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Brenda Witmer, voice
Brenda Witmer, soprano, has been described as singing "with deep emotional involvement and an upper register of pure silver," (Washington Post). Her most recent performance was of Vivaldi's Magnificat, with the Shenandoah Valley Choral Society and orchestra. She has appeared with conductors Tom Beveridge, Frances Dawson, Webster Rogers, Richard Rotz, Reilly Lewis, Curtis Nolley, William Hudson and Patrick Walders, among others. Ms. Witmer has performed with the St. Charles Art and Music Festival, Savannah Onstage International Music Festival, Richmond Music Festival, Staunton Music Festival, Shenandoah Bach Festival, James Madison University's Contemporary Music Festival, Český Krumlov Music Festival (Czech Republic), International Roussel Festival (France and Belgium), and Operafestival di Roma (Italy). She has also been a performer for D.C.'s Friday Morning Music Club for many years.
Ms. Witmer has studied privately with Elly Ameling, Linda Mabbs, Mariana Busching and Beverly Hay. Vocal coaches have included Kenneth Smith (Bel Canto Opera, Da Corneto Opera) and Stephen Crout (Washington Concert Opera). Ms. Witmer holds a Master of Music in vocal performance from James Madison University, and a Bachelor's degree in Music from Goshen College (IN). Opera and oratorio credits include Purcell's Dido and Aeneas, Dumoulin's La Roussalka, Mozart's Cosi fan tutte, Léhar's The Merry Widow, Donizetti's Rita, Stephan Paulus' The Village Singer, Simon & Norman's The Secret Garden; Bach's Magnificat, Handel's Messiah, Haydn's Creation, Mozart's Requiem, Beethoven's Symphony No. 9, Zelenka's Dixit Dominus, Dvořák's Te Deum, Fauré's Requiem, Vaughan Williams' Dona Nobis Pacem, Britten's Te Deum in C Major, and Andrew Lloyd Webber's Requiem. Ms. Witmer's American premieres include Vranický's Mass in Eb, as well as Karl Růžička's Jazz Mass, performed at the National Cathedral, D.C. for the 80th anniversary of the Czech Republic. Along with classical and operatic repertoire, Ms. Witmer also performs Music Theater and Jazz, for several years with the late Chicago jazz pianist Karl Klawiter, and most recently for her summer Bel Canto Recital series.
Ms. Witmer built her first voice studio in Paris, during the two years that she lived there after college. Following Graduate School, she has served for 24 years on the voice faculty of James Madison University's School of Music. An active member of the College Music Society (CMS), she has presented lecture recitals for National College Music Society conventions held in San Francisco and Puerto Rico (featuring the art songs of Rebecca Clarke and Lili Boulanger, respectively). As a member of the Virgina chapter of the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS), Ms. Witmer was one of twelve interns chosen for the NATS Internship Program at Ohio State University, 1993. In 2001, she was selected as an opera intern for the National Opera Institute of the St. Charles Music Festival.
An active adjudicator, Ms. Witmer has served as a vocal judge for NATS Voice Conferences, District Choral Voice Auditions, Lion's Club Bland Music Competitions, NVMTA Voice Competition (N. Va. Music Teachers' Achievements), and the Apollo Talent Search (VA). Voice majors from the Witmer studio have been accepted into all major Graduate voice programs of the U.S. Her Music Theater alumni have been featured in National Tour productions of Catch me if you Can, Jersey Boys, Les Miserables, Little Women, Mama Mia!, Phantom of the Opera, Rock of Ages, Sweet Charity, Thoroughly Modern Millie, as well as claiming a lead role in the TV sitcom Royal Pain.
Ms. Witmer lives with her family outside of Harrisonburg, VA, at the foot of the Massanutten mountain range. She maintains an active bee-hive and also enjoys the art of Yoga, appreciating the parallels found in a healthy singer's breath, alignment, strength and coordination.