the students to spend time with another studio and given them a chance to really learn together and from each other: 'Oh, that's how she handles her high note' or 'Oh, that's how he handles this long phrase.'"  

The evening will be a momentous occasion for at least one of its performers, Lynch's student Jacob Soulliere. "Working with Professor Lester Lynch has accelerated my vocal growth so much in just a few short months, and I'm eager to share my development at my first performance as an SFCM student! I feel incredibly blessed to be part of such a supportive student community and faculty."

Anna Ruhland.

Soprano Anna Ruhland, meanwhile, is especially excited about the repertoire she'll be performing. "Every time I sing something by Strauss, I'm always in awe of the way he plays with time through the push and pull of the music and his glorious harmonies. There’s a quality of magic in all of Strauss’ music that can’t really be quantified, only experienced, and I’m very grateful to share this with an audience."

Both Cox and Lynch see this recital rubric as a major part of the pedagogy they bring to the Conservatory. "At some of the places I studied, we didn't have things like this recital," Lynch says. I think of my career, and I'm happy we can give students this opportunity to hear some of these incredible pieces—a little bit outside the box of Schumann and Schubert—and get to know these songs so early in your career." In his role helming the Voice Department, Cox sees opportunities like this growing: "This is a wonderful collaboration within the department, and I'm looking to expand this concept as we go forward."

Reserve tickets for Cox and Lynch's joint studio recital on Dec. 3 here, and learn more about studying Voice at SFCM here.