COOKEVILLE, Tenn. (Jan. 10, 2005) – Internationally acclaimed singer Velma Guyer will present a guest recital at Tennessee Tech University’s Wattenbarger Auditorium at 7:30 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 30.

A soprano originally from the United States, she trained at the American Institute of Musical Studies, which is a program in Graz, Austria, to prepare singers for auditions in the German opera system.

Following her studies, she became a resident soloist with Germany’s Bonn Opera. She was also selected as a semi-finalist for the Belvedere competition for singers in Vienna.

Her performances have recently revolved around central themes — such as women’s music, women’s poetry and other literary relationships with music — and some of her recitals have even included commentaries by living composers, biographers and poets.

In 1999 and 2000, for example, she collaborated with British composer Elaine Hugh-Jones to produce a series of concerts featuring musical performances by Guyer and other artists and featuring the composer as a speaker.

A collaboration with pianist Martine Jaques led to a CD recording entitled The Feminine in Poetry and Music.

Guyer earned her bachelor’s degree in music education from the College of Idaho and her master’s degree in music from the University of Cincinnati Conservatory of Music.

She has sung with several regional opera companies in the United States, including Michigan, Cincinnati and Central City, Colo.

Guyer’s performance at TTU is free and open to the public.

--Tracey LeFevre
This information posted 23 January 2006