Bio
Stephen Powell enters his fourth decade as a leading baritone in opera companies and orchestras around the globe. With USA performances in San Diego, Detroit, New York, Boston, Los Angeles, Houston, Chicago, St. Louis, Seattle, Cleveland, Nashville, Dallas, Kansas City, Atlanta, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Baltimore, Washington DC, Minneapolis, Miami, as well as international credits in Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Belo Horizonte, Brazil; Wexford, Ireland; Amsterdam, Paris, Singapore, Zurich, London, Hong Kong, Montreal, Toronto, Rome, and Leipzig, Mr. Powell maintains a busy performance schedule.
He has been a member of the voice faculty at Mannes School of Music in The New School in New York City for the past six years, teaches privately out of his home outside of Philadelphia, and is a recurring guest instructor at the Potomac Vocal Institute in Washington, DC. He is also in demand for Master Classes on college campuses and young artist programs around the country. In addition to Jonathan Leshnoff’s Third Symphony, he will appear on two other new releases in 2020; his first solo CD, American Composers At Play (Acis), and Odyssey Opera’s world premiere recording of Norman Dello Joio’s The Trial at Rouen (BMOPsound).
Mr. Powell earned his Bachelor of Music degree in Theory and Composition (piano emphasis) from Northwestern University, his Master of Music and Certificate in Performance from DePaul University in Vocal Performance, and spent two years as a young artist in the Lyric Opera of Chicago’s apprentice program. He is a member of NATS, AFTRA, AGMA and NARAS.
Mr. Powell was born and raised in West Chester, PA, and currently resides near his hometown in beautiful Chester County with his wife, soprano Barbara Shirvis, and their two sons, Benjamin and Zachary, both of whom are pursuing careers as singers and jazz musicians.
www.stephenpowell.us