Artist BiosBarbara Butler
Bruce Ewing
Bruce Ewing, a native of Suffern, NY, and a graduate of the Hartt School of Music, Hartford, CT, is presently appearing in Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “PHANTOM: The Las Vegas Spectacular” at the Venetian Resort & Casino in Las Vegas. (Monsieur Reyer / Piangi u.s.). Before Phantom, Bruce appeared as Jinx in “Forever Plaid” at the Las Vegas Gold Coast Hotel & Casino, as well as 4 years as Jinx & Sparky in “Forever Plaid” at the Flamingo Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. For 14 years before Vegas, Bruce worked all over the county in musical theater, with credits including national tours of “Forever Plaid” (Jinx/Frankie Sparky), "City of Angels" (Jimmy Powers), "Grand Hotel" (Erik and understudy for the Baron), and "Ziegfeld: A Night at the Follies" (production tenor). Bruce performs on 3 solo CDs, "Tonight at Eight: Songs from Broadway," “Give Me Jesus”, and his Christmas Album, "Remembering To Dream", all musical directed and accompanied by Joey Singer. You can also hear Bruce on the 15th Anniversary CD of “Forever Plaid”, singing the role of Jinx. Along with sister-in-law Kate Ewing, Bruce teaches voice lessons through their Las Vegas Studio, Ewing Vocal Associates (www.EwingVocalAssociates.com) Bruce's greatest joy in life is being able to sing!
Cirque de la Symphonie
Alexander Streltsov is a Russian aerial artist who started working with future Cirque du Soleil choreographer Pavel Brun and famed producer Valentin Gneushev when he was only twelve, performing on Broadway at the Gershwin Theater. The same year he won the gold medal in the competition among international cirque artists at the prestigious Festival Mondial Du Cirque De L'Avenir in Paris. His combination of natural strength, artistic expression, and grace sets his performance apart from other aerialists. Also known as “Sasha,” he has performed for three Russian presidents and the Bolshoi Ballet, numerous symphonies in the US and Europe, and elaborate theater and stage productions worldwide. He has made many television appearances, such as the star-studded ABC-TV special “Christopher Reeve- A Celebration of Hope” and the PBS nationwide broadcast of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra’s Fourth of July Celebration. He continues be a favorite at music halls, where he soars out over the audience in a spectacular display of aerial artistry or performs his riveting spinning cube act. Christine Van Loo is a 7-time consecutive National Champion, Female Olympic Athlete of the Year, and Athlete of the Decade in acrobatic gymnastics. She was inducted into the USSA (acro-gymnastics) Hall of Fame and the World Acrobatics Society Gallery of Honor. As a professional aerialist and acrobat she has performed in the 2002 Winter Olympics, at two Grammy Awards (with No Doubt and with Ricky Martin), at the American Music Awards (with Aerosmith), the Miss Universe pageant, and Paul McCartney's European tour. She choreographed the aerials for Britney Spears World Tour and the Stars on Ice US tour. Christine provides spell-binding performances of static silks, aerial hoop, and duo trapeze with Cirque de la Symphonie. Vladimir Tsarkov provides a spell-binding performance with combinations of mime and juggling feats. A favorite of the younger members of the audiences, Vladimir’s Red Harlequin act features rings, balls, and batons, and he’s even been known to teach the maestro a trick or two! He is a veteran of Circus Circus, Cirque Ingenieux, and various Cirque de la Symphonie performances. Vladimir graduated from Russia’s prestigious State College of Circus and Theater Arts and won the gold medal at the Cirque de Demain International Festival in France. His performance with the symphony is pure entertainment and guaranteed to please audiences of all ages. Elena Tsarkova, the “Lady in White,” is a graduate of the famed Moscow Circus School and first-place winner of the prestigious National Russian Circus Festival. From her “Master of Sports” in gymnastics, Elena developed into a unique and graceful performer with the Big Apple Circus, Switzerland’s Circus Knie, and Germany’s Circus Roncalli. Her combination of contortion, balance, and graceful dance moves has made her a major star with Cirque de la Mur in Florida and Circus Circus in Las Vegas. Elena’s experience with many major stage and theater productions offers a professional background that allows for a truly unforgettable performance with the live symphony. The “Lady in White” provides an elegant touch to Cirque de la Symphonie.
Vincent FalconeBorn in syracuse, new york, vincent falcone began studying classical piano at the age of three. During high school, mr. Falcone was introduced to jazz and was so taken with this music, that even though he was engaged in classical training at syracuse university, he decided to pursue jazz and pop music as a career. After extensive traveling throughout europe with various jazz groups, he returned to the united states in 1964 and spent several years furthering his musical studies as well as performing in the upstate new york area. In 1970 mr. Falcone relocated to las vegas, where he still resides. He became house pianist at caesar’s palace where he was heard by frank sinatra who eventually employed him as his musical director and pianist. This association lasted from 1976 until 1982 with a reprise in 1985 -1986. In 1980, mr. Falcone was music director for the inaugural gala for president ronald reagan. Mr. Falcone has, at one time or another, been pianist/conductor for many of the country’s top singers including robert goulet, andy williams, connie francis, paul anka, diahann carroll, sylvia syms, the mcguire sisters, frankie randall, joe piscopo, the great french singer-composer charles aznavour, jack jones, al martino, eddie fisher, james darren, steve lawrence and eydie gorme , jerry lewis, julius larosa, and tony bennett. Mr. Falcone was musical director and pianist for pia zadora from 1983 to 1993. As such, he along with robert farnon, the acclaimed british composer / arranger, recorded three albums featuring pia zadora with the london philharmonic, and royal philharmonic orchestras, and one album recorded in los angeles, with the brilliant arranger sammy nestico. He is also featured on a new cd by steve lawrence entitled "steve lawrence sings sinatra". He has appeared with such jazz artists as steve gadd, joe labarbara, bobby shew, the condoli brothers, scott hamilton, terry gibbs, sonny stitt, jack sheldon, carl fontana, mark murphy and many others. He has extensive experience as conductor of all size orchestras, including symphony orchestras, and has been musical director for the stage musical "too short to be a rockette.” He can be heard on several recordings with frank sinatra, pia zadora, sylvia syms, and others as well as his own jazz piano trio album and a cd with his jazz organ trio. The group, "the jazz organ-ization," was recorded live at the sahara hotel in las vegas, nevada. His most recent cd entitled “warm heart cool hands” was recorded in 2008. His composition, with lyricist joe cocuzzo entitled "the singer'', was recorded by rosemary clooney, and marlene verplank. In 2005, mr. Falcone had his first book published by hal leonard publishing co. Entitled “frankly-just between us”. The book tells of his many experiences with frank sinatra and many of the other artists with whom he has worked.
Charles Geyer
Kristen Hertzenberg Kristen Hertzenberg currently plays "Christine" in the Las Vegas production of Phantom of the Opera and has been a cast member since the show opened in 2006. She moved to Las Vegas from New York City, but she’ll always be a Texan at heart! A graduate of the University of Texas, she then headed to Boston where she earned a Masters in Opera from the Longy School of Music. She performed classically across New England, Florida, New York, Texas, and Austria before discovering a love for theatre. She played "Sophie" in Terrence McNally's Master Class (Caldwell Theatre) and "Sheila" on a European tour of HAIR, spending nearly two years on the road with that production. They opened in Paris and then played Milan, Rome, Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Salzburg, Vienna, Frankfurt, Stuttgart, Cologne, Dresden, and Leipzig among many other cities. She is now absolutely loving her newest role in life...Mom! She and her husband had a baby girl named Shea in the Fall of 2008. Las Vegas has now become home and Kristen enjoys being active in the community. She started the website “Broadway Vegas” (broadwayvegas.blogspot.com) in February of 2008 to keep readers informed about all of the wonderful things happening with the actors on the Las Vegas Strip. She can also frequently be found in the recording studio working with composers from the theatre community or in benefit concerts on various stages around town. Her favorite local organizations include Family Promise of Las Vegas, Opportunity Village, and the Liberace Foundation. www.kristenhertzenberg.com
Michael Shih Violinist Michael Shih, concertmaster of the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra (FWSO) since 2001, has performed throughout America and around the world. A United States Presidential Scholar in the Arts, he was a winner in the Naumburg Violin Competition and Artists International’s Auditions, which led to his New York recital debut at Carnegie’s Weill Recital Hall in 1992. He has appeared as soloist with the Los Angeles Philharmonic at Hollywood Bowl, the Little Orchestra Society at Avery Fisher Hall, the Dallas, Fort Worth, and Hartford symphony orchestras, the San Pedro Sula Symphony in Honduras, and the Taipei Symphony at Taiwan’s National Concert Hall. In 2007, he gave the world premiere of Kevin Puts’ Violin Concerto with the FWSO conducted by Miguel Harth-Bedoya, and this critically acclaimed performance was recently released by FWSO Live. An avid performer of chamber music, he has collaborated with such artists as Leon Fleisher, Sharon Isbin, Jaime Laredo, Cho-Liang Lin, and Yo-Yo Ma. From 1992 to 2002, he was first violinist of the Whitman Quartet, formerly graduate quartet-in-residence at the Juilliard School and winner of the Naumburg Chamber Music and Shouse Debut Artists awards. Music festival appearances include Aspen, Chamber Music Northwest, Lincoln Center, Ravinia, and Mostly Mozart. He has also appeared at the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center and Cliburn Foundation’s “Cliburn at the Modern” series with composers John Corigliano, Sebastian Currier, Osvaldo Golijov, and Lowell Liebermann. He is currently the associate artistic director of the Fort Worth Chamber Music Society. Media appearances include NPR’s Performance Today, NBC’s Today Show, and Japan’s NHK. He holds Bachelor and Master of Music degrees from Juilliard, where he studied with Dorothy DeLay and Hyo Kang. He plays a 1710 Antonio Stradivari violin, generously on loan to the FWSO by Mr. and Mrs. William S. Davis of Fort Worth.
Texas Tenors Marcus Collins Marcus was born in a small town and began to sing at the age of 4. He first learned how to sing by emulating his favorite radio artists such as Garth Brooks and George Michael before training classically in college. Along with numerous talent shows, fairs, and cruise ships, Marcus has also performed in New York City with the cast of Hairspray, Off-Broadway's Altar Boyz as Matthew, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, and as Jinx in Forever Plaid. Beyond music, he has worked extensively as an actor with appearances in over 100 episodes of network television, 25 films, and numerous commercials including P.S. I Love You, Across The Universe, 30 Rock, Terminator: The Sarah Conner Chronicles, Sex and the City, recurring roles on One Life To Live and As The World Turns, and the lead character in the video game Alone in the Dark. Marcus is proud to bring a contemporary element to The Texas Tenors and would like to thank everyone who voted for the group, America's Got Talent, and his family for their love and support. JC Fisher JC has entertained audiences around the world for the past 15 years. With a passion for sports, he also enjoyed singing in church and eventually discovered a deeper love for music in college. While earning his Bachelor's Degree in Music, JC performed various roles including Rodolfo in La Boheme, Tamino in The Magic Flute, Ernesto in Don Pasquale, and Henrick in A Little Night Music. After college, JC traveled to Lucca, Italy where he sang in the Puccini festival under the direction of acclaimed Italian maestro Lorenzo Malfatti. Singing everything from Country to Gospel led to one of JC's favorite experiences singing along side Rudy Gatlin in Annie Get Your Gun and Oklahoma in Branson, Missouri. He has performed his solo show on more than 75 cruise ships worldwide. JC and his wife Jennifer have two young boys, Jackson and Jenson, and are expecting a baby girl. John Hagen John has been described as "astonishing.. a superb tenor of deep musicality" making his Lincoln Center debut in New York City in Teatro Grattacielo's mounting of Mascagni's Gulglielmo Ratcliff. Mr. Hagen created 3 tenor roles in the world premier of The Lost Dauphane for Pamiro Opera airing on PBS. John has performed a vast array of operatic roles ranging from Alfredo in La Traviata to the title role of Otello for Cleveland Opera on tour. His favorite Broadway roles include Billy Bigelow in Carousel and Che in Evita. John has received many awards and accolades throughout his career including finalist in the New Jersey Opera Association of Verismo Opera competition held at Carnegie Hall, Metropolitan Opera Auditions Regional Finalist, and winner of numerous competitions mounted by the National Association of Teachers of Singing. Mr. Hagen is highly regarded for his performances of the Verdi Requiem and Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 performing these works with the Austin Symphony (TX), Corpus Christi Symphony (TX), Omaha Symphony, Nebraska Chamber Orchestra, Cedar Rapids Symphony, and the Haverford Chorale in Philadelphia to name a few. John has taught voice at Wartburg College and at his alma mater, the University of Northern Iowa. John has a deep passion for both art and music. He owns and operates the Henry W. Myrtle Art Gallery in Cedar Falls, Iowa.
UNT Chamber Choir
Haochen Zhang
The Nancy Lee and Perry R. Bass Gold Medalist of the Thirteenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, Haochen Zhang was the youngest participant in the competition at 19. He was previously recognized for his prodigious talent as the youngest winner of the 2007 China International Piano Competition when he was 17 years old. A sensitive musician and insightful programmer, Mr. Zhang launched his first year as a Cliburn Gold Medalist with such prestigious engagements as with the Aspen Summer Music Festival, the Washington Performing Arts Society at the Kennedy Center, and Carnegie Hall’s “Ancient Paths, Modern Voices: A Festival Celebrating Chinese Culture.” He also made a triumphant return to his native China at the Beijing Music Festival in the winter of 2009. Mr. Zhang opened the 2010 summer season at the Mann Center in Philadelphia, performing with The Philadelphia Orchestra and conductor Rossen Milanov. He made his New York City recital debut at Avery Fisher Hall as part of the Lincoln Center’s Mostly Mozart Festival in July. Highlights of the upcoming season include recitals with the Gilmore Rising Stars series in Michigan, the Celebrity Series in Boston, and the Cliburn Concerts series in Texas. He will also appear with the Israel and London Philharmonic Orchestras. Other engagements will take him across all regions of the United States, Asia, and Europe in recitals and appearances with the Krakow Philharmonic, Hong Kong Philharmonic, and the Singapore Chinese, Phoenix, Santa Fe, and Kansas City symphonies. Haochen Zhang’s Cliburn Competition performances of Stravinsky, Chopin, Liszt, and Mason Bates were recently released by harmonia mundi. His complete competition performances are available at Cliburn.tv. Mr. Zhang currently studies at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia with Gary Graffman. He previously attended the Shanghai Conservatory and the Shenzhen Arts School.
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