Leslie Fagan‘s exceptional artistry and talent continue to garner much attention on international stages. Having performed under the batons of such noted conductors as Hans Graf, Sir David Wilcocks, Jukke Pekke Saraste, Kent Tritle and Daniel Lipton, Ms. Fagan has delighted audiences and critics alike at Royal Albert Hall, Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Bordeaux Opera House, Roy Thomson Hall and Massey Hall.

The 2007-2008 season marked Ms. Fagan’s official Carnegie Hall debut and her Lincoln Center debut. She was invited by both the Oratorio Society of New York under the direction of Kent Tritle and Musica Sacra under the baton of Richard Westenburg to sing their performances of Handel’s Messiah at Carnegie Hall in December. Leslie made her Licoln Center Debut in May singing Carmina Burana with Musica Sacra and the world premiere of Alessandro Cadario’s Cantata for Revival.

Highlights of Ms. Fagan’s recent engagements included Mozart’s Mass in C Minor with Musica Sacra, a program of Monteverdi, Stravinsky and Pärt on the Sacred Music in a Sacred Space series in New York, a solo concert of music of Stravinsky and Debussy with the Bordeaux Aquitaine Symphonie Nationale in France, Bach’s Weinachts Oratorium in Stuttgart, Germany, Handel’s Messiah with Sir David Willcocks at the Royal Albert Hall in London, England, and with Tafelmusik Orchestra and Choir in Toronto, Ontario and guest soloist at the International Choral Festival in Gouda, Netherlands.

Soprano Jamet Pittman, a native of Washington, DC, began voice training at 17 and won 4th place at the I.C.U.A. national competition held at the Crystal Cathedral in Anaheim, CA. She studied piano at age 4 and the violin at age 7. Progressing rapidly, she won awards from the Peabody Conservatory and became a violinist with the D.C. Youth Orchestra for 10 years. As a member of the Kindler Quartet she toured Puerto Rico, China, Hong Kong and Taiwan.

Although Ms. Pittman first majored in Piano Performance at Oberlin Conservatory, she soon changed curriculum to opera studies.  She received a Masters of Music degree (Opera Concentration) from the Benjamin T. Rome School of Music at the Catholic University of America.

Ms. Pittman, at age 23, won the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions for the Washington area (Northeast Region). Patricia Misslin, an audition judge, invited her to study with her at the Manhattan School of Music. At MSM, operatic performances included the American premiere of Bedrich Smetana’s opera The Two Widows, prompting The New York Times to name her “one of tomorrow’s divas.”

In 1998, she made her Carnegie Hall debut in Mendelssohn’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream under the direction of Sir Neville Marriner, with the Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields. She has sung with the NY Choral Artists at Avery Fisher Hall with the NY Philharmonic led by Lorin Maazel, Zubin Mehta, and Riccardo Muti.

Ms. Pittman sang the title role in the Porgy and Bess Suite with the Washington Army Band and Chorus at the Gershwin Centennial Birthday Celebration and participated in the first American broadcast of Porgy and Bess with New York City Opera in a “Live from Lincoln Center” telecast. Other operatic performances include those with the Baltimore/Washington Repertory Opera and the Opera Company of Brooklyn.

Ever since her Carnegie Hall debut in Mozart’s Requiem under the direction of John Rutter, Charlotte Paulsen has been recognized as a stellar singer on both the opera and concert stage. During the 2010/11 season, Paulsen sings Handel’s Israel in Egypt (at Carnegie Hall) with Musica Sacra and Jephtha with Sacred Music in a Sacred Space, as well as the role of Amneris in a concert version of Aida with the Greater Bridgeport Symphony. In previous seasons, she sang Messiah with Houston Symphony, Verdi’s Requiem with the Virginia Symphony and Eugene Symphony, Mozart Requiem with the National Philharmonic (MD) and with the National Chorale (NY), Messiah with Peniel Concert Choir in Avery Fisher Hall and Rossini’s Petite Messe solennelle in Church of St. Ignatius Loyola. Highlights of Paulsen’s 07/08 season included concerts with the Louisiana Philharmonic in Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 and with the Huntsville Symphony in Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9, both under the baton of Carlos Miguel Prieto.

Because of the unique character of her voice, Paulsen is often called upon to perform contemporary works of unusual depth: with I Cantori she performed the New York premiere of Et la vie l’emporte by Frank Martin; Women of Valor based on Proverbs 31 by Andrea Clearfield with Lehigh Valley Chamber Orchestra; and at Carnegie Hall The Armed Man a Mass for Peace by Carl Jenkins. She also sang the role of Der Trommler in Der Kaiser von Atlantis, as part of the 50th year celebration for the victims of World War II.

Hailed by the New York Times as “excellent” and “particularly impressive”, Oliver Mercer is quickly gaining recognition as one of New York’s most exciting young voices in early music.  The 2009/2010 season marked several solo debuts, including Alice Tully Hall under Kent Tritle with Musica Sacra, Houston’s Wortham Center with Le Voix Baroque, 5 Boroughs Music Festival, and Handel’s Messiah with Taghkanic Chorale under Steven Fox.

Mercer also returned as featured soloist with the Sacred Music in a Sacred Space concert series, Saint Thomas Fifth Avenue and the Clarion Music Society.  A highlight of 2010 has been Mercer’s participation in multiple performances of Monteverdi’s Vespro della beata Vergine. In the summer of 2009 Mercer participated in Glyndebourne Festival Opera’s 75th season in their acclaimed production of Purcell’s The Fairy Queen under the baton of William Christie.  Other past engagements include performances of Bach’s St. John Passion in Korea and Japan with the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, Evangelist in Bach’s Saint Matthew Passion at Saint Thomas Fifth Avenue and soloist in various Bach cantatas at the Oregon Bach Festival under Helmut Rilling.

Upcoming engagements in 2010/2011 include the role of Evangelist in selected Christmas cantatas of J.S. Bach with Clarion Music Society and first performance of Ferrando with the Savannah Philharmonic’s production of Cosi fan Tutte.  This performance of Israel in Egypt marks Mercer’s debut at Carnegie Hall’s Isaac Stern Auditorium.

British-Columbia-born and New York-based baritone Tyler Duncan enjoys international renown for bringing consummate musicianship, vocal beauty and interpretive insight to recital, concert and–increasingly–operatic literature.  In spring 2010 he debuted at the American Spoleto Festival in the role of Friendly in the 18th-century ballad opera Flora.  He has sung Demetrius in Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream at the Princeton Festival; roles in Lully’s Armide with Houston’s Mercury Baroque; Purcell’s The Faerie Queen with Early Music Vancouver; Papageno in Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte in Rotterdam and Utrecht; and the title role of Mozart’s Le nozze di Figaro on a Swiss tour with the Munich Chamber Orchestra under Christoph Poppen.

An excellent oratorio singer performing a remarkable range of repertoire, Mr. Duncan’s concerts include Haydn’s Die Schöpfung with the Québec and Winnipeg Symphonies; Haydn’s Die Jahreszeiten with the Calgary Philharmonic; Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony in Munich, Berlin, Stuttgart and Frankfurt with the Philharmonie der Nationen under Justus Frantz; and Händel’s Messiah with the Toronto Symphony, San Francisco’s Philharmonia Baroque and Portland Baroque.

Mr. Duncan’s considerable gifts in the realm of art song have earned him prizes from the Naumburg, Wigmore Hall (London) and ARD (Munich) Competitions.  Frequently accompanied by pianist Erika Switzer, he has given acclaimed recitals in New York, Boston, Paris and Montreal, as well as throughout Canada, Germany, Sweden, France and South Africa.   He was also winner of the 2010 Joy in Singing competition, the 2008 New York Oratorio Society Competition, 2007 Prix International Pro Musicis Award and the Bernard Diamant Prize from the Canada Council for the Arts.

Kevin Deas has gained international acclaim as one of America’s leading basses. He is perhaps most acclaimed for his signature portrayal of the title role in Porgy and Bess, having sung it with the New York Philharmonic, Philadelphia Orchestra, National Symphony, the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, San Francisco, Atlanta, San Diego, Utah, Houston, Baltimore and Montreal symphonies, and the Ravinia and Saratoga festivals.

Deas’ 2010/11 season highlights consist of appearances with the Calgary Philharmonic in Porgy and Bess, Boston Baroque with Messiah, a Richmond Symphony Beethoven Symphony No. 9, St. John Passion at the Winter Park Festival, Philip Glass’ Passion of Ramakrishna with Pacific Symphony, and Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony with the National Symphony of Costa Rica on occasion of the orchestra’s 70th anniversary.

During the 2009/10 season, Deas appeared in Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony with the Rochester and Buffalo philharmonics, Brahms Requiem with the Hartford Symphony, Messiah with the Minnesota Orchestra and Musica Sacra, and the Verdi Requiem with the symphonies of Grand Rapids and Vermont.