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August 2007: Jason Hardy

Emory Music Alum Returns for Fall Performance

An alumnus of the music department at Emory University and the Peabody Conservatory, Jason Hardy, bass, has emerged as one of today’s most versatile and in-demand vocal performers. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution proclaimed that "Hardy is a major discovery" and a "powerful presence" whose "bass voice is wide and ringing, with an easy delivery and an Italianate ‘ping’ in his tone." The Baltimore Sun called Hardy "enthralling" with "enormous dramatic flair [and] a voice of great power and richness combined with a remarkable agility for vocal embellishment."

The recipient of a Sullivan Foundation Career Grant, he has appeared as a recitalist at the prestigious Marlboro Music Festival and has presented various recitals across the country with support from the Marilyn Horne Foundation, including his debut recital at Carnegie Hall’s Weill Hall. However, Hardy is no stranger to Carnegie Hall, having performed various concerts such as Mozart’s Requiem and Ein Deutches Requiem by Brahms, both under the baton of John Rutter. He has also appeared in concert with the National Symphony Orchestra, New York Choral Society and the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra.

Hardy is also an accomplished opera singer, receiving numerous awards and national recognition for his talent. He was a regional finalist in the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, a national finalist for the Lyric Opera of Chicago Center for American Artists, and a grand prize-winner of both the Florida Grand Opera Competition and the Heinz Rehfuss Singing Actor Competition. He has also won vocal competitions held by the Liederkranz Foundation, Palm Beach Opera, Fort Worth Opera, Opera Birmingham, Connecticut Opera and the Oratorio Society of New York.

Hardy is a founding member of the Atlanta-based Southeastern Festival of Song, which presents its brand new performance, "The Great Escape," at the Schwartz Center on Saturday, Sept. 22, 2007, at 8 p.m. Tickets can be purchased from the Arts at Emory box office by calling 404-727-5050 or online at www.arts.emory.edu.

When he’s not singing, Hardy, a resident of Atlanta, also enjoys playing brass instruments and practicing his magic and juggling skills, including balancing large objects on his face. Luckily, Hardy was able to take some time from these pursuits to answer some questions about his successful career and his alma mater.

Q: In what ways did your Emory experience influence your career? What are your thoughts about the growth of the Music Department and the increasingly large number of music majors?
A: Among all of my activities during my undergraduate years, I was most active in the music department at Emory.  I sang in all of theschool-sponsored vocal ensembles and even started a new one (the now "famous" No Strings Attached).   My work-study job kept me busy with most of Emory's instrumental ensembles as well.  By graduation, I knew I wanted a career in music. Whether music happens to be a student's ultimate career choice or not, I think it is wonderful that the Music Department has experienced such growth.  By providing the students with so many opportunities for the study and performance of music, Emory has clearly acknowledged the importance of a lifelong participation in the arts.  I hope the trend continues!

Q: Discuss some highlights of your musical career since graduating from Emory including upcoming debuts and your solo recital disc.
A: I've been very blessed in my career since graduating from Emory.  I've gotten to sing with opera companies in New York, Montreal, Chicago, Baltimore, Washington, and San Francisco and have performed concerts in venues such as Carnegie Hall, Avery Fisher Hall, and the Kennedy Center.  I am most excited about my recital work with organizations such as the innovative Southeastern Festival of Song (aka "SEFoS", www.SEFoS.org), with whom I am performing this September at Emory.
I have recently released my first solo CD, entitled "Youth and Love". It is a live recording of a recital I presented last year.  It contains a wide variety of repertoire, and is thematic in the style of a SEFoS recital.  It is available for preview at my website, www.jasonhardy.net, or at most major online music vendors.

Q: While at Emory you founded No Strings Attached, the all-male a-cappella ensemble. What inspired you to start this group? Are you pleased with the direction the group has taken in recent years?
A: I am so proud of the direction No Strings Attached has taken in recent years.  In 1994, a few of my classmates and I thought it would be fun to put a group like this together.  We put together some great talent, and things just took off!  We couldn't have imagined the impact this group has made on the Emory community.  Just this year, in recognition of its success, I worked with the Emory Alumni Association to create FANS (Friends of No Strings), an official alumni interest group dedicated to the support of NSA. 
( http://alumni.emory.edu/chapters/fans.php?section=chapters&sub=interest).

Q: What should audience members look forward to in SEFoS's September performance at Emory?
A:Audience members can expect to enjoy themselves!  SEFoS has been so successful because of its gifted artists, innovative programming, and its accessibility.  Audience members should expect an eclectic style of performance where classical connoisseurs, musical theater lovers, and fans of popular song will all be surprised and satiated.

Q: What are some of the advantages/disadvantages of being an opera singer in Atlanta as opposed to locations like New York?  What does the field look like in Atlanta for a vocalist?
A: I'd say the disadvantage would be that I don't perform near home very often, because the musical offerings are not as abundant here as they are in other cities.  However, the musical landscape is certainly changing!  In fact, I happen to be singing a role in the upcoming production ofTurandot with the Atlanta Opera in the company's season-opening performance at its new venue this September. There are a number of very successful opera singers that live in Atlanta, and they work all over the world.  This is a great city to call home, and our enormous airport can get you anywhere you need to go for work!

Q: How do you prepare for an upcoming performance?  Is your routine different for a concert like the SEFOS show versus an opera?
A: Preparation for recitals and opera is very different.  Both require a high level of vocal conditioning and music/text/character preparation. The challenge of a solo recital is that it is an intimate, self-created body of work.  An opera production, on the other hand, requires a large team for success:  the cast, chorus, conductor, orchestra, director, designers, and crew. SEFoS is unique in the sense that it employs aspects of both, and the resulting product has been a huge success.

Q: Just for Fun: What’s the largest object you’ve ever balanced on your face?
A: Actually, I've balanced a kayak on my face before, which is by far the heaviest object. I wish I had a picture of that! In one production, however, I made a great entrance onstage balancing a 20 ft banner while being pulled out on a cart. It turned out that the pole was too tall for the theater, so it had to be cut down to about ten feet.

Edited by Jessica Moore
Communications Coordinator
Arts at Emory

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