Vocal Arts DC Presents Will Liverman In Recital

On Tuesday, February 1st, Vocal Arts DC presents Will Liverman in concert with pianist Myra Huang.

The concert will take place at 7:30pm at the John F Kennedy Center's Terrace Theater. The performance will feature a newly commissioned cycle by composer Michael Ippolito entitled, The Long Year. The piece is set to the poetry of Edna St. Vincent Millay and was inspired by our current moment of living in the pandemic. The concert will also include works by Howard Swanson, Richard Strauss and Maurice Ravel.

Called "a voice for this historic moment" (The Washington Post), baritone Will Liverman is the recipient of the 2020 Marian Anderson Vocal Award, 2019 Richard Tucker Career Grant and Sphinx Medal of Excellence. In February 2021, his album, Dreams of a New Day: Songs by Black Composers debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Classical chart and earned him a GRAMMY Award Nomination for best solo classical performance. He is considered one of the favorites to win in his category. During the 2021-2022 Metropolitan Opera season, Liverman will star in the reopening production of Terence Blanchard's Fire Shut Up In My Bones.

Liverman's collaborator on the recital is the GRAMMY Award nominated pianist Myra Huang. Huang performs in recitals and chamber music concerts around the world and has served on the music staffs of Washington National Opera, Houston Grand Opera, New York City Opera and The Palau De Les Arts in Valencia, Spain. In 2021 Huang was named Head of Musical Studies for the Metropolitan Opera's Lindemann Young Artist Development Program as well as Head Coach at Aspen Opera Center. Her recordings have received critical acclaim from the New York Times, Gramophone UK, Opera News and The Boston Globe. Her recent album Gods and Monsters with tenor Nicholas Phan was nominated for the "Best Classical Vocal Solo Album" category at the 2018 GRAMMY Awards.

In October 2021 Liverman and Huang worked together in a similar vein for a recital at the Park Avenue Armory in New York City. Opera News wrote of the performance that, "Liverman and pianist Myra Huang offered a wide-ranging program that proved, yet again, that he (Liverman) is one of the most compelling baritones around."

To ensure health and security, as well as the safety of performers, audience and staff, the Kennedy Center requires proof of full vaccination against COVID-19 and a valid photo ID. Unvaccinated children under 12 years of age and patrons with a medical condition or a closely-held religious belief that prevents vaccination, must provide either proof of a negative COVID-19 PCR test conducted no more than 72 hours prior to attending an indoor performance or proof of a professionally administered Antigen test conducted no more than 6 hours prior to attending an indoor performance. Masks are required at all times for all patrons and visitors regardless of vaccination status in all indoor spaces at the Kennedy Center.

Tickets for the concert are $50. Run time for the recital is approximately one hour and thirty minutes, including an intermission. For tickets and more information please visit: https://vocalartsdc.org/will/.