Opera

Dr. Leo Beranek is considered by many to be the father of concert hall acoustics. His amazing career has not only traced the growth of acoustic measurement but has documented it in a series of articles and books. His first book, Acoustics, was published in 1954 and is considered the bible for the field. Much of his later research was based on projects he led within the company he co-created: Bolt, Beranek and Newman. Among the most noted projects he was involved with for BBN was designing the general assembly room for the UN buildings in New York. Dr. Beranek was then interested i

Richard Blackford is the noted classical composer who studied at the Royal College of Music in England before becoming the assistant to Hans Werner Henze in Rome.  His works are heard at the ballet and in the opera house and with such accessibility he began receiving requests to compose for film and television.   He does not lack creativity and imagination, which are skills that shine in products such as a musical score entitled "King," honoring the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.and The Great Animal Orchestra, which explores a new world of musical notation based on the sounds in

Paul Campion developed a rich passion for opera and classical music as a youngster.  He later wrote about singing and music that has been very meaningful to him throughout his life.  While a fan and an expert of music, Paul also worked in the music industry as his profession. Paul played an active role in the development of the musical instrument sales at the famed Harrods department store in London.  While he was a salesman, manager and director of the sheet music and general musical instrument departments, it was the piano department that Paul enjoyed the most.

Toni Carroll founded the Encore School of Music and Arts in Louisville, Kentucky, to serve students of all ages and abilities. Established in 2024, the school was born from Toni’s vision to create a welcoming and inclusive space for those she felt were often underserved—particularly members of the LGBTQ+ community, individuals with autism, and older adults. Her approach focuses on nurturing both the musical growth of each student and the needs of their families, creating a supportive environment that has led to remarkable word-of-mouth success. With a background in the performing

Luis de Pablo was a Spanish classical composer who provided works for symphonies, chamber orchestras, operas, choir and film over his long and successful career. He was born in Bilbao, Spain, and by age twelve was composing his own pieces. Among his influential teachers was the German composer Max Deutsch, who was like a second father to Luis. His first published compositions were collaborations with Maestro Deutsch, which was very meaningful to Luis. In 1953 he composed “Gárgolas” which was followed by a rich body of work that included “Sinfonias” in 1954, “Progressus” in 1959, “

Dawn Dixon formed Music Plus in Birmingham, Alabama with the goal of providing the same teaching opportunities for local vocalist that she was afforded. After a strong college experience and vocal training at the Dalrymple Agency in London (among others), Dawn created the teaching studio that grew to more than 20 teachers in three locations. When she moved to Jackson, Mississippi, she began teaching at Mississippi Music in Flowood, which was very rewarding for her. She has always been proud of the accomplishments of her students, many of whom have gone on to roles ranging from ope

Tom Field is the founder of TFA (Tom Field Associates) whose team provided lighting for a host of iconic live events such as Woodstock and the Newport Jazz Festival. In addition to the many innovative processes he created that have become standard in pro lighting, Tom has hired a long list of professionals who have gone on to make their own unique mark in the industry. One such notable individual was Rick O'Brien, who would earn the nickname "Parnelli" and, after his untimely death, became the namesake to the annual Parnelli Awards, which celebrates contributions to the live sound

Beverly Grigsby was enrolled in medical school in Los Angeles when on the way home from class one day she stopped into a small music studio. There she met electronic composer Ernst Krenek who would later become her mentor after she decided to drop out of medical school and focus on becoming an electronic music composer. She composed the famed “Mast of Eleanor” (1984) as well as the opera “The Vision of Saint Joan” (1987). Her electronic and computerized music scores also include “A Little Background Music” (1967) and “Occam’s Razor” (1985).  

Gloria Guido studied classical music and opera before meeting her husband, jazz man Joe Guido. Together the couple opened Guido’s Music in Chicago, Illinois, in 1958, the same year they were married. When Joe would go on the road to perform, Gloria operated the store and eventually grew the lesson programs offered at the store. Joe passed away in early 2008 before their 50th wedding anniversary.  

Dr. Sherman Hong was encouraged at a young age by several outstanding music teachers to play percussion. In sixth grade he learned how to play drums using the Belwin band method series, which cemented his passion for music making. He was heavily involved with Mississippi Band Clinics and participated in the All State Band three years in a row. Having gained a well-rounded music education from the University of Southern Mississippi, Dr. Hong embarked on a long career in music. Throughout his extensive career he also played a vital role as a judge for the DCI, encouraging the organi

Glendower Jones loves to unearth vocal music that is out of print yet sought after by a singer or choral group.  With a vast collection it's likely he already has what you are looking for and if so he takes pride creating a clean and easy to read edition.  He grew up in Louisiana, where his father was a Methodist minister.  Glendower was exposed to a wide range of music and soon discovered he had great passion for classical vocal music and the category he refers to as contemporary art songs.  In 1987 he formed Classical Vocal Reprints in New York, but he moved the company some yea

Nick Nixon and Andy Talamantez formed The Andy-T-Nick Nixon Band, which was based in Nashville. Nick teamed up with guitarist Andy to return to music, which he had left for many years. He was a part of the Jefferson Street blues scene in the 1960’s although his background was in Opera and Classical Music.  The Blues came easy to Nick, although he found it was best to forget about most of his classical training before hitting the clubs.  Nick passed away in early 2018 at the age of 76.

Mike Rosen is a professor of percussion at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music in Oberlin, Ohio. Over the years Mike has been very active with the Percussive Arts Society and has contributed regularly to the organization’s newsletter. Mike was the principal percussionist with the Milwaukee Symphony from 1966-1972 and has performed with the Cleveland Orchestra, the Concertgebouw Orchestra of Amsterdam and the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra. He was born in Philadelphia, where he studied with Charles Owen (Philadelphia Orchestra) and later with Fred Hinger (Philadelphia Orchestra, Metrop

David Seville loved the music industry because he loved music!  He was born in Birmingham UK and became a well-known opera singer both in recordings and such live performances as Wells Cathedral. During our interview, he recalls his transition from singing to a long and enjoyable career with Selmer UK, CMI, Norlin and his own company. David was interviewed twice for the NAMM Oral History program, first on July 9, 2005 and again on November 15, 2006.

Michael Udow served as principal percussionist with the Santa Fe Opera from 1968 until his retirement in 2009. His work with Keiko Abe in Japan as part of Summit Brass, Equilibrium and the seasons with the Michigan Symphony Band have been widely regarded within the world of percussion. Michael’s compositions have been performed by conservatory ensembles around the world including China, Taiwan, Korea and Japan. His works, based largely for percussion, include his first opera entitled “The Shattered Mirror,” which was premiered in 1996 by George Manahan and the Richmond Symphony Or