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Tenor Karl Dent is Professor of Voice and Chair of the Voice Area at
Texas Tech University, having served on the School of Music faculty for
11 years. He formerly served as many years on the music faculties of
Hardin-Simmons University and The University of Texas at Dallas. Mr.
Dent earned the Bachelor of Music with Teacher Certification degree at
Centenary College, and the Master of Music in Vocal Performance degree
at The University of North Texas.
Karl Dent has performed extensively in oratorio, concert and recital,
having appeared nationally with numerous symphony orchestras. Mr. Dent
made his debut at Carnegie Hall in 1993 as soloist in the Berlioz
Requiem, under the direction of Robert Shaw, and returned there in 1994
to sing the tenor arias in Bach’s St. John Passion with the Orchestra of
St. Luke’s. He made his 1991 debut with the New York Philharmonic in
Mozart’s Great Mass in C Minor. He has also appeared in return
engagements with the symphony orchestras of Atlanta, San Francisco,
Houston, San Antonio, and Washington, D.C.
Recent engagements include performances of Bach’s B Minor Mass with the
Atlanta Symphony and at Carnegie Hall with the Orchestra of St. Luke’s,
Robert Shaw conducting; Handel’s Messiah with the Houston Symphony
Orchestra and the New Mexico Symphony Orchestra; and Bach’s St. Matthew
Passion on the Highlander Concert Series, Dallas. In addition, Mr. Dent
assisted in dedicating the new concert facility at the Moores School of
Music, University of Houston, by appearing as tenor soloist in Verdi’s
Requiem, Robert Shaw conducting.
Other recents appearances have included Schubert’s Mass in E Flat with
The Cleveland Orchestra, Mendelssohn’s Elijah at Carnegie Hall under
Robert Shaw, and also with Richard Hickox and the Dallas Symphony,
Mozart’s Coronation Mass with Christopher Hogwood and the Handel & Haydn
Society, Haydn’s The Creation with the Naples Symphony, and Handel’s
Messiah with the Seattle Symphony, Gerard Schwarz, conducting. He has
also appeared recently in performances of Mozart’s Great Mass in C Minor
and Barber’s Prayers of Kirkegaard with the Baltimore Symphony,
Rachmaninoff’s The Bells and the Berlioz’ L’Enfance du Christ with
Robert Shaw and the Atlanta Symphony, Rachmaninoff’s Vespers at the New
York’s Church of St. John the Divine, Mozart’s Coronation Mass with
Christopher Hogwood and the San Antonio Symphony, Handel’s Messiah with
Christopher Seamons and the San Francisco Symphony, and Bach’s St. John
Passion with the North Carolina Symphony.
Opera engagements include performances with the companies of Dallas,
Albuquerque, Fort Worth, and Shreveport, highlighted by portrayals of
Alfred in Die Fledermaus, Almaviva in Il barbiere di Siviglia, Rinuccio
in Gianni Schicchi. Mr. Dent created the role of Conrad in the world
premiere of Thomas Pasatieri’s The Goose Girl.
Mr. Dent has also appeared as soloist at major music festivals,
including Mozart’s Requiem with Robert Shaw at the Tanglewood Music
Festival, as well as the Cincinnati May Festival, the Bach Aria Festival
in Stony Brook, the Round Top Early Music Festival, and the New Texas
Festival. His numerous performances with Robert Shaw began in the 1989
performances of Mendelssohn’s Elijah with the Dallas Symphony, and
include the world premiere of Menotti’s For the Death of Orpheus for
tenor, chorus and orchestra with the Atlanta Symphony. In addition, he
has attended the Robert Shaw Institute in Quercy, France as soloist in
the Rachmaninoff Vespers, Bach’s Mass in B Minor and Aus der tiefe, and
the Brahms Liebeslieder Walzer.
Mr. Dent’s recording credits on the TELARC label include two Grammy
winning recordings. Most recently, Mr. Dent received a Grammy as
principal soloist in Rachmaninoff’s The Bells, which won Best Choral
Recording for 1997. The Rachmaninoff Vespers, recorded in 1989,
featuring Mr. Dent as soloist, was awarded a Grammy for Best Technical
Recording for 1990. Other recordings include the Brahms Liebeslieder
Walzer, the Schubert “Songs for Male Chorus,” and “Grand & Glorious,” a
recording of opera choruses. His recording with Robert Shaw and the
Atlanta Symphony of Janacek’s Glagolitic Mass received a Grammy
nomination as Best Choral Recording of 1990. Most recently, Mr. Dent
appears as soloist on the CONSPIRARE recording, through the green fuse.
To Contact Karl Dent, email:
karl.dent@ttu.edu.
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