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Shudong Braamse, voice
International performer and coloratura soprano Shudong Braamse has appeared on stages in Canada, Italy, Austria, Finland, Estonia, Spain, Latvia, Singapore, Taiwan, and China. She has performed as Lucy in The Telephone, Sally in Thomas and Sally, and Josephine in H.M.S. Pinafore. As a recitalist, she has premiered several works by Asian and American composers including Huaihua’sI Wish I Were a Little Light Boat, Dr. Gary Nash’s song cycle Peace, Love and Prosperity, and Michael Bulychev-Okser’s Spanish art song “Romance de la Luna.”Her Carnegie Hall debut recital in Weill Hall on February 24, 2022, collaborating with Dr. Charles Hulin, was a great success.
Dr. Braamse has a passion for sharing the traditions of Western vocal music with her native China and sharing developments in Chinese concert music with audiences and students in America. She has given numerous concerts and master classes in China and the books she has translated, Complete Preparation: A Guide to Auditioning for Opera by Joan Dornemann and Basics of Vocal Pedagogy by Dr. Clifton Ware, have been published by the People’s Music Publishing House in Beijing. They are kept in most university libraries in China and sold in major bookstores there. Her recording Silvery Night, a collaboration with pianist Charles Hulin, introduces American listeners to the songs of Yao Qi, a composer from Singapore. Silvery Nightis kept at the Singapore National Library.Her album VoixSuprême: French Art Songs by Jules Massenet received comments from Carla Maria Verdino-Süllwold, a critic from FANFARE: “Braamse’s voice is a light lyric one with a bell-like purity, and enough vocal fireworks to satisfy the listener. Moreover, she is scrupulous in her French diction, shaping phrases with intelligence and pointing words with subtle colors.”VoixSuprême was a top digital album on the Navona label in spring of 2017. The album has been heard on radio stations such as KALX (UC Berkeley), WRUV (Vermont), and KMUN (Oregon). Shudong’s Spanish album Sueños de España was released by Navona in February of 2019. Ken Meltzer from FANFARE wrote: “Braamse has an attractive, bright lyric soprano voice that maintains its tonal beauty throughout the registers…” MIDWEST RECORDS wrote: “Loaded with grace as well as passion, the international classical fan has a winner on their hands with this discovery.” Some songs from the album have received airplays from WCNY (Syracuse), and WRUV (Vermont). In March of 2019, Dr. Braamsereceived a gold medal from Global Music Awards for this album.
Dr. Braamse received her M.M. and D.M.A. in Vocal Performance from Michigan State University. She started to teachat Southeastern University in Lakeland, Floridasince 2002. Currently she teaches applied voice lessons, Vocal Literature and Music Appreciation class on a part-time basis.