BW welcomes acclaimed soprano Jennifer Rowley as Artist-in-Residence

In between appearances on the world's biggest stages, internationally acclaimed soprano and BW alumna Jennifer Rowley '02 will serve as Artist-in-Residence at the Baldwin Wallace University Conservatory of Music for the 2018-19 academic year.

In addition to private coaching and teaching BW voice performance majors, Rowley's residency will include several events that are open to the public including a master class on Sunday, Nov. 18 at 3 p.m. and a master class and a gala recital in February 2019.

Metropolitan Opera acclaim

Rowley, who has wowed audiences and critics in major venues all over the world, has appeared at the Metropolitan Opera 21 times in four different roles. She made her Met début portraying Musetta in Puccini's "La Bohème" in 2014, but it was her 2017 role début as Roxanne in Alfano's "Cyrano de Bergerac" that The New York Times called a "break-through moment" for a singer with "enormous gift and promise."

In the Met's 2017-18 season, Rowley performed in "Tosca," and took on a second leading role - in "Il Trovatore" - with only two weeks to rehearse.

In the 2018-19 season, Rowley is slated to reprise her "magnificent" (ZealNYC) performance of the title role in Puccini's "Tosca," and she makes her début as Cilea's "Adriana Lecouvreur," with several additional Met engagements through 2020.

Brilliant artist, natural teacher

Throughout her BW residency, Rowley will work with BW students in private coaching and teaching sessions and will lecture on audition techniques, the state of the classical voice industry, the leap from student to professional, and practical advice for the aspiring artist.

Rowley has generously returned to her alma mater for a number of master classes over the past several years, so this residency is a natural progression.

"Beyond being a brilliant artist, Jennifer is a natural teacher," said Marc Weagraff, chair of BW's Voice Department.

"Her love of singing and of teaching just overflows when she's working with our students. She has an infectious energy that fills the room during her master classes. We are thrilled that she is coming home to BW to work with our students in an extended capacity."

Residency event information

The upcoming November 18 master class will take place in BW's Kadel Family Vocal Music Hall, Boesel Musical Arts Center, and is free and open to the public.

Rowley's 2019 free public events include a guest recital scheduled for February 15 in Gamble Auditorium, Kulas Musical Arts Building, with a master class the following day.

Find more information on Rowley's residency, including all public performances, at bw.edu/academics/bios/rowley-jennifer.