Gulley & Granner - Benchmark Series 1: Tenor Arias & Duets

With this recording, these inimitable tenors break new ground. In arranging these operatic selections for piano quartet, they emphasize intimacy and emotional depth, showing that these singers are committed to not only to exploring the range of their voices, but also to the range of their music. This high-quality studio process allows the singers to discover a greater timbral and dynamic range than often afforded them in concert halls. This sense of economy harvests the intimacy of chamber music using operatic material, revitalizing well-known selections such as "La donna é mobile" along with a range of historically demanding tenor arias. Whether singing together or separately, there is no doubt of Gulley and Granner's distinct ease and lyricism even as they passionately take on selections such as "Nessun dorma." Ben Gulley soars in "Ah! Mes amis," a double-aria, highlighting his effortless control over an exceedingly demanding piece. Nathan Granner's infinite legato oozes passion, emphasizing the text and music's tonal moodiness. Gulley and Granner's clear friendship based on good humor and mutual respect. On stage, this relationship expands, allowing them to connect personally with their audiences. As they tell their stories they invite both seasoned listeners and newcomers to appreciate the beauty and grandeur of classical music. Yet it is the instrumentalists, especially the string players, who are given more liberties in these chamber arrangements. These collaborative arrangements by Kirt Mosier, Michalis Koutsoupides and Jesse Lynch, led by Elizabeth Suh Lane deliberately avoid a wall of sound, in order to showcase the musical dialogue involved in each selection. For instance, the players imbue Werther's monologue "Pourquoi me réveiller" with a close-quarters tenseness, which in combination with added harmonies over key lines transforms this solo into a technically masterful duet, underscoring the split in Werther's tragic Romantic character. The power of the entire ensemble is best demonstrated in "Di quella pira." Between sheer speed and minute technical detail, this piece required the entire ensemble to push the boundaries of their collective talent. In the end, the demands of this innovative project brought together individually successful musicians to create a cohesive musical unit. The product of this union is a listening experience that simultaneously embraces the exposed emotions of chamber music with the fullness of playing at concert strength. Dr. Richard Rischar - Richard Rischar, Associate Professor, University of Michigan-Dearborn. Dr. Rischar has taught music history and directed choirs at the University of Michigan-Dearborn and Dickinson College. His scholarship has involved vocal ornamentation in African-American popular music and post-WWII American opera. The Gulley/Granner Piano Quartet - Elizabeth Suh Lane Elizabeth has been acclaimed, "...among the finest chamber musicians in America today" by San Francisco Symphony's Music Director Michael Tilson Thomas. She has performed across the globe as a chamber, solo and orchestral musician in the finest concert halls-Carnegie, Suntory, Salzburg Festspiele, Berlin's Philharmoniker and Theatre des Champs Elysee. Elizabeth was a violinist with the London Symphony Orchestra and concertized throughout the world under directors Sir Colin Davis, Michael Tilson Thomas, André Previn, Mstislav Rostropovich, and Pierre Boulez; she has performed and toured with the Chamber Orchestra of Europe under Claudio Abbado, Nikolaus Harnoncourt, Gidon Kremer, and with the Academy of St. Martin-in the-Fields under Sir Neville Marriner. Suh Lane is founder-Executive-Artistic Director and violinist of the Bach Aria Soloists. Her leadership has brought world-class collaborations to Kansas City to partner with BAS including the world's preeminent scholar of Bach Dr. Christoph Wolff; Associate Director of New York's Parsons Dance Elizabeth Koeppen and Avery Fisher Career prize winner Matt Haimovitz; radio giant/composer Bill McGlaughlin presented the BAS' live radio show-Inspired by Bach, broadcast on Kansas Public Radio. McGlaughlin remarked, "Elizabeth is a real virtuoso musician, and what the Bach Aria Soloists are doing is of the highest quality in the most artful manner, the way it should be done." - Michalis Koutsoupides - Viola; Arrangement Michalis holds a doctoral degree in viola from the University of Texas at Austin, a master's degree in violin from the University of Kansas and piano diplomas from the National Conservatory of Cyprus and the Royal Schools of Music. He has performed in music festivals across the nation and in several European countries such as Czech Republic, France, Italy, Greece and England. He has recorded with groups in Texas, Kansas and New York, and regularly performs with the St. Joseph Symphony, Lawrence Chamber Orchestra, Kansas City Chamber Orchestra and the Kansas City Symphony. He is adjunct faculty at Avila University and has taught in the public system and privately since 2007. - Sascha Groschang - Cello Sascha is an active recitalist and chamber musician and has performed across the United States and Asia. She appears at Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall, and gave her solo debut recital at Carnegie Hall's Weill Recital Hall in 2009. She has shared the stage with artists such as Yo-Yo Ma and Itzhak Perlman, is principal cellist of the St. Joseph Symphony, and principal continuo player for the Trinity Lutheran Bach Cantata series (on both modern and period instruments) and is currently on faculty at Missouri Western State University, holding position as cellist on the faculty piano trio. Sascha is an avid performer and composer of non-traditional styles. She has performed with the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Michael Buble, Peter Gabriel, and has extensive recording experience, including sessions for NBC, Atlantic and Rhino Records. She is co-founder and co-composer of "The Wires", a violin and cello duo that explores unorthodox styles through original music. She holds degrees from the UMKC Conservatory and Mannes College of Music in New York City. - Jesse Lynch - Piano; Arrangement Performer, composer, arranger, improviser, and educator, Jesse Lynch tours internationally playing a number of musical styles. From Beethoven to Bop to free jazz and contemporary composition, Jesse straddles the spectrum of musical innovation and tradition. With a home base in New York, he recently played an 125 date tour as The Jesse Lynch Trio. A 2004 alumnus of Oberlin Conservatory, Jesse studied both jazz and classical modalities and has an extensive professional history as a vocal and instrumental accompanist. He has played throughout the US with multiple artists, notably with Daniel Rodriguez and also the American Tenors. Projects include collaboration with Grammy award winner, Charlie Neville, TriBeca music/theater/dance project called 'Water in the Desert', music directing and piano for the upcoming radio show 'Club 86', playing in Hollywood for an Oscars Party, and playing in the 2010 New Zealand Winterfestival in Queenstown. From 2005 to 2010 Jesse made regular appearances at the beautiful and historic Ahwahnee Hotel in Yosemite national park. There he played solo, and with his trio. Jesse also toured Europe and America playing funk music with artist Sonnyboy. When in NYC Jesse currently plays with the large event band, Luxe. - Kirt Mosier - Arrangement With works published with the Neil A. Kjos Music Company, JW Pepper Music Company and FJH Music Company. Kirt Mosier is an award winning composer, conductor and 28 year veteran music educator. Currently the director of orchestras at Lee's Summit West High School in Lee's Summit, Missouri. Mr. Mosier has been with the Lee's Summit School District since 1995. He has also been an adjunct professor with the Conservatory of Music, University of Missouri at Kansas City. He has twice won national composition awards. In 1993, Mr. Mosier's piece