John Michael Koch, baritone
In 1997, John Michael Koch, baritone, began teaching at the Wonsook Kim College of Fine Arts at Illinois State University's School of Music in Normal, Illinois, where he has been nominated to Who’s Who in America in 2008 and 2009, and three times to Who's Who Among America's Teachers, and has served as Voice Area Coordinator in the School of Music since 2009.
Koch has performed over 35 operatic and 45 oratorio roles throughout the world. He is the General Director and co-founder of the MIOpera that had its premiere season in 2011 with Die Zauberflöte. The subsequent seasons included Don Giovanni in 2012, Le nozze di Figaro in 2013 Bizet’s Carmen and Dan Shore’s The Beautiful Bridegroom in 2014, La Cenerentola in 2015 and Hansel and Gretel, Falstaff and The dialogues of the Carmelites in 2016, Les contes d’Hoffmann and Pirates of Penzance in 2018 and Die Fledermaus and La bohème in 2019. This summer opera program was created to give young emerging singers from all over the world the opportunity to stage and perform a complete operatic role. The program is growing rapidly and has hired opera professionals such as Maestro Joshua Greene and Liora Maurer from the Metropolitan Opera, Lucy Arner of the Mannes School of Music, and James Marvel, Director of Opera at UT-Knoxville to lead our participants in fully-staged productions. 2014 brought the premiere of “MIOperatunities,” a matinée version of Carmen that filled our performance hall with young students, special needs students, and older community members at no cost to them, offering a “highlights” opera that has included interpretive signers, Flamencan dancing by the USA Ballet, information on Spanish culture in the 19th century, French opera and a “Meet and greet the artists” session post-performance. MIOpera and MIOperatunities have received several generous grants from the Town of Normal Harmon Arts Grants Fund and the Illinois Prairie Community Foundation Mirza Arts and Culture Fund.
As baritone soloist, Mr. Koch is noted for his interpretation of Orff's Carmina burana that he debuted at Chicago's Orchestra Hall with the Chicago Sinfonietta. Noted performances of the Orff include the Caracas Contemporary Ballet (Venezuela), Karmi'el Dance Festival in Israel (Tel Aviv Opera and Jerusalem), Chautauqua Institution, Cincinnati Ballet, Princeton University Symphony and Glee Clubs, the Southwest Michigan and Green Bay Symphony Orchestras, the Montreal Philharmonic, and the Canadian Ballet. His world premieres of David Maslanka’s A Carl Sandburg Reader and his Symphony No. 9 have been released on CD by Albany Records. Another world premiere presented a Daron Hagen work based on the famous Civil War letter of Major Sullivan Ballou to his wife Sarah entitled: The Banner of my Purpose. Performances of the work were given at Illinois State University, Western Illinois University and Pacific Lutheran University with Mr. Koch as featured soloist with military band. Local solo performances have included Verdi’s Requiem, Elgar’s The dream of Gerontius, Britten’s War requiem, Rossini’s Stabat mater,Haydn’s Creation, Mendelssohn’s Elijah and several Carmina buranas at Illinois State University. Mr. Koch maintains a full voice studio in addition to conducting the ISU Civic Chorale since 2010.
The Edmonton Sun: “Koch’s Marcello is a splendid, virile fellow and he has a lovely baritone.” (La bohème with Edmonton Opera)
The Edmonton Journal: “John Michael Koch made a lovable bear of the painter Marcello, with a firm baritone presence.”
The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel: “John Michael Koch’s playful, throwaway style said so much about Figaro; but relaxed as it was, that voice carried the hall with ease.”
(Il barbiere di Siviglia with Florentine Opera)
JOHN MICHAEL KOCH, BARITONE
Associate Professor of Music, Illinois State University
Director, ISU Civic Chorale
General Director, MIOpera, Inc.
OPERA EXPERIENCE
Figaro in Il barbiere di Siviglia, Florentine Opera, Opera Grand Rapids
Marcello in La bohème, Edmonton Opera, Montreal Opera
Schaunard in La bohème, Florentine Opera, Opera Omaha, Oklahoma City Philharmonic
Valentin in Faust, Dayton Opera
Sharpless in Madame Butterfly, San Francisco Opera/ Western Opera
Theatre U.S. tour 1988-1989
Mercutio in Roméo et Juliette, Dayton Opera, Florentine Opera
Danilo in The Merry Widow, Madison Opera, Gold Coast Opera
Dr. Falke in Die Fledermaus, New Orleans Opera
Moralés/Dancaïro in Carmen, Cincinnati Opera
Lescaut in Manon, Florentine Opera
Lescaut in Un portrait de Manon (Massenet and Puccini), Festival International de Lanaudière, Canada
Peter in Hansel and Gretel, Florentine Opera
Dandini in La cenerentola, Florentine Opera, Eugene Opera
Marullo in Rigoletto, Florentine Opera
Roucher/Tinville in Andrea Chénier, Florentine Opera
Baron Douphol in La traviata, Florentine Opera
Enrico in Un ballo in maschera, Florentine Opera
DISCOGRAPHY
David Maslanka’s Symphony No. 9 (Narrator), released by Albany Records 2011 (World Premiere)
David Maslanka’s A Carl Sandburg Reader, released November 2009 (World premiere)
Daron Hagen’s The Heart of the Stranger, released by Albany 2007
Nancy Van de Vate's Death of the Hired Man and In the Shadow of the
Glen, released by Vienna Modern Masters (World premieres)
Schubert's Der Graf von Gleichen. Released by Centaur Records (World Premiere)
TELEVISION
Figaro in Il barbiere di Siviglia, Florentine Opera, broadcast on Wisconsin Public Television
CONDUCTING-ISU CIVIC CHORALE
All is calm, all is bright.., November 9, 2019, First United Methodist Church, Normal, Illinois
Leoncavallo’s I Pagliacci with tenor Allan Glassman, April 6, 2019, Illinois State University
Christmas at the Courthouse (McLean County Museum of History, Bloomington, IL) December 18, 2018
Civic Chorale 50th Anniversary Celebration! Rutter’s Mass of the Children and Requiem, November 3, 2018, ISU
An evening with Johannes Brahms: Liebeslieder Walzer Op. 52 and Drei Quartette Op. 31, April 21, 2018, ISU
Christmas at the Courthouse, December 19, 2017
Holiday Concert: Once upon a December, November 14, 2017, FUMC
Ain’a that good news, April 25, 2017, ISU
Concert at the Courthouse, December 20, 2016
Holiday Concert: Holiday Beginnings, November 15, 2016, FUMC
Mascagni’s Cavalleria rusticana, April 2, 2016, ISU
Carols at the Courthouse, December 15, 2015
Holiday Concert, November 19, 2015, FUMC
Spring Concert Dreaming of Green: Vivaldi’s Gloria and Forrest’s Requiem
for the Living, April 21, 2015, FUMC
Civic Chorale performs on Music for the Holidays, December 6, 2014, ISU
Civic Chorale Spring concert: Thompson’s The peaceable kingdom, April 2014, ISU
Dvorák’s Requiem, March, 2012, ISU
Music for the Holidays, ISU, December 2012 (arranged Czech Christmas Carol for Civic), ISU
Handel’s Messiah, November 2012, ISU
ISU Spring Choral Collage, April 2012-Shakespeare settings by Matthew
Smith, ISU
Civic Chorale Spring concert, March 2012-works by Matthew Smith and Eric Whitacre
Producer, 911 Memorial Concert, September 11, 2011-Memorial by René Clausen with the ISU Symphony Orchestra, ISU
Civic Chorale Spring concert, March 2011-The Holocaust Cantata by Donald McCullough, ISU
AWARDS/COMPETITIONS
National Finalist of the Metropolitan Opera Auditions
Winner of the Montreal International Music Competition for Singers
Winner of the Opera Columbus Opera Auditions
Winner of the Annual Meistersinger Opera Competition, Graz, Austria
Winner of the Eleanor Steber Music Foundation Grant
Winner of the National Federation of Music Clubs Young Artist Auditions
SOLO CONCERT PERFORMANCE
Bach: St. Matthew Passion: L’Orchestre Métropolitain de Montréal
Bach: St. John Passion: Indiana State University Symphony and Choruses, Master Chorale of Tampa
Beethoven: 9th Symphony, Illinois State University, Muncie Symphony
Beethoven: Missa solemnis, Illinois State University
Brahms Requiem: Madison Choral Union and Symphony, Peoria Symphony,
ISU Symphony and Choirs
Britten: War Requiem, Illinois State University
Clausen: Memorial, Jacksonville Symphony
Copland: Old American Songs, Middletown (OH) Symphony Orchestra
Copland: A Lincoln Portrait, Illinois State University Symphonic Winds
Dayton Philharmonic: New Year's Eve Gala Concert
Duruflé: Requiem: Cincinnati May Festival
Dvorák: Te Deum: Asheville Symphony, Peoria Civic Chorale and Orchestra, Illinois Symphony Orchestra
Elgar: Dream of Gerontius, ISU Symphony and Choruses
Fauré: Requiem, Dayton Philharmonic, Illinois State University Symphony and Choirs, Northwest Indiana Symphony
Finzi: Et in terra pax, South Bend Chamber Singers
Hagen: The Banner of my Purpose, Western Illinois, Illinois State University, Pacific Lutheran University
Hagen: The heart of the stranger, ISU Wind Symphony
Handel: Belshazzar, Bradley University Symphony and Choruses
Handel: Messiah: Augustana College Choruses and Symphony, Milwaukee Symphony, Bradley Community Chorus
Haydn: Creation, Peoria Symphony, Elgin Symphony, Bradley University, ISU Symphony and Choirs
Haydn: Die Jahreszeiten, University of Missouri-Columbia
Haydn: Paukenmesse, Bradley University Symphony and Choruses
Mahler: Kindertotenlieder, ISU Symphony, Ballet Contemporàneo de Caracas(Venezuela)
Mahler: Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen, Middletown(Ohio) Symphony
Maslanka: A Carl Sandburg Reader, ISU Wind Symphony
Maslanka: Symphony No. 9 (Narrator), ISU Wind Symphony
Mendelssohn: Elijah, ISU Symphony and Choirs, Cairo Choral Society and
Cairo Symphony (Egypt)
Mozart: Requiem, ISU Symphony and Choirs, Bradley University, Palouse Choral Society (Washington)
Mozart: Coronation Mass, Illinois Symphony Orchestra
Orff: Carmina burana, Chicago Sinfonietta, Ballet Contemporàneo de Caracas, Karmi’el Dance Festival (Israel), Tel Aviv Opera House, Jerusalem New Conference Center, Southwestern Michigan Symphony, Green Bay Symphony, The Chautauqua Institution, Princeton University Symphony and Glee Clubs, Les Grands Ballets Canadiens, Cincinnati Symphony and Ballet, Illinois State University Symphony & Choruses, Milwaukee Symphony, L’Orchestre Métropolitain de Montréal
Penn: A Cornfield in July, ISU Wind Symphony
Rossini: Stabat mater, ISU Symphony
Tippett: A Child of our Time, ISU Symphony
Vaughan Williams: Fantasy on Christmas Carols, Illinois Symphony Orchestra
Verdi: Requiem, Illinois State University
Walton: Belshazzar’s feast, ISU Choirs and Orchestra
RECITALS
Chicago Cultural Center
Illinois State University Faculty Recitals
University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Guest Artist Series
Illinois State University, Guest Artist Recital series
Recitals presented in Cincinnati, Dayton, Columbus, Cleveland, Toledo and
Athens, Ohio, Erie and York, Pennsylvania, Fort Worth and Amarillo,
Texas, and Greensboro, North Carolina as the Winner of the NFMC Young Artist Award
Arts and Humanities Resource Center, Cincinnati. Recitals of Broadway,
Opera and Operetta, presented for the elderly and disabled in the
Cincinnati metropolitan area
CONDUCTORS
Julius Rudel, Patrick Summers, James Conlon, Louis Salemno, Joe Rescigno, John DeMain, Arthur Fagen, Chris Nance, Jacques Lacombe, Tyrone Paterson, Mark Flint, Barbara Yahr, Neal Gittleman, Carmon Deleone, Robert Hart Baker, Robert Fountain, Robert Lyle, Hal France, David Agler, Jacob Chi, Barbara Yahr, Uri Segal, Itay Talgam, David Commanday, Paul Freeman, Karen Lynne Deal
APPRENTICE PROGRAMS
Florentine Opera Young Artist Program, educational opera touring program
Cincinnati Opera Summer Opera Apprentice
Merola Opera Center, San Francisco Opera
SUMMER FESTIVALS/CLINICS
Co-founder & General Director, MIOpera, Inc.:
Season 1 (2011): Die Zauberflöte. Season 2 (2012): Don Giovanni, The
Pirates of Penzance. Season 3 (2013): Aïda (in concert), Le nozze di
Figaro. Season 4 (2014): **Suor Angelica, Carmen, The beautiful
Bridegroom. Season 5 (2015): La cenerentola, The bewitched child, Sweets by Kate. Season 6 (2016): **Dialogues of the Carmelites, Hansel and Gretel. Season 7 (2018): **Les contes d’Hoffmann, Pirates of Penzance. Season 8 (2019): **La bohème, Die Fledermaus.
**denotes Conductor
Guest clinician/conductor, Musical Theatre Camp, Lincoln College, Illinois
Guest Voice clinician, University of Venezuela-Caracas
Guest Clinician/Soloist at the Colorado Music Festival, Pueblo, Colorado
ISU Vocal Clinic, Host and clinician
Colorado Music Festival, Guest Clinician and performer
Chautauqua Institution, New York
American Institute for Musical Studies, Graz, Austria
Bach, Beethoven and Breckenridge, Breckenridge Music Institute, Colorado
EDUCATION
Doctoral equivalency granted/appointed Assistant Professor at ISU, 1997
DMA coursework completed, University of Cincinnati, 1988
M.M., University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, 1985
B.M., University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1983
TEACHING
Tenure granted/promotion to Associate Professor, Illinois State University, 2004
Appointed Assistant Professor of Music, Illinois State University, Normal, Illinois, 1997
Lecturer in Voice, University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, 1995-1997
Private voice studio, 1992 to present
Vocal instruction, Musical Arts Center, Cincinnati, 1995-1997
ILLINOIS STATE UNIVERSITY, SCHOOL OF MUSIC - TEACHING ASSIGNMENTS, HONORS, AND COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS:
TEACHING:
§ ISU Teaching assignments (Undergraduate majors: Music Education, Music Therapy, Voice Performance, Music Business, Musical Theatre, Composition. Graduate majors: Vocal Performance, Music Therapy, Music Education, Choral Conducting)
§ Academic subjects taught: Applied Voice 137, 237, 437; ISU Civic Chorale 188,288,488;Language Diction for Singers 128 (Italian and English); Language Diction for Singers 127(French and German); Opera Practicum 384 (Opera Workshop); Vocal Pedagogy and Literature 330; Foundations of Inquiry 100 (Entry level General Education course required for Freshmen until 2003)
§ Teacher of Metropolitan Opera Audition District Winners, ISU Concerto Competition Winners and university voice teachers
STUDENT ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
§ Students have gone on to complete Master’s and Doctoral degrees in Vocal Performance, Music Therapy and Ethnomusicology at the Mannes School of Music, University of Iowa, Northwestern University, the University of Cincinnati, the University of Washington-Seattle, Indiana University, UC-Greeley
§ Students have sung leading roles with Opera Illinois, Music by the Lake Festival, Chicago Opera Theatre and have appeared with numerous symphonies in the Midwest
§ Students won the ISU Concerto Aria Competition six years in a row
§ Students maintain high academic standing of 3.3 GPA and higher
§ Many students completed Honor’s Projects in addition to Applied Voice
HONORS:
§ Nominated to Who’s Who in America, 2008-2014
Received Highest Merit ranking for academic year 2000 for Teaching, Scholarly Creativity, and Service to the School of Music and the College of Fine Arts.
Nominated to Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers, 2007, 2006, 2005 and 2002 editions.
MISCELLANEOUS:
§ Good working knowledge of PC and Mac, Sibelius, Photoshop
§ Good piano skills
§ Strong background in music theory, Dalcroze eurhythmics, trumpet, guitar
RESEARCH:
§ 2010-completed research on the Vocal Effects of Beatboxing on the Male Voice. The study was completed in December 2010 with publishing of results TBA.
PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS:
National Association for the Teachers of Singing
Phi Mu Alpha
National Opera Association
Pi Kappa Lambda
Phi Kappa Phi
American Guild of Musical Artists
Canadian Actor's Guild
International Thespian Society
REVIEWS:
The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel: “John Michael Koch’s playful, throwaway style said so much about Figaro; but relaxed as it was, that voice carried the hall with ease.” (Il barbiere di Siviglia with Florentine Opera)
The Edmonton Sun: “Koch’s Marcello is a splendid, virile fellow and he has a lovely baritone.” (La bohème with Edmonton Opera)
The Edmonton Journal: “John Michael Koch made a lovable bear of the painter Marcello, with a firm baritone presence.”
The Kane County Chronicle (Chicago): “ John Koch is a major talent and made an exquisite Adam. He has excellent stage presence and great dynamic appeal.” (The Creation, Elgin Symphony and Choral Union)
The Pueblo Chieftain: “ … John Koch, an outstanding soloist well-known to Pueblo audiences… It was just great! ”Some Enchanted Evening” sung by Koch whose big, rich voice carried it off masterfully…Koch then sang “Ol’ Man River” as if he owned it…”
The Chautauquan Daily: “In addition, there were three soloists… and the particularly effective John Koch…Baritone John Koch carries most of the burden of this piece, and he sang with plenty of the required gusto.” (Carmina burana at the Chautauqua Institute, New York)
Dayton Daily News: “Baritone John Michael Koch is particularly strong as Marguerite’s protective and judgmental brother, Valentin. (Faust with Dayton Opera)
Oakwood Register: “ Baritone John Michael Koch sang the role and the aria flawlessly.” (Faust with Dayton Opera)
