PSU Music faculty plan recital

Mezzo-soprano Jessie Wright Martin and baritone Patrick Howle will perform a faculty recital at 7:30 p.m. on March 13, in the McCray Recital Hall on the Pittsburg State University campus. The recital is free.

Martin and Howle are both members of the PSU Department of Music faculty. Their recital will feature works by Franz Schubert, Robert Schumann, Maurice Ravel, Jacques Offenbach, Amy Beach, Vincenzo Bellini and Paul Bowles.

Martin earned both a master's degree and doctorate in music from Louisiana State University. She earned a bachelor's degree in music from Florida State University. Martin has enjoyed success on both the lyric and concert stages. A frequent performer of 20th century music, Martin has twice performed George Crumb's "Madrigals, Book III," and appeared as mezzo-soprano soloist in the world premiere of Dinos Constantinides' "Voices of the Milleniums."

Martin has appeared with the Baton Rouge Symphony, the Louisiana Sinfonietta, Pensacola Opera, and the Ohio Light Opera, where, in addition to performing, she has also served as an administrator. Martin recently collaborated with James Stuart on an English translation of the operetta "Der Zigeunerprimas" by Emmerich Kálmán. A winner of numerous awards and competitions, including those sponsored by the Rose Palmai-Tenser Mobile Opera Competition, Baton Rouge Opera Guild, Baton Rouge Rotary Club, and the National Association of Teachers of Singing, Martin can be heard on recordings of several operettas on the Newport Classic and Albany Record labels.

Patrick Howle received a bachelor's degree in vocal performance from East Carolina University and a master's degree in vocal performance and literature at The Eastman School of Music. Upon graduating from Eastman, Howle worked as adjunct professor of voice at Alfred University and served as director of music at the First Baptist Church of Rochester, N.Y. Following his stay in Rochester, Howle performed with the Connecticut Opera as a member of their educational outreach program and as a main stage artist.

Howle has performed in more than 25 productions with The Ohio Light Opera and most recently appeared as Marat in the world premier of Robert Ward's "A Friend of Napoleon" with the same company. Howle was a finalist in the Jessie Kneisel lieder competition, a winner of the Orpheus National Vocal Competition, and has sung for soprano Reneé Fleming in master class. His many recordings with the Ohio Light Opera can be heard on both the Albany and Operetta Archives labels.

For more information, please contact the PSU Department of Music at 620-235-4466.

---Pitt State---