Marel Hidalgo, guitar

Seventeen-year-old guitarist Marel Hidalgo started his musical journey at the age of four, when he started taking lessons at a music school in his birthplace, Neptune, New Jersey. Soon after, at the age of five, he formed his first band, Marel Hidalgo and Friends, a multi-generational and multi-cultural formation that played extensively in local festivals and venues. As the lead guitarist of his own band, Marel started to gain recognition and call the attention of larger festivals and media that would land him multiple performances at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio, The Denver Day of Rock in Denver, Colorado, appearances on Univison, Channel 12, Channel 9, and an appearance on National TV on the Harry Connick Jr. Show, along with multiple national press articles including the USA Today and the Scholastic magazine to name some. While his approach to music has been very eclectic from playing progressive rock, blues, flamenco, jazz fusion, reggae, and Latin rock, his main focus lately has been the jazz guitar, inspired by the likes of Joe Pass, Johnny Smith, Ernest Ranglin, and Tal Farlow.

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www.marelhidalgomusic.com

Bernard Holcomb, tenor

Tenor Bernard Holcomb has "already made a name for himself in the world of opera" with his "delicate and flexible voice" (Opera Wire) and the "appealing sweetness and clarity [of] his tone" (New York Times).  Katy Walsh of Chicago Theater Beat said it best:

“Although everyone [at Lyric Opera of Chicago] can sing, Holcomb reminds us why we come to the Lyric."

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Mr. Holcomb made his Metropolitan Opera début in Terence Blanchard and Michael Cristofer’s Champion, his house début at Opera Omaha in X, the Life and Times of Malcolm X, and joined Central City Opera as Iago in Otello. In addition, Holcomb performed with On Site Opera as Harlekin in Der Kaiser von Atlantis, and took part in the workshop for The Pigeon Keeper, a new commission from Santa Fe Opera. In concert, Holcomb performed Mendelssohn's Elijah with Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra, Hailstork and Martin’s A Knee on the Neck with New York Choral Society, a holiday concert with the Cincinnati Pops under the baton of Mo. John Morris Russel, Jacksonville Symphony's concert Lush Life: Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn, as well as Damien Geter’s An African American Requiem with Fort Worth Opera, after having appeared in its world premiere in the 21-22 season.

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With notable engagements at esteemed venues like Carnegie Hall and the Dresden Semperoper, Holcomb continues to captivate audiences worldwide. His repertoire spans from classical masterpieces like Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 to contemporary works such as Damien Geter’s"An African American Requiem.”

An alumnus of the Lyric Opera’s Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Opera Center, Bernard performedsuch roles as Ernesto in Don Pasquale and Rodolfo in La bohème. During his Lyric tenure, Mr.

Holcomb appeared in the main stage performances of Elektra, Simon Boccanegra, Don Pasquale,Les contes d’Hoffmann and covered major roles in Werther, Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, and Rigoletto.

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Other notable engagements include Paolino in Cimarosa’s Il matrimonio segreto and Alfredo in LaTraviata with Pine Mountain Music Festival; The Crabman in Porgy and Bess, which led to an

international tour of Porgy and Bess through Russia, Poland, Greece, Latvia, Estonia and Germany, and Gastone in La Traviata with Michigan Opera Theatre. Bernard also appeared on several

themed song recitals as part of a collaboration between Lyric Opera of Chicago and Chicago’s WFMT 98.7 which aired throughout the summer of 2013. A Detroit native, Holcomb holds a Master of Music degree from the University of Michigan and a Bachelor of Music degree from the Eastman School of Music.

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For more information please visit: www.bernardholcomb.com

David Maiullo, piano

David Maiullo, acclaimed by Opera News as “a pianist of sentiment, discretion, and style,” is a distinguished accompanist, coach, and conductor based in the New York City metropolitan area. With a remarkable track record of over 4,000 recitals and performances, he has graced the stages of prestigious US venues including Carnegie Hall, Avery Fisher Hall, Alice Tully Hall, Merkin Concert Hall, and Jazz at Lincoln Center. His international engagements have taken him to renowned locations in Spain, Portugal, Germany, Austria, Italy, France, Hungary, Poland, and Japan.

Mr. Maiullo had the honor of performing the European premiere of Gian Carlo Menotti’s MASS for the composer in Spoleto with the Ars Musica Chorale and has appeared at the prestigious Edinburgh Fringe Festival. He completed a notable twenty-year tenure as Music Director and Chairman of the Board for Bravo Alliance of Performing Artists. Additionally, he served as Music Director for Nyack College’s opera workshop, assistant chorus director at Kean University, and Conductor/Music Director for Eastern Opera, Opera Fest NJ, and Opera Fest Italy in Tolentino, Italy.