Houston Grand Opera Announces Their New Head of Music

By: Apr. 01, 2010
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Houston Grand Opera (HGO) announced two new appointments today:Francis Greep will join the company as head of music staff and music director of the HGOStudio and Craig Kier as assistant chorus master. "I have known and admirEd Francis's work for most of his professional career," saidHGO Music Director Patrick Summers. "He possesses the wide range of skills that arelogistically and administratively necessary in this position to disseminate the artistic philosophyof Houston Grand Opera.

Francis is someone who is recognized within the profession to have thelinguistic, musical and administrative abilities to prepare a singer for any situation. He will carryon with the type of distinction and brilliance created by Kathleen Kelly and Richard Bado thathas become the legacy of this position."

Francis Greep, who will assume the dual position of Head of Music Staff for HGO andMusic Director of the HGO Studio in the fall of 2010, has served as Head of Music and assistantconductor for all productions at West Australian Opera since 2006. He is also the ArtisticDirector of the Young Artist Program at West Australian Opera. In this capacity, he championedand encouraged new repertoire and productions at West Australian Opera including Bellini's LaSonnambula, Britten's Peter Grimes, Puccini's The Girl of the Golden West, Perth's first stagedWagner production (Tristan und Isolde) and soon-to-be-seen first performances of Offenbach'sTales of Hoffman.

He served as chorus master for the Australian premiere of John Adam's A Flowering Tree and helped prepare the 2007 Helpmann Award-winning world premiere of Richard Mill's The Love of the Nightingale. From 1996-2005, Mr. Greep worked with Opera Australia as a permanent member of the music staff, serving in various roles as rehearsal coach,assistant conductor, chorus master, and children's chorus master. As a coach and accompanist,he worked extensively in Australia, the USA and Europe. He has coached and taught at leading universities and conservatories in his native Australia. Mr. Greep holds a Masters of Music fromUniversity of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music and is currently completing hisDoctorate of Music Arts from the University of Western Australia. He replaces Kathleen Kelly,who will join the Vienna State Opera this fall as head of music.Craig Kier, currently the resident principal coach/accompanist and assistant conductorfor the Atlanta Opera, will take on the role of HGO Assistant Chorus Master beginning September 2010.

Previously, Mr. Kier was a part of Seattle Opera's music staff, serving in avariety of roles including coach/accompanist, chorus master, and assistant conductor. He has awide variety of experience with other companies including Cincinnati Opera, Opera Colorado,Berkshire Opera, Opera New Jersey, Opera Birmingham and Des Moines Metro Opera. Mr.Kier has been a member of the faculty of the Opera Theater of the Rockies Vocal ArtsSymposium. Mr. Kier recently made his conducting debut leading Puccini's Gianni Schicchi ina joint project between Seattle Opera and the Yakima Symphony Orchestra.

In 2009, he joined the Santa Fe Opera music staff, assisting with their mainstage productions of Verdi's La traviataand the world premiere of Paul Moravec's The Letter. Mr. Kier earned his Master of Musicdegree in Accompanying from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music andhis Bachelor of Music Education from the State University of New York College at Fredonia. "I worked with Craig on Santa Fe Opera's world- premiere of Paul Moravec's The Letter"says Summers. "He possesses an impressive musical instinct and an ability to work orchestrally. Craig is a fine budding conductor and I look forward to working with him onHGO's musical staff."

 


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