2009-2010 Artists

Leslie Fagan, soprano

Leslie Fagan's exceptional artistry and talent continue to garner much attention on international stages. Having performed under the batons of such noted conductors as Hans Graf, Sir David Willcocks, Jukke Pekke Saraste, Kent Tritle and Daniel Lipton, Ms. Fagan has delighted audiences and critics alike at Royal Albert Hall, Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Bordeaux Opera House, Roy Thomson Hall and Massey Hall. In the 2008-2009 season Leslie had return engagements to both Lincoln Center, in Brahms' Requiem, and Carnegie Hall, in Handel's Messiah and Bach's B Minor Mass. Also included last season are performances of Carmina Burana, Benjamin Britten’s War Requiem, Mahler’s Second Symphony, and Mozart’s Requiem. On the opera stage, Ms. Fagan has sung the title role in Donizetti's Linda di Chamounix, Pamina in Mozart's Die Zauberflöte, Sophie in Massenet's Werther, Musetta in Verdi's La Bohème and Nanetta in Verdi's Falstaff. At the Aldeburgh Festival in England Ms. Fagan performed the roles of Tytania in Britten's A Midsummer Night's Dream and Zerlina in Mozart's Don Giovanni.

Virginia Warnken, alto

Alto Virginia Warnken has performed regularly with renowned early music groups such as Vox Vocal Ensemble, Clarion Music Society, Musica Sacra, Trinity Wall Street Choir, Tiffany Consort, Elision, Trio Eos, and others. Virginia also has a profound passion for solo work, and has recently appeared at Carnegie Hall as the alto soloist in J.S. Bach's B Minor Mass with the Oratorio Society of New York, and previously as the alto soloist in Handel's Messiah. Ms. Warnken will return to Carnegie Hall next season to sing the Soprano II solos in Mozart's Great Mass in C minor. She has also appeared as a soloist and chorister in Merkin Hall, Miller Theater, St. Ignatius Loyola, St. Mary the Virgin, St. John the Divine, Trinity Wall Street, and Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art, among others. Virginia is also an advocate for Contemporary Music, and has premiered works by many prominent composers, namely Steve Reich, John Zorn, Martin Bresnick, Caleb Burhans, and others.

Oliver Mercer, tenor

Tenor Oliver Mercer is quickly gaining repute in the concert and early music scenes in New York and abroad. Oliver is native to England but has spent most of his years in the U.S.A. He studied music at Portland State University, Trinity College Cambridge and received his Master’s Degree from Florida State University. His operatic roles include Albert Herring, Little Bat, Sesto, Don Ramiro, Fenton, and Ralph Rackstraw. Mercer has recently appeared as concert soloist with The Oregon Bach Festival and International Bachakademie with Helmuth Rilling, Portland Baroque Orchestra, The Saint Ignatius Loyola Sacred Music in a Sacred Space Series, The Choir of Saint Thomas Fifth Avenue, Clarion Music Society, The Tallahassee Symphony, The London Philharmonic in conjunction with the Glyndebourne Opera Jerwood Development Scheme and a tour to Japan and South Korea with The Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment in performances of J.S. Bach’s St. John Passion led by Mark Padmore. Upcoming solo engagements include concerts with Le Voix Baroque, Saint Thomas Fifth Avenue. Oliver is currently a member of the choir at Saint Thomas Fifth Avenue in New York.

Scott Murphree, tenor

Tenor Scott Murphree is a distinguished singer of the concert, recital and opera stage. Recent engagements have included his Utah Opera debut as Tamino in Die Zauberflöte; both Tamino and Don Ottavio in Don Giovanni with Opera Delaware; Bach Cantatas with the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra; and Haydn’s Die Schöpfung with the Sacred Music in a Sacred Space series. He joined Mostly Mozart to cover Alessandro in Il re pastore with Nicholas McGegan conducting, as well as covering Ferrando in Cosi fan tutte under the direction of Bernard Labadie. Other recent engagements have included Handel’s Messiah with the Oratorio Society of New York in Carnegie Hall; and the role of Nikola Tesla in Violet Fire, with performances at the National Theater, Belgrade, and at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. Future engagements include Handel’s Messiah with Princeton Pro Musica, and with the National Chorale. Among his honors, he was given the National Federation of Music Clubs Young Artist Award, and was selected as finalist for both the Joy in Singing Award and the PoulencPlus! Centennial Competition. He received his education at the University of North Texas, Yale University and the State University of New York at Stony Brook.

Peter Stewart, baritone

Peter Stewart has been a member of the Choir of St. Ignatius Loyola for ten years. In that time, he has also been active touring with the Philip Glass Ensemble. He works with many other composers, having participated in premieres of Lee Hoiby, Jon Gibson, Roberto Sierra, Meredith Monk, Sir John Tavener, Hans Werner Henze, among many others. Peter has given many recitals at Alice Tully Hall, the Kennedy Center, the Library of Congress, and on a tour with Community Concerts. He performs early music regularly with Pomerium, the Waverly Consort, New York Collegium and the Connecticut Early Music Festival and Concert Royal. He has sung opera and oratorio performances with the Calgary Philharmonic, the Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra, New Haven Symphony and the Mark Morris Dance Company. He is currently on the voice faculty of Montclair State University.

Matt Boehler, bass

Hailed by The Washington Post as "an extraordinarily charismatic performer," Mr. Boehler has been lauded for his dramatic ability and his "supple, clarion bass." This season finds Mr. Boehler returning to Minnesota Opera for Argento’s Casanova’s Homecoming, as well as joining the roster of the Metropolitan Opera for their production of Shostakovich’s The Nose. This past season featured performances with Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Chicago Opera Theater, Minnesota Opera, Opera New Jersey and New York Philharmonic. Past highlights include performances of The Mikado with Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, Sweeney Todd with Wolf Trap Opera and the world premieres of two one-act operas, Bastianello and Lucrezia, with New York Festival of Song. A member of the Choir of Saint Ignatius Loyola, Mr. Boehler appears this season in their Sacred Music in a Sacred Space series in both Mozart’s Requiem and Pärt’s Miserere. He has been heard in Bach's Magnificat with Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, Beethoven’s Fidelio with Collegiate Chorale, Handel’s Messiah with Oratorio Society of New York and Bach’s St. John Passion with Musica Sacra. Mr. Boehler holds degrees from The Juilliard School and Viterbo University. website

Vincent Carr, organ

Vincent Carr is the Associate Organist at the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Newark, New Jersey. A graduate of the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music and the Institute of Sacred Music at Yale University, he holds Bachelor and Master of Music Degrees, respectively, in Organ Performance. At Yale, Mr. Carr studied organ literature with Martin Jean and improvisation with William Porter and Jeffrey Brillhart. While attending Indiana University, he studied organ literature with Larry Smith and improvisation and church music with John Schwandt and Marilyn Keiser. Mr. Carr has led an eclectic musical career with interests in chamber music, musical theater, composition, church music, jazz and global popular music. A prizewinner in several national competitions, he is in frequent demand as clinician, lecturer and performer. Mr. Carr serves as an adjunct faculty member at the John J. Cali School of Music at Montclair State University and maintains a busy schedule as a freelancer in the New York City area.

Sacred Music in a Sacred Spaceat the Church of St. Ignatius LoyolaChoir and Orchestra of St. Ignatius LoyolaKent Tritle, Music Director