Broadway's N'Kenge to Lead Master Classes, Perform at Cranbrook Schools
Broadway's Darling N'Kenge (Motown: The Musical and Sondheim and Sondheim) will bring Motown hits and more in a series of performances and master classes on Monday, January 11, 2016 at the Cranbrook Academy of Art.
A friend of Michigan and a protege of Motown's founder Berry Gordy Jr - N'Kenge has performed with Detroit Symphony and has given a solo recital in Muskegon through Columbia Artists Community Concert Series.
Not to be missed, N'Kenge is known to have audiences rising to their feet once their ears have witnessed this Diva's vocal ability. This will be a very special treat to the students of Cranbrook. N'Kenge will be joined by Music Director Jim Gabriel and the presentation will also focus on careers in the Arts as well as Women's Leadership. Check out her performance of Defying Gravity at the 2015 Hall of Fame International Women's Forum.
The NY Post called N'Kenge "Electrifying" in the role of Mary Wells that she originated in Broadway's Smash Hit Motown: The Musical. N'Kenge made her Broadway debut in Sondheim on Sondheim alongside Barbara Cook, Vanessa Williams, Norm Lewis and Tom Wopat which was directed by Pulitzer Prize winner James Lapine. In London, N'Kenge made her West End debut starring in The Genius of Ray Charles. She was hailed by NY Times as "a classically trained diva that can stretch from Broadway, Pop Soul to Opera". N'Kenge starred in the Michael Jackson Tribute Show World Tour and has also been seen as a soloist at Carnegie Hall with The New York Pops Orchestra, Cincinnati Symphony, Indianapolis Symphony and Cleveland Orchestra to name a few.
N'Kenge is very active as a vocal teacher with her very own school Simpson Arts and is on the Board of Directors for both CAAPA "Bringing Color to the Classical" which is dedicated to the support of African American classical musicians and others in the arts, and the prestigious and historical The Players Club in NYC.
You can learn more about N'Kenge at www.nkengemusic.com.
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