Head of Vocal Programs, Mainstage Opera and Musical and American Spirituals Intensive
Artist-in-Residence, Soprano
Voice Faculty, Hofstra University and Suffolk County Community College
American soprano Risa Renae Harman, celebrated for “her exquisite voice and spunky acting,” has been widely acclaimed for her technical virtuosity and communication skills as an artist. For her recital at Trinity Church, The New York Times noted, “But she is that rare creature among singers, a really good recitalist, she seemed to have something to say in all five languages she was singing in.”
Noted for her diverse repertoire, Miss Harman is a versatile singing actress distinguished for performances in opera, oratorio, concert and recital repertoire. Not only appearing as principal artist with opera companies such as New York City Opera, Glimmerglass Opera, and Opera Saratoga, she has been a featured soloist and recitalist with orchestras and concert series across the country and abroad, having appeared in prestigious concert halls Avery Fisher Hall, Alice Tully Hall, National Cathedral, and Kimmel Center among others. Miss Harman has been a frequent collaborator with noted composer Sheila Silver and regularly workshops, premieres and champions new works as a member of Random Access Music, a New York-based new music ensemble. She appears on the recent 2-CD recording of Miss Silver’s vocal music, Beauty Intolerable, A Songbook based on the poetry of Edna St. Vincent Millay, available on Albany Records. She is the recipient of numerous awards and career grants, including the Lee Schaenen Foundation, the Licia Albanese-Puccini Foundation, Sullivan Foundation, Shoshana Foundation, Palm Beach Opera, Liederkranz Foundation, Washington International, winner of the Dalton Baldwin prize in the Lotte Lehmann Vocal Competition and completed a concert tour of Sweden as a winner of the American Jenny Lind Competition.
As a teaching artist and clinician, she has presented masterclasses and music business seminars at the University of Kentucky, Georgia Southern University, New York University Steinhardt School of Music, Stony Brook University, Virginia Commonwealth University and various NATS and MTNA chapters. She served as Teaching Artist for New York City Opera introducing opera to hundreds of inner city school children and being a featured artist on teaching material recordings. Miss Harman currently serves as Head of Vocal Programs and Artist-in-Residence at the Bay View Music Festival and on the voice faculty at Hofstra University while maintaining an active performing career.
From Richmond, Virginia, Risa received her Doctor of Musical Arts and Masters of Music degrees from Stony Brook University, an Artist Diploma in Opera from the Hartt School of Music and a Diploma with Distinction from the Franz Schubert Institute in Austria. She presently calls New York City home.