John Kramar M.M., Curtis Institute of Music. Performer's Certificates in Voice and Opera, B.M., Eastman School of Music. John Kramar has displayed his sensitive artistry in a wide variety of concert and operatic repertoire. Last season featured the release of his latest recording “The Major’s Letter – Songs of Gary Smart” – recorded on the Albany label, as well as an appearance as baritone soloist in Dvorak’s Requiem with the Choral Society of Durham. Recent seasons included performances of Elijah with the North Carolina Master Chorale, Dvorak’s Requiem with the Choral Society of Durham, Bach’s St. Matthew Passion with the Nashville Symphony, Wolf’s Spanisches Liederbuch with pianist John Wustman, and a recital tour with pianist Eric Stellrecht. He has sung the title role in Mendelssohn’s Elijah with the Nashville Symphony and he returned as soloist and section leader for the tenth consecutive year with the Bermuda Choral Workshop. He sang the title role in the world premiere of Alva Henderson and Dana Gioia’s opera Nosferatu in Chattanooga, TN, as well as performances of Messiah, Haydn’s The Creation, and Brahms’ German Requiem with the Middle Tennessee Choral Society. The 2001-2002 season featured the release of his recording of Brahms' Vier Ernste Gesänge (on the Arabesque label) with pianist Raymond Beegle, performances with the New York Vocal Arts Ensemble in New York and North Carolina, Bach's B Minor Mass with the Pittsburgh Bach Choir, Messiah with the Middle Tennessee Choral Society and the East Carolina University Concert Chorale and Orchestra, and premieres of works by composer William Vollinger at New York City's Merkin Concert Hall. He has sung Mozart's Requiem and Vaughan Williams' Dona nobis pacem with the North Carolina Symphony, and Haydn's Lord Nelson Mass, Rossini’s Stabat Mater, Handel’s Jephtha, and Creation with the Choral Society of Durham. Recently he made his debut with both the Washington Summer Opera Theatre and Opera Delaware as Mozart’s Figaro, and his Nashville Opera debut in their production of Gianni Schicchi. Mr. Kramar has performed with Texas Opera Theatre, Sarasota Opera, Santa Fe Opera, in Faust with the West Virginia Symphony, and in a production of The Medium directed by Gian Carlo Menotti at the Philadelphia Academy of Music. His New York debut was in a gala concert honoring Ned Rorem at Alice Tully Hall.
A native of Maryland, Mr. Kramar received his undergraduate degree in vocal performance, as well as performers' certificates in both voice and opera from the Eastman School of Music where he was a student of Jan DeGaetani. He completed his graduate studies in opera at the Curtis Institute. His various awards and scholarships have included the first Helen Jepson Dellera Award from the Sarasota Opera, second prize in the prestigious Kneisel Lieder Competition, and two Apprentice Achievement Awards from the Santa Fe Opera. Mr. Kramar joined the voice faculty of East Carolina University School of Music in 1998, where he is an associate professor of voice, and also serves as director of the East Carolina University Opera Theatre. From 2005 until 2008 he served as interim Associate Dean of the College of Fine Arts and Communication. He teaches voice and opera workshop at the New York State Summer School of the Arts. Previously, he was on the Voice Faculty of Middle Tennessee State University, and the Tennessee Governor's School for the Arts. Mr. Kramar was on the directing staff of the Chautauqua Opera from 2003 to 2008. |
