Jay's Info

- Mission Statement -

“Set free the artist within” - "Teach what I wish I would have been taught, when I was in high school and college."

As of the time of this writing, (Spring, 2014), I am 57 years young, have five children, (three girls and two boys), and three grandchildren, (two girls and one boy), with a fourth one on the way.  My oldest just turned 30 and my youngest is 18, a senior at Westview High School.  My wife and I have been married for nearly 39 years.

My studio is one based on quality over quantity.  Learning a massive number of songs means nothing if they are not performable. If a song is not ready to be performed, I call them “half-baked pies.” Sadly, I see allot of singers performing “half-baked-pies,” these days. If a singer learns how to take a song from scratch, to becoming a “fully-baked-pie,” (ready to perform), then their audience will enjoy eating them! This also breeds confidence, as we are now putting ourselves in a position to succeed, rather than fail, by being prepared and ready.  Nothing more frightening than not being prepared.  At the center of why I do, “what I do,” is an incredibly deep desire to equip my singers with the tools, knowledge and experience, (thing I wish I could have been taught when I was in high school and college), so that your “inner artist” can be set free to touch each listener... heart to heart.

Bio

VOICE TEACHERS & COACHES:
  Ellen Faull - Voice Teacher (fourteen years)
 Bill Eddy - Voice Teacher (Seven years)
 Richard Bower - Principle Coach – (fourteen years)
 Stefan Minde - Coach  (Former Artistic Director and Conductor of Portland Opera)
 Jan Powell - Personal acting Coach for both myself and many of my singers
 Barbara Conable - Two years private studies in The Alexander Technique
 Michael Berkson - Former acting Coach of Portland Opera’s early Young Artist Program.
    (I have also privately coached with Michael, aside from Portland Opera, on numerous occasions.)
PROFESSIONAL OPERATIC:
 “Carmen” - Opera by Bizet, Don Jose, (leading male role), Concert production presented by the Oregon East Symphony
 “Beau Nash” - WORLD PREMIER! - One-Act Opera by Michael Villenti, Beau Nash, (Leading/Title role)
     Staged presentation by the Portland Chamber Orchestra
 “Beau Nash” - One-Act Opera by Michael Villenti, Beau Nash, (Leading/Title role), and “La Boheme” (Act 2)
     Opera by Puccini, Rodolfo, Staged presentation by the Walla Walla Symphony - (Historic 97th Season)
 “Opera Gala” - Featured artist, Bravo! Vancouver Orchestra 
 “The rise and fall of the City of Mahagonny” - Opera by Kurt Weill, Jimmy McIntyre, (Leading role), West Bay Opera
 “I Pagliacci” - Opera by Leoncavallo, Canio, Pacific Repertory Opera, (alternate—not performed)
 “The Secret Marriage” - Opera by Cimarosa, Paolino, (leading male role), presented by PSU Opera
 “La fanciulla del west” - Opera by Puccini, Pony Express Rider, Portland Opera production (main stage)
 “Eugene Onegin” - Opera by Tchaikovsky, Peasant soloist, Portland Opera production (main stage)
 “Fidelio” - Opera by Beethoven, Jailer, Portland Opera production (main stage)
 “Opera In The Park” - Featured artist, Portland Opera production - Washington Park Amphitheater
 “Opera Gala” - Featured artist, Portland Opera production (main stage)
 “Portland Opera Previews” Featured in various previews - Portland Opera Outreach Program
 “Opera By The Sea” at Salishan Lodge - (four consecutive years) Portland Opera Guild Production
 “Opera Gala” - Featured artist in concert with Beth Donnally and the Glory Singers (four consecutive years)
  Portland Opera Chorus  (AGMA Member)  1977-1983
PROFESSIONAL ORATORIO / SYMPHONIC:
 Willamette Falls Symphony - BEETHOVEN’s - “9th Symphony” - Tenor soloist
 Juneau Symphony: G. VERDI’s - “Requiem” - Tenor soloist
 Bravo! Vancouver - Orchestra: - WORLD PREMIER! - Michael Kissinger’s “Sacred Mass” - Featured soloist
 Bravo! Vancouver - Orchestra: BEETHOVEN’s - “Missa Solemnis” - Tenor soloist
 Oregon East Symphony - BIZET’s “Carmen” - Don Jose - Concert presentation (also listed above)
 Bravo! Vancouver - Orchestra: MOZART’s - “Requiem” - Tenor soloist
 Oregon East Symphony - DVORAK’s “Stabat Mater” - Tenor soloist
 Oregon East Symphony - HAYDEN’s “Mass For World At War”
 Bravo! Vancouver - Orchestra: MENDELSSOHN’s - “Elijah” - Tenor soloist
 Bravo! Vancouver - Orchestra: BEETHOVEN’s - “9th Symphony” - Tenor soloist
 Choir of the Sound - Orchestra: G. VERDI’s - “Requiem” - Tenor soloist
 Bravo! Vancouver - Orchestra: G.F. HÄNDEL’s - “Messiah” - Tenor soloist (CD recording)
     (Mr. Fraley has been the Tenor soloist in TEN Bravo! “Messiah” presentations)
 Sinfonia Concertante Orchestra: “A Night In Vienna” the featured soloist
 Sinfonia Concertante Orchestra: “Italia!” the featured soloist
 Bravo! Vancouver - Orchestra: G. VERDI’s - “Requiem” - Tenor soloist
 Bravo! Vancouver - Orchestra: “Hollywood to Broadway” Concert - the featured soloist
 Forest Grove "MESSIAH" festival - Tenor soloist (two consecutive years)
 Our Saviors Lutheran Church’s presentation of MOZART’s - “Requiem” - Tenor soloist
 Cascade Singers’ presentation of MENDELSSOHN’s - “Elijah” - Tenor soloist

COMPETITION AND AWARDS:
 Wagner Society of New York: “Career Grant” Awarded in January, 2001
 Eleanor Lieber Vocal Competition: Finalist

PROFESSIONAL POSITIONS:
 Professor of Vocal Studies - University of Portland (2001-2004)
 Professor of Vocal Studies - Willamette University (2006-2009)
 Professor of Vocal Studies - Portland Community College (2002-present)
 Professor of Vocal Studies - Mt. Hood Community College (2002-present)
 Private Voice Teacher - 33 years - (member of NATS)
 Temple Beth Israel - Professional quartet - (two years/seasons) and special occasions
 Tenor soloist - Westminster Presbyterian Church - (four years/seasons)
 Music Director - Sunset Family Church – (1983-1995) (full time position)

 EDUCATION:
    Portland State University / Warner Pacific College: (B.A. Music - Vocal Performance)

    Private Vocal Studies with Ellen Faull - (fourteen years : Professor Emeritus of the Juilliard School, NY, NY
Considered to be one of the top, elite voice teachers of the 20th century.  It would be impossible to count the number of singers Mme. Faull had a direct, or indirect, hand in "putting out there," (those she taught that went on to have careers on Operatic, Concert or Broadway Stages).  Prior to her serving as "Chair" of Vocal Studies" at Juilliard, Mme. Faull also was "Chair" of Vocal Studies at The Manhattan School of Music.  Prior to her joining the voice faculty at Manhattan, she was the "Chair" of Vocals Studies at Sarah Lawrence College, (NYC).  At the turn of the Millennium, a New York Times critic named her as the best Mozart Soprano of the 20th century. Some of Ellen's more notable students were Sarah Brightman, Gwen Verdon, Dawn Upshaw, Faye Robinson and Ashley Putnam.

    Private Vocal Studies with William (Bill) Eddy - (Seven years): Former Professor of Vocal Studies at USC and
The Academy of the West, (Santa Barbara, CA). Probably the most notable of Bill's singers was Gary Lakes, who became a regular at the Metropolitan Opera. Mr. Eddy was considered by many to be the top voice teacher in the Northwest for many years, with several of his singers to have gone on to have careers on opera and concert stages, including the Met.

   Private Coaching with Richard Bower - (fourteen years). 
One of the top coaches in the Northwest, Maestro Bower is sought after for his expertise in Opera, Symphonic, artistic song interpretation, language and Broadway literature.  He is another "Escapee from New York" that we are very fortunate have settle "Out West!"

   Private Studies of The Alexander Method/Technique "Body Mapping" with Barbara Conable - (two years)
Barbara literally wrote the “book” on the Alexander Technique, which is commonly refereed to, today, as “Body mapping.” Her material is THE textbook used at Willamette University and their course on The Alexander Technique, taught every Spring Semester.

   Private Coaching with Stefan Minde - off an on for over ten years.  Maestro Minde, a graduate of the Mozarteum, was the Former Artistic and Music Director of Portland Opera.  Considered to be one of the finest operatic conductors in the world.

   Private Coaching with Dean Williamson – formerly the Principal Coach with Seattle Opera

   Private coaching/training with acting coaches:  Jan Powell and Michael Berkson
      Jan Powell is currently the Artistic Director of Henley Street Theater/Richmond Shakespeare, Richmond, Virginia.

   Private Voice teacher: 33 years. There is no better teacher, or educator, than that of teaching others. It never ceases to amazes me how much I continue to learn and grow from teaching my singers. As I tell my singers, “I, too, am on the same journey as they are.”