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Ryan Townsend Strand (Tenor) |
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Born: September 26, 1989 - Minnetonka, Minnesota, USA |
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The American tenor, Ryan Townsend Strand, obtained his Bachelor of Arts degree in Vocal Performance from California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks (2008-2012); and his Master of Music degree in Voice & Opera from Norhwestern University in Evanston, Illinois (2012-2014).
Ryan Townsend Strand's tenor voice was described as "beautiful vocalism" (San Francisco Chronicle) and "...attractive nimble tenor” (Chicago Classical Review). These qualities have afforded him an expanding career as a concert and oratorio soloist. Highlights of the 2020-2021 season include returning to Haymarket Opera Company to perform George Frideric Handel’s Acis and Galatea in October 2020, debuting with the Illinois Philharmonic as the tenor soloist for G.F. Handel’s Messiah in December 2020, and continuing his performances of J.S. Bach’s Cantatas in 2020-2021 season with the Grace Lutheran Church: Bach Cantata Vespers in River Forest, Illinois. A passionate performer of J.S. Bach, he sang the tenor arias in the St. John Passion (BWV 245) with the Elmhurst Symphony in March 2020, a highlight of his spring. He also made his debut as Endymion in J.S. Bach's secular Hunt Cantata (BWV 208) under the baton of Nicholas Kraemer with Music of the Baroque, Chicago alongside mezzo-soprano Allyson McHardy (2019).
Ryan Townsend Strand made his professional Chicago opera debut in Haymarket Opera Theater’s production of Alessandro Scarlatti’s Gli equivoci nel sembiante (Armindo). This fall, he premiered Acis & Galatea in HD (Chorus, Acis Cover) with Haymarket Opera as part of “a sparkling group of singers,” (Hyde Park Herald). With Chicago Opera Theater, he performed Jake Heggie’s Moby Dick (2019) and has sung other chorus roles in productions of Philip Glass’ The Perfect American (2017), W.A. Mozart's Lucio Silla (2015), and Bloch’s Macbeth. He made his onstage debut at Lyric Opera of Chicago in Richard Wagner’s Götterdämmerung in spring 2019, prior to COVID-19. In the fall of 2020, he premiered Acis & Galatea in HD (Chorus, Acis Cover) with HOC as part of “a sparkling group of singers,” (Hyde Park Herald). He returned to Haymarket for their production of Monteverdi’s L’incoronazione di Poppea in September 2022 as Primo Soldato. Other operatic productions include Pleasure in G.F. Handel's Beauty’s Truth & Ferrando in W.A. Mozart's Così fan tutte (2017) with Transgressive Theater-Opera & Elmhurst Symphony; Laurie in Mark Adamo’s Little Women (2014), Nerone in Monteverdi’s L’incoronazione di Poppea (2013), and Al Joad in Ricky Ian Gordon’s The Grapes of Wrath with Northwestern Opera Theater.
Ryan Townsend Strand has sung with the Grammy award-winning contemporary vocal ensemble The Crossing in Philadelphia under the direction of Donald Nally (since 2013). Locally, he performs with the Chicago Symphony Chorus (since 2018), Music of the Baroque, Chicago (since 2014), Stare at the Sun (since 2019), Bella Voce, William Ferris Chorale, Chicago A Cappella, and the Grant Park Festival Chorus (since 2014). He is a founding member (2013) and Executive Director of Constellation Men’s Ensemble in Chicago (since June 2015).
Ryan Townsend Strand recently was a featured soloist performing Ich elender Mensch, wer wird mich erlösen BWV 48 (December 2022). He sang J.S. Bach's Cantatas Dazu ist erschienen der Sohn Gottes BWV 40 and Unser Mund sei voll Lachens BWV 110 with Chicago Symphony Chorus conducted by Ken-David Masur (December 2023). Highlights of the 2023-2024 season include featured performances with Bella Voce in October, touring New England with Constellation in January, and debuting as tenor soloist for L.v. Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 with the Illinois Phiharmonic in the spring. This fall, he will perform a solo recital entitled "Letters To Jackie", premiering 15 works by some of the most sought after voices in classical music today, in tandem with the 60th anniversary of JFK’s assassination. "Letters To Jackie" will tour throughout the 2023-2024 season.
In addition, Ryan Townsend Strand has worked as: Resident Assistant at California Lutheran University (August 2009-May 2012); Production Assistant at Ojai Music Festival in California (January 2011-June 2012); Tenor in Chicago Bach Project (2014-2016; singing in the professional chorus for both of J.S. Bach's Passions BWV 244 & BWV 245); Audience Services Representative at Lyric Opera of Chicago (December 2014-January 2016); Tenor Soloist/Section Leader at Trinity United Methodist Church in Wilmette, Illinois (2012-August 2016); Bienen School of Music Institute for New Music and Choral Administrator at Northwestern University (April 2016-October 2018); Freelance Associate Producer at Ojai Music Festival (December 2015-December 2022); Schola Section Leader at Episcopal Church of the Atonement inj Chicago (since Sepember 2016). He currently lives in Chicago, Illinois. |
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Sources:
Ryan Townsend Strand Website & Facebook/LinkedIn profles
The Artist (December 2023)
Bits & pieces from other sources
Photos 11-25: Alexa Boldt/Adorè Alexander Photography
Contributed by Aryeh Oron (May 2021, December 2023) |
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Recordings of Bach Cantatas & Other Vocal Works |
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Conductor |
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Works |
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Michael D. Costello |
Tenor |
GLC-BCV [CV-3] (2020, Video): BWV 106
GLC-BCV [CV-4] (2020, Video): BWV 70
GLC-BCV [CV-6] (2021, Video): BWV 32
GLC-BCV [CV-8] (2021, Video): BWV 6
GLC-BCV [C51-2] (2021, Video): BWV 80
GLC-BCV [C51-3] (2021, Video): BWV 61
GLC-BCV [C51-4] (2022, Video): BWV 123
GLC-BCV [C51-7] (2022, Video): BWV 67
GLC-BCV [C51-8] (2022, Video): BWV 172
GLC-BCV [C52-3] (2022, Video): BWV 48
GLC-BCV [C52-4] (2023, Video): BWV 156
GLC-BCV [C52-7] (2023, Video): BWV 104
GLC-BCV [C52-6] (2023, Video): BWV 244
GLC-BCV [C53-5] (2024, Video): BWV 144
GLC-BCV [C53-6] (2024, Video): BWV 182
GLC-BCV [C53-7] (2024, Video): BWV 12 |
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Michael D. Costello |
Tenor |
Member of Grace Parish Choir:
GLC-BCV [C51-7] (2022, Video): BWV 67
GLC-BCV [C51-8] (2022, Video): BWV 172
GLC-BCV [C52-3] (2022, Video): BWV 48
GLC-BCV [C52-4] (2023, Video): BWV 156
GLC-BCV [C53-5] (2024, Video): BWV 144
GLC-BCV [C53-6] (2024, Video): BWV 182
GLC-BCV [C53-7] (2024, Video): BWV 12 |
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Michael D. Costello |
Tenor |
Member of Bach Cantata Vespers Chorus:
GLC-BCV [C51-2] (2021, Video): BWV 80
GLC-BCV [C51-3] (2021, Video): BWV 61
GLC-BCV [C51-4] (2022, Video): BWV 123 |
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Links to other Sites |
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Ryan Townsend Strand - Tenor (Official Website)
Ryan Strand on Facebook
Ryan Townsend Strand, Tenor page on Facebook
Ryan Townsend Strand on LinkedIn
Getting to Know You - An Interview with Ryan Townsend Strand (The Church of the Atonement) [May 14, 2020] |
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