Renee Fleming Hosts Kennedy Center's AMERICAN VOICES, Feat. Sutton Foster, Norm Lewis and More, Now thru 11/24

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts presents American Voices hosted by Renée Fleming, a groundbreaking festival of performances, master sessions, and symposia celebrating the rich diversity of American singing, today, November 22-24, 2013. Curated and hosted by world-renowned American singer Renée Fleming, American Voices will bring together some of the biggest names in vocal music for a genre-spanning, landmark concert with the National Symphony Orchestra.

"Everywhere in our country's popular culture-from Glee and 106 & Park to American Idol, The Voice, and Nashville, at sporting events and national ceremonies-the art of singing is suddenly center stage. This festival will explore, across a range of genres, the artistry, business, technology, pedagogy, and community of American singing," said Ms. Fleming. "The idea of bringing a broad spectrum of singers together with some of most powerful music industry leaders is a dream come true for me. The Kennedy Center is uniquely poised to mount this comprehensive festival."

The three-day American Voices festival includes three expert-led symposia on vocal health, the challenges of the music business, and current trends in vocal training; six master sessions covering a wide variety of vocal styles; a star-studded concert with the National Symphony Orchestra; and free Millennium Stage performances.

EXPERT-LED SYMPOSIA:

Throughout the weekend, three sessions programmed by Ms. Fleming on "Care of the Professional Voice," "Trends in the Business and Technology of Popular Music," and "Voice Training in the 21st Century" will be presented in the Kennedy Center Atrium. These forums are intended both for music professionals-including singers, vocal coaches, teachers, agents, producers, and doctors who treat singers-and for all fans of great singing.

Panelists for the symposia include speech-language pathologist and rehabilitation specialist Dr. Linda Carroll; Mike Dungan, Chairman and CEO of Universal Nashville; Kristen Foster, head of the music division at public relations firm PMK*BNC; voice teacher Joan Lader; Peter Mensch, manager of Metallica, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Muse; vocal coach William Riley; director of USC's popular music program , blues guitarist, and producer Chris Sampson; Don Was, producer, musician, and President of Blue Note Records; otolaryngologist and preeminent laryngeal surgeon Dr. Steven Zeitels; and others.

MASTER SESSIONS:

Addressing the journey and challenges of fledgling artists are six master sessions led by iconic singers: Eric Owens in classical, Dianne Reeves in jazz, Alison Krauss with Dr. Thomas Cleveland in country, Ben Folds in pop, Sutton Foster in musical theater, and Kim Burrell in gospel. At each session in the Terrace Theater, the master teacher will work with young singers selected from the Kennedy Center's education and professional development programs, the National YoungArts Foundation, and from around the country.

Each master session continues with a panel discussion featuring leading industry professionals and distinguished experts in the genre, and concludes with an open audience Q&A.

AMERICAN VOICES CONCERT:

At the star-studded American Voices Concert on Saturday, November 23 at 8 p.m. in the Concert Hall, Ms. Fleming will be joined by artists including Sara Bareilles, Kim Burrell, Kurt Elling, Ben Folds, Sutton Foster, Josh Groban, Alison Krauss, Norm Lewis, Eric Owens, and Dianne Reeves. The genre-spanning evening of vocal fireworks will feature the National Symphony Orchestra, conducted by NSO Principal Pops Conductor Steven Reineke.

MILLENNIUM STAGE PERFORMANCES:

Free concerts highlighting each of the festival's musical genres will be held during the festival on the Kennedy Center Millennium Stage. These free events will be streamed live on the Kennedy Center's website and also be available for future viewings.

Tickets for each of the six master sessions are $38. Tickets are $15 for each symposium. Tickets for the American Voices Concert start at $29. All are available at the Kennedy Center Box Office, by calling (202) 467-4600 or (800) 444-1324, or online at www.kennedy-center.org. The three Millennium Stage performances are free, no tickets required.

A special American Voices Festival Package includes guaranteed admission to each of the six master sessions, prime seating at the American Voices Concert, tickets for the three expert-led symposia, plus a special wrap-up session for Festival Package ticketholders only. Festival packages are $299 and are available for purchase online or by calling (202) 416-8500.

For more information on the American Voices festival hosted by Renée Fleming, visit www.kennedy-center.org/americanvoices.

PANELISTS:

Edith Bers is the former chair of the voice department at the Juilliard School, and has also served on the faculties of the Manhattan School of Music, New York University, and the Bard College Conservatory Graduate Program in Voice.

Darrell Brown is an American songwriter, arranger, and record producer who has collaborated with recording artists such as LeAnn Rimes, Keith Urban, Faith Hill, and Radney Foster.

David Caddick is a conductor, pianist, and producer who has been the music director or supervisor for a number of Broadway musical productions, including Cats, The Phantom of the Opera, Miss Saigon, Sunset Boulevard, and Mary Poppins.

Dr. Linda Carroll is a former classical singer who is now a specialist in applied speech science and speech pathology with a focus on laryngeal aerodynamics and the rehabilitation of injured voices. She treats major opera, Broadway, jazz, and rock artists, as well as broadcasters and politicians.

Dr. Thomas Cleveland is Director of Vocology at the Vanderbilt Voice Center and Associate Professor of Otolaryngology in the School of Medicine at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, where he conducts research and is involved in team management and care of the singing voice.

Dr. Cedric Dent is Professor of Music at Middle Tennessee State University. As a baritone vocalist, music arranger, and producer, he is a member of the Grammy Award-winning gospel group TAKE 6, which has released 11 recordings for Warner Bros. Records, Inc.

Mike Dungan is Chairman and CEO of Universal Music Nashville Entertainment. Credited as one of the leading executives behind country music's broadening appeal, he previously served as President & CEO of Capitol Nashville, where he assembled a stylistically diverse roster including Lady Antebellum, Keith Urban, Dierks Bentley, and Trace Adkins. At Arista Records, he was instrumental in developing the careers of artists including Alan Jackson, Brooks & Dunn, Brad Paisley, Pam Tillis, and Diamond Rio.

Kristen Foster is Executive Vice President and head of the Music Department at PMK*BNC public relations firm.

Anthony Freud is the General Director of Lyric Opera of Chicago. He has served as general director of Houston Grand Opera and Welsh National Opera and is past chairman of both Opera America and Opera Europa.

Matthew Horner is Vice President at IMG Artists, where his roster of classical vocalists includes Susan Graham, David Daniels, Angela Meade, and Frederica von Stade.

Joan Lader is a renowned vocal coach in private practice in New York City, working with singers and actors with injured voices as well as training elite Broadway, opera, and pop singers.

David Lai is Senior Vice President and Artist Manager at IMG Artists.

Peter Mensch is founder of the management company Q Prime and is the manager for Metallica, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Muse.

Darryl Pitt is an artist manager and the principal of Depth of Field Management, which represents renowned jazz artists The Bad Plus, Regina Carter, Kurt Elling, and Dianne Reeves.

William Riley is a prominent vocal coach to some of music's most well-regarded artists, including Celine Dion.

Larry Rosen is an accomplished musician, producer, executive producer, and music industry entrepreneur who created the PBS television series Legends of Jazz and the multimedia TV series RECORDING: The History of Recorded Music, with hosts Quincy Jones and Phil Ramone. He is also the co-founder, with Dave Grusin, of GRP Records.

Tara Rubin is the founder of Tara Rubin Casting, which has been responsible for casting multiple companies of many long-running Broadway shows as well as the Kennedy Center's Sondheim Celebration and Tennessee Williams Explored.

Chris Sampson is a traditional blues performer, educator, producer, and arts administrator. He is the Vice Dean of the Division of Contemporary Music, the Founding Director of the Popular Music Program, and an Assistant Professor of Practice of Popular Music and Music Industry at the USC Thornton School of Music.

Dr. Deborah Smith Pollard is an Associate Professor at the University of Michigan-Dearborn and is the host and producer of "Strong Inspirations," a contemporary gospel music program that has been heard on WJLB-Detroit since 1994. She lectures internationally and writes frequently on gospel and was named "Gospel Announcer of the Year" during the 2005 Stellar Awards.

Don Was is a prolific producer, musician, and President of Blue Note Records.

Dr. Steven Zeitels, an internationally recognized surgeon specializing in throat, voice, airway and larynx problems, is the Eugene B. Casey Professor of Laryngeal Surgery at Harvard Medical School and the Director of Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) Center for Laryngeal Surgery and Voice Rehabilitation. He is a prolific surgical innovator who has designed numerous new voice restoration procedures and instruments. His patients include Adele, Steven Tyler, and Roger Daltrey.

For biographies of the master session leaders and artists in the American Voices Concert, visit www.kennedy-center.org/americanvoices.

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