The Juilliard School- Master’s Degree; The North Carolina School of the Arts- Bachelor’s Degree
Hochschule der Kunste, Berlin- Post Graduate, Fulbright; University of Southern California- Opera Workshop
Finalist: Birgitte Nielson Competition; Lola Wilson Hayes Competition; Licia Albanese Competition; Western Regional Metropolitan Opera Auditions
Winner: Fulbright Scholarship; Palm Springs Opera Guild; Artists of the Future; Santa Barbara Opera Guild
Soprano Kerry Walsh has concert repertoire encompassing a wide range of styles. Originally an early music specialist, she now brings an expansive voice to her baroque and classical performances. Having sung lyric soprano and dramatic coloratura roles, Ms. Walsh is now emerging as an exciting performer of dramatic and heavier bel canto roles. A specialist in contemporary literature as well, she is sought after as an interpreter of new works, and has brought several roles to life. She premiered excerpts from "Nannan" with the New York City Vox contemporary opera showcase; the composer, Wang Jie, is now writing the title role with her in mind. On the same program was "Rio de Sangre" by Don Davis, excerpt from which she had sung with the Los Angeles Master Chorale and was met with favorable reviews; "Davis has a Straussian flair for soprano voices.... Antonia, sung with sultry glamour by Kerry Walsh, was all dark rapture."
Ms. Walsh has performed with companies and festivals such as the Santa Fe Opera, Opera San Jose, the San Luis Obispo Mozart Festival, Basel Sinfonietta, the Long Beach Opera, Boris Brott Festival, i Cantori, Desert Music Fest, West Coast Symphony, Music In the Mountains, Ventura Symphony, Pacific Repertory Opera and Opera Music Theater International in roles including Constanze, Mimi, Rosina, Violetta, Lucia, Fiordiligi, Carmen, Leila, Amelia, Giuliette, the Marschallin, Marguerite (Mephistophele), Sesto (La Clemenza di Tito) and the Queen of the Night, which she also recorded for the film soundtrack "Radioland Murders." New roles in her repertoire are Anna Bolena, Lucrezia Borgia, Elizabeth in Roberto Devereaux and Aida. Stepping out on the musical theater stage, she has delighted audiences as Lady Thiang in "The King and I" and the French Princess in "The Unsinkable Molly Brown." With the versatility to carry a concert program, Ms. Walsh frequently appears as featured soloist in both traditional and contemporary selections, including Villa-Lobos’ Bachianas Brasileiras, Bachalet’s Chere Nuit, Mozart’s Exultate Jubilate and Idomeneo, Bach, Scarlatti and Telemmann Cantatas, and Flamenco choreographed arias from Carmen.
Her training at the North Carolina School of the Arts and Juilliard, where she received her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees respectively, was succeeded by a year of study at the Hochschule der Kunste Berlin as a Fulbright Scholar. She has received other various grants and honors from the Licia Albanese Foundation, Lola Wilson-Hayes competition, Palm Springs, Miami, and Santa Barbara Opera Guilds, Profant Foundation, Birgitte Nielson Competition, Artists of the Future, and the Metropolitan Opera Western Regional Competition. Her work in Germany and Switzerland led to collaborative and solo projects combining dance, voice, flute and theater. Upon moving to Los Angeles to attend the University of Southern California opera workshop, she continued to explore the fusion of these art forms, and also wrote, designed and choreographed her own works. Ms. Walsh has also performed as an actress in theatre, television and film, appearing on shows such as "Six Feet Under" and "Drake and Josh" and films "Reflex" and "42.4%". She has employed her knowledge of a wide variety of musical styles in the TV and film industries, performing on many soundtracks such as "King Kong" and "XMen 3”, and “The Simpsons,” with solo vocal appearances including "The Matrix Reloaded," "The Marine”, “The Stalking of Laurie Show” and “Pride and Glory.”
Critics have consistently praised Ms. Walsh’s range and flexibility, which have served her well in the field of new music. She has premiered numerous works including Ray Shattenkirk’s "Aves", commissioned by Chamber Music America for the Sacramento Chamber Music Society, and four pieces written for her by Howard Hersh for Music in the Mountains and the Sacramento Festival of New American Music. Yet to be premiered is a concerto for both flute and voice, written for her by Ross Whitney. She has employed her movement and improvisational skills in works such as Pauline Oliveras’ "Relocario de los Animales" and the premier of Nicholas Chase’s "22" with Long Beach Opera. She created the role of Clytemnestra for the world premier of Will Salmon's "Orestia" and sang Lena/Leonore in the American premier of von Bose's "The Sorrows of Young Werther" with the Santa Fe Opera. Ms. Walsh has sung in over twenty five languages, including Japanese, Ethiopian, Balinese and Arabic in a program of international lullabies, and Chinese in works of Chen Yi.
Mention has often been made of her convincing portrayals and dramatic gift; “…understands the sweep of drama as much as the music itself…”, “…a knockout, both physically and vocally…”. The Eugene Register-Guard said her performance of Mozart’s concert aria from Idomeneo; “…was sung beautifully by (Ms. Walsh.) Her voice was rich, strong and thrilling…her voice was superbly controlled, and at full throat, she sent goose bumps up the back of my neck, especially in the coloratura runs.” In the American premier of Erling Wold's "Sub Pontio Pilato" at ODC Theater in San Francisco, Ms. Walsh was described as "entrancing" and "formidable," a "showstopper;" her voice was referred to as "achingly alluring." Other reviews have mentioned her “golden tone” and “amazing voice”; the LA Times has termed her singing as “dramatic” and “meltingly beautiful.”
Upcoming/current engagements include the premier of "Incatatrix", a solo work written for her based on an opera in Progress by Gerard Pape, to be performed in festival throughout Europe and the US; solo concerts with organist Osvaldo Guidotti in Rome, at the Basilica Santa Maria degli'Angeli and in Calvi dell'Umbia: a solo New Years concert in Cairo; a program of works by George Crumb at the LA County Museum; development of an opera with libretto by playwright Brad Rosenstein; a recording of Celtic/world music with composer Gary Boggess; duets with jazz vocalist Irvin Caesar on a recording of standards; several dance/trance albums; and the world premier of "Rio de Sangre" with the Florentine Opera, Milwaukee.
Opera:
- ***Rio de Sangre Antonia Walt Disney Concert Hall
- (Suite of Excerpts) Los Angeles Master Chorale
- **22 Light Nicholas Chase Long Beach Opera
- *Sub Pontio Pilato Procula/Ptolemeus Erling Wold ODC Theatre, San Francisco
- ***The History Lesson The Teacher Howard Hersh Festival of New American Music
- *The Sorrows of Werther Lena/Leanora Hans Jurgen v. Bose The Santa Fe Opera
- Un Ballo in Maschera Amelia Verdi Opera Music Theatre Int.
- Der Rosenkavalier The Marschallin Strauss Opera Music Theatre Int.
- La Boheme Mimi Puccini OMTI, Palisades Symphony
- Carmen Carmen Bizet Opera San Jose
- Cosi fan Tutte Fiordiligi Mozart Opera San Jose
- Les Pechuers de Perles Leila Bizet Opera San Jose
- La Traviata Violetta Verdi Opera SJ, Pacific Rep. Opera
- Il Barbiere di Siviglia Rosina Rossini New West Sym., Brott Festival
- Die Zauberflote Queen of the Night Mozart UCSB, Pacific Repertory Opera
- Lucia di Lammermoor Lucia Donizetti Brentwood Symphony
- Die Entfuhrung Constanze Mozart San Luis Obispo Mozart Fest.
- The Tales of Hoffman Giulietta Offenbach Santa Fe Opera Scenes
- La Boheme Musetta Puccini Santa Fe Opera Scenes
- La Clemenza di Tito Sesto Mozart USC Opera Workshop
- Hansel and Gretel The Witch Humperdink USC Opera Workshop
- Ordo Virtutum Anima Hildegarde I Cantori
- ***The Orestia Clytemnestra Will Salmon Open Gate Theatre
- ***Anthony and Cleopatra Cleopatra J. Chiusiano Santa Barbara Opera Benefit Gala
- Tosca Tosca Puccini Santa Barbara Opera Gala
- Marguerita Mefistofele Boito San Jose Gala; LA Opera Buffs
Concerts:
- Fledermaus Excerpts/Holday Pops Strauss/Various Napa Symphony
- Chants D’Auvergne Canteloube Music in the Mountains
- Elijah Mendelsohn Music in the Mountains
- Requiem Verdi Opera Music Theater Int.
- Magnificat Rutter Santa Barbara Choral Society
- Exultate Jubilate Mozart Desert Music Fest.
- B Minor Mass Bach St. Philips, Carmel Bach Fest.
- Non Temer (Idomeneo) Mozart Oregon Mozart Players
- Chere Nuit Bachalet Desert Music Fest, Ventura Sym
- Requiem Mozart Pasadena Pro Musica
- Messiah Handel Santa Cruz Chorale, Montecito
- Bachianas Brasileiras Villa-Lobos West Coast Sym., Ventura Sym.
- Mass in G Schubert Santa Barbara Mission Chorale
- Coronation Mass Mozart Santa Barbara Mission Chorale
- Stabat Mater Pergolesi Holy Family, Mount St. Mary’s
- Cantata 51, Canata 210 Bach Mount Wash. Chamber Ens.
- Mass in C Mozart Pasadena Pro Musica
- Magnificat Galuppi Church of Holy Faith, Santa Fe
- Sulle Sponde del Tebro Scarlatti Mt. Washington Chamber Ens.
- St. George and the Dragon Medieval Music I Cantori
- Stabat Mater Caldara St. Phillips
- Lute Song Recitals Various Renaissance International Recital Venues
- (Lutanists Benjamin Bunch, Brendan Feehan, Kenton Youngstrom)
Contemporary:
- **Be of Love a Little More Careful Edward Cansino I Cantori
- **Atlantiana Zam Johnson Spannwerk, Berlin
- **California Songs Howard Hersh Music Now; Nevada City
- **Apoligetica Daniel Lentz Arizona State, CA Tour
- **Looking Back on Faded Chandeliers Leonard Rosenman SB Festival of New Music
- **Poems to the Beloved Lawrence Rosenthal Claremont College,
- SB Festival of New Music
- **Me Gustas Quando Callas Enrique Gonzales Lo Cal Composers
- **Edwards Blues Cansino US Recital Tour
- Relocario de los Animales Pauline Oliveros Cal Arts Contemporary Festival Of Dreams Brian Head USC Chamber Performances
- L’Homme et son Desir Milhaud Basel Sinfonietta
- ***Early Harvests Howard Hersh Music in the Mountains
- **Voices of Light Eisner US Tour
- *Perchance to Dream Peter Boyer Oregon Mozart Players
- ***Aves Ray Shattenkirk Chamber Music America
- Mitsi Yuki Takahashi I Cantori
- Lacrymosa Melissa Hui Fest. of New American Music
- Two Poems Chen Yi Fest. of New American Music
- The Women of Yueh Sir Aurthur Bliss Ojai Festival
- Green Light Don Davis Illinois State University Chansons de Bilitis Dane Rhudyar Cal Arts Chamber series
- Night of the Four Moons George Crumb Occidental Cahmber Series
- Buch des Hangenden Garten Schoenberg Long Beach Opera Ch. Series
- Herzgewachse Schoenberg Long Beach Opera Ch. Series
- Que se Duerme mi Nino Cansino LACMA Sundays at Four
- ***Lullaby to the Millenium Howard Hersh Northern California Tour
- ***Niaiserie Don Davis The Matrix Reloaded
- ***Kali Probowo/Powell Workshop- Yet to be Premiered
- ***Concerto for Voice and Flute Ross Whitney Yet to be Performed
*** World Premiere, created for Ms. Walsh
** World Premiere
* US Premiere
REVIEWS:
The opening performance could scarcely have asked for stronger performers... Soprano Kerry Walsh. gives an entrancing performance in the dual assignment of Pilate's wife, Procula, and his servant Ptolemaeus.
-----Joshua Kosman, San Francisco Chronicle
With i Cantori "Kerry Walsh gave the part of Anima (the Soul) dramatic substance with her stylized but expressive movements and unabashedly emotive singing, in a pure, dark soprano."
-----Alan Rich, Los Angeles Times
“The music carried the day, particularly along the exquisite axis linking music director David Rorbaugh and his opening night Violetta, Kerry Walsh. For the act’s crucial final number - her show stopping coloratura piece “Sempre Libera” (Ever Free) - the voice opened up radiantly, like a beacon. This number ended with an effortless high Eb that melted the ice and liberated the cast, aptly enough, for the successful acts to come. Her Violetta…was effective, especially in the ultra-realistic transformation to the tragically dying woman, where she turns ashen and looks a good fifteen years older. Major league divas could learn a lot from this versatile singer-actress.”
-----Paul Hertelendy, San Jose Mercury News
"The evening belonged to Mimi, Rodolfo and Colline. Kerry Walsh as Mimi was a knockout, both visually and vocally. Her lower tones have the rich quality of a fine mezzo, and her top is full and vibrant...... The soprano's execution of stunning crescendos, glorious decrescendos, as well as glistening piano tones were a delight to the ear. Physically, an audience would have no trouble believing that she could be dying of consumption, as she was slim enough to look the picture."
-----Sonia and Audrey Lewis- Classical New Jersey
