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American
baritone Elem Eley enjoys a remarkably varied career, from opera, oratorio and recital to premières
of contemporary vocal music. His four latest CDs were released in 2008-2009, two of them on Albany Records - a solo album,
Drifts and Shadows: American Song for the New Millennium (JJ Penna, pianist), and a featured group of Three
Antarctica Songs by Laurie Altman on Mr. Altman's new CD, entitled On Course. A recent review
in Journal of Singing (Nov/Dec 2009) lavishly praises Drifts and Shadows, declaring, "No
matter what technical and expressive hurdles these songs present, Eley surmounts them with conviction and assurance... What
they [Eley and Penna] achieve here is truly profound." Fanfare opines, "This is a miraculous
compilation of gems...a Want List candidate." Stephen Estep reviewed Drifts and Shadows early in 2009 for
the American Record Guide, and picked it as one of his six Critics’ Choices 2009,
in the Jan/Feb 2010 issue. Mr. Eley is cast in the première recording of the Hagen/Muldoon opera, Shining
Brow, released in 2009 by Naxos. Additionally, he is featured on a recording of Steven Sametz's Dulcis Amor,
with the Princeton Singers and tenor John Aler, recently released by Arsis Recordings. This past season (2009-2010) featured a return to Avery
Fisher Hall as soloist in Messiah with the Peniel Concert Choir, Carmina Burana with the Springfield (MO)
Symphony, recitals at Berry College and Westminster Choir College of Rider University, and a performance on the Joy in
Singing Anniversary Gala at Merkin Concert Hall. In 2008 and 2009, Mr. Eley returned to Lincoln Center
with Musica Sacra (Kent Tritle conducting) for Carmina Burana and the world première of Alessandro Cadario’s
Cantata for Revival, to the Springfield (MO) Symphony for Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, and to the Oratorio
Singers of Westfield for Bach’s Mass in b. Bach was further represented by Christus in the St. John Passion
(Princeton Pro Musica), and he sang performances of Handel’s Israel in Egypt at Lehigh University. 2008 recitals
included Masters of Modern American Art Song II at Symphony Space in New York City, and a French recital in Princeton.
Upcoming are performances of Martin Hennessy’s Ruminations, and Wolf’s Italienisches Liederbuch,
with soprano Faith Esham and pianist JJ Penna (in Princeton). Mr. Eley sings his first Bach Weihnachts-Oratorium in
December, with Princeton Pro Musica.
Other notable engagements included a début with Musica Sacra (the late Richard
Westenburg conducting) as soloist in Bach's Cantata No. 82, a series of performances led by another legendary choral
maestro - Robert Page - singing Carmina Burana, the world première of Vera of Las Vegas by Daron
Hagen and Paul Muldoon; and appearances with the Symphony Orchestras of Charlotte, Kansas City, New Jersey, Sioux City and
Springfield, the Orchestra of St. Luke's at Carnegie Hall, The Little Orchestra Society at Lincoln Center
and the Calvin Oratorio Society. Mr. Eley sang the title role of Don Giovanni for his debut at the Operafestival
di Roma and has appeared in productions with the Opera Companies of Cincinnati, Hawaii, Shreveport and Syracuse, Athena Grand
Opera, the Sylvan Opera Festival, the Center for Contemporary Opera and Musica Europa 2001.With degrees in voice from Baylor University and
Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, the native Georgian pursued doctoral study at Indiana University, studying with
Margaret Harshaw. Winner of the 1996 Joy in Singing Award, Elem Eley is Professor of Voice at Westminster Choir College
of Rider University.
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