Kramar releases voice CD

John Kramar (Chair, Department of Vocal Studies; Director, ECU Opera Theater) has had a new compact disc recording released on the Albany Label. “The Collected Songs of Alva Henderson” is a 2-CD set featuring 26 songs by the award-winning California based composer Alva Henderson. Kramar has been associated with Mr. Henderson for the past 20 years. Henderson first engaged him to sing a New York recital featuring premier performances of four songs written to texts by the former Chair of the National Endowment for the Arts, Dana Gioia. The collaboration has been a fruitful one, with Kramar continuing to champion Henderson’s works in numerous recitals around the country, including several workshop performances of Henderson and Gioia’s opera, Nosferatu, where he sang the title character. The current recording was made during August of 2012 on the campus of Pepperdine University in Malibu, California. Kramar is partnered with soprano Melanie Emilio, and pianist Louise Lofquist – both of whom are members of the music faculty at Pepperdine. For further information about the recording, go to www.albanyrecords.com