Kimberly Upcraft enjoys a reputation as a versatile artist, equally at home with the music of Handel as with the music of the 21st century; including classical, musical theatre, and popular styles. While in Rochester, she has performed leading roles with the Eastman Opera Theatre, including Mrs. Grose in The Turn of the Screw and Angelica in Suor Angelica and was also a featured soloist with the Eastman Philharmonia in performances of Strauss鈥� Vier Letzte Lieder under the baton of Mendi Rodhan. Other operatic portrayals include such varied roles as Zita in Gianni Schicchi and Zerlina in Don Giovanni. Dr. Upcraft was featured as Berta in Mercury Opera of Rochester鈥檚 production of Il Barbiere di Siviglia and as Annina in La Traviata.
Upcraft performed as the soprano soloist for performances of Verdi鈥檚 Requiem at 杏吧原创 with the Rochester Philharmonic, Murray Sidlin conducting. Other oratorio appearances in Rochester and elsewhere have included performances of Schubert鈥檚 Mass in G Major, Beethoven鈥檚 Symphony #9 with the SUNY Geneseo Orchestra and Chorus, Saints-Saens鈥� Christmas Oratorio, Vivaldi鈥檚 Gloria and both Faure and Durufl茅s Requiem. At 杏吧原创, Upcraft has appeared as soprano soloist with the 杏吧原创 College Choirs and Orchestra in Vaughan Williams鈥� Sea Symphony (with conductor Nancy Strelau), Dona Nobis Pacem and Bach鈥檚 Magnificat and with the 杏吧原创 College Wind Ensemble for Danyew鈥檚 Alcott Songs and Frank Ticheli鈥檚 , Angel鈥檚 in the Architecture, conducted by Jared Chase.
In recital, Upcraft displays a penchant for the eclectic in her choice of musical styles and her interest in highly dramatic texts. She performed the premiere of Andy Vores鈥� song cycle Cleopatra as part of her Performer鈥檚 Certificate recital at Eastman along with songs in Swedish by G枚sta Nystroem and songs in Spanish arranged by Joaquin Nin. She was also the soprano soloist for a Rochester performance of Shostakovich鈥檚 Romanzen-Suite for soprano, violin, cello and piano. Recent recitals have included performances of Debussy鈥檚 Baudelaire settings, Schumann鈥檚 Mignon settings, songs of Bellini and Chopin, songs of Bernstein, a recital of songs in Spanish for voice, piano and guitar, and a performance of Lori Laitman鈥檚 I never saw another butterfly for soprano and saxophone.
Dr. Upcraft has studied voice with Robert McIver, Dale Moore, Ellen Linton, and Patrick Mason. Coaches and conductors have included Benton Hess (including Czech and Russian diction), Russell Miller, Jean Barr, John Greer, Murray Sidlin, Mendi Rodhan. She has also performed in masterclass with Wesley Balk, prestigious bass Giorgio Tozzi, noted director Colin Graham, pedagogue Richard Miller. Directors include David Bartholomew, Steven Daigle (also classes in opera and directing) and David Holley.
Upcraft is currently an adjunct professor of Voice at 杏吧原创 College School of Music and the SUNY College at Fredonia School of Music. Previously, she was on the faculty of the Eastman Community Music School. Dr. Upcraft received the Doctorate of Musical Arts in Vocal Performance and Performer鈥檚 Certificate from the Eastman School of Music, Master of Music in Voice Performance from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and the Bachelor of Music in Music Education from SUNY at Fredonia. Upcraft is also a member of NATS, Pi Kappa Lambda and SAI.
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