Tamara Hardesty
Associate Professor of Voice
- Doctor of Musical Arts
University of Connecticut
Tamara Hardesty, soprano, has been described by noted New York Times music critic James R. Oestreich as "...a particular joy, singing with a clear, agile soprano and spinning out the coloratura with ease." In addition, Andrew Porter wrote in the New Yorker magazine that Hardesty "...gave pleasure in many gentle, fluent, well-shaped passages."
Dr. Hardesty has sung lead operatic roles with such opera companies as Connecticut Grand Opera, San Francisco Opera's Merola program and Western Opera Theater Tours, Whitewater Opera in Indiana, Sorg Opera in Ohio, Lake George Opera in New York, Sarasota Opera in Florida, and L'Opera Francais de New York, Dicapo Opera, and Bronx Opera in New York City. She made her Kennedy Center debut performing the soprano solo in the Monteverdi Vespers with the Washington Chorus. She has also been a featured soloist in oratorios and concerts with the Westchester Oratorio Society in New York, the St. Joseph Symphony in Missouri, the Oskaloosa Symphony Orchestra and the Ottumwa Symphony Orchestra in Iowa, and the Haddonfield Symphony Orchestra in New Jersey. Dr. Hardesty has given recitals in New York City at The National Opera Center Scorca Hall, Steinway Hall, Klavierhaus, St. Peter's Church, St. Paul's Chapel, and in Boston at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. A frequent soloist with the Valdosta Symphony Orchestra, she has sung the soprano solos in Mozart's "Exsultate, Jubilate," Mahler's Fourth Symphony, Mozart's "Great" Mass, Mahler's "Resurrection" Symphony, Haydn's "Creation," and Beethoven's Ninth Symphony.
In 2014, Hardesty developed The New York Experience Vocal Program, a guided musical tour that includes a New York recital at The National Opera Center, voice lessons and coachings with world-class teachers, and tickets to the Metropolitan Opera and Broadway performances. Previous trips included attending the Joyce DiDonato masterclass at Carnegie Hall and the David Jones Teacher Mentoring Program. This unique and personalized vocal study experience encourages great vocal progress and provides important feedback for the young singer embarking on a performance career.
Before coming to Valdosta, Dr. Hardesty served on the voice faculty at New York University's Steinhardt School Department of Music and Performing Arts Professions and at the University of Connecticut Department of Dramatic Arts and Community School of the Arts. Dr. Hardesty earned her Bachelor's Degree from Manhattan School of Music, her Master's degree from Curtis Institute of Music, and her Doctor of Musical Arts from the University of Connecticut. Her published doctoral dissertation is titled: "Classical Training for Musical Theater Singing: Registration Issues in the Female Voice."
In addition to voice lessons, Dr. Hardesty teaches diction classes and is the Director of Ï㽶ÊÓƵ¹ÙÍø Opera. She frequently travels the country to present recitals and masterclasses.
Dr. Hardesty has sung lead operatic roles with such opera companies as Connecticut Grand Opera, San Francisco Opera's Merola program and Western Opera Theater Tours, Whitewater Opera in Indiana, Sorg Opera in Ohio, Lake George Opera in New York, Sarasota Opera in Florida, and L'Opera Francais de New York, Dicapo Opera, and Bronx Opera in New York City. She made her Kennedy Center debut performing the soprano solo in the Monteverdi Vespers with the Washington Chorus. She has also been a featured soloist in oratorios and concerts with the Westchester Oratorio Society in New York, the St. Joseph Symphony in Missouri, the Oskaloosa Symphony Orchestra and the Ottumwa Symphony Orchestra in Iowa, and the Haddonfield Symphony Orchestra in New Jersey. Dr. Hardesty has given recitals in New York City at The National Opera Center Scorca Hall, Steinway Hall, Klavierhaus, St. Peter's Church, St. Paul's Chapel, and in Boston at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. A frequent soloist with the Valdosta Symphony Orchestra, she has sung the soprano solos in Mozart's "Exsultate, Jubilate," Mahler's Fourth Symphony, Mozart's "Great" Mass, Mahler's "Resurrection" Symphony, Haydn's "Creation," and Beethoven's Ninth Symphony.
In 2014, Hardesty developed The New York Experience Vocal Program, a guided musical tour that includes a New York recital at The National Opera Center, voice lessons and coachings with world-class teachers, and tickets to the Metropolitan Opera and Broadway performances. Previous trips included attending the Joyce DiDonato masterclass at Carnegie Hall and the David Jones Teacher Mentoring Program. This unique and personalized vocal study experience encourages great vocal progress and provides important feedback for the young singer embarking on a performance career.
Before coming to Valdosta, Dr. Hardesty served on the voice faculty at New York University's Steinhardt School Department of Music and Performing Arts Professions and at the University of Connecticut Department of Dramatic Arts and Community School of the Arts. Dr. Hardesty earned her Bachelor's Degree from Manhattan School of Music, her Master's degree from Curtis Institute of Music, and her Doctor of Musical Arts from the University of Connecticut. Her published doctoral dissertation is titled: "Classical Training for Musical Theater Singing: Registration Issues in the Female Voice."
In addition to voice lessons, Dr. Hardesty teaches diction classes and is the Director of Ï㽶ÊÓƵ¹ÙÍø Opera. She frequently travels the country to present recitals and masterclasses.