Houston Grand Opera Names Carleen Graham as Director of HGOco

Houston Grand Opera (HGO) has appointed Carleen Graham, an award-winning opera educator, administrator, researcher, and stage director, as director of the company's community collaboration and education initiative, HGOco. She will assume the position August 22. The executive search process was guided by Arts Consulting Group.

"In the short time since its formation HGOco has established a national reputation for creatively collaborating with Houston's diverse communities and engaging young people with opera," noted HGO Artistic and Music Director Patrick Summers and Managing Director Perryn Leech. "Carleen Graham's expertise and energy as an innovative educator, administrator, and practitioner of opera will enable her to build on the legacy of Founding Director Sandra Bernhard as HGOco moves into its second decade. Her wide experience makes her the perfect person to develop programs and partnerships that will serve Houston and the opera field in innovative and exciting ways."

Added Judy Agee, chair of the company's HGOco committee, "Carleen Graham impressed us all with her passion for opera and for communicating with new audiences. We are looking forward to her leadership in helping us forge broader and deeper connections with Houstonians of all ages and backgrounds."

"The opportunity to join this prestigious American opera company is an exciting privilege," said Graham. "I look forward to working with the HGOco team, the HGO family, and the wonderfully diverse communities, schools, and organizations of Houston in continuing HGOco's rich tradition of community engagement through the art of storytelling with words and music."

A distinguished teaching professor at the State University of New York at Potsdam where she has been on the faculty since 1991, Graham has taught courses including Teaching Opera to Children and Opera, Research, and Advocacy. She has been recognized by the university with its President's and Chancellor's awards for excellence in teaching. As director of the university's Crane Opera Ensemble, she was instrumental in establishing and administering the Dominic J. Pellicciotti Opera Composition Prize for new works that explore themes related to tolerance, inclusion, and celebration of diversity. She also oversaw a program that enables regional schoolchildren to attend campus performances and engage in interactive workshops with college students. Graham is a former director of the university's Center for Undergraduate Research (2009-13), which promotes undergraduate research across the curriculum and fosters inquiry-based student learning. She has led forums for Opera America and the National Opera Association on new developments in community engagement and education.

In 2012 Graham co-founded, with Artistic Director Stephanie Blythe, the week-long Fall Island Vocal Arts Seminar for emerging singers and pianists, engaging them in working with art songs by living American composers. As a stage director, she has directed numerous professional and college opera productions, including recent stints at Hawaii Performing Arts Festival and Tri-Cities Opera.

Carleen Graham earned a bachelor of music degree from Ohio University, a master of music degree and graduate diploma in vocal performance from the New England Conservatory of Music, and a doctor of education degree in music and music education from Teachers College, Columbia University.