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Clifton Massey (Counter-tenor) |
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Born: November 5, 1974 - Dallas, Texas, USA |
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The American counter-tenor, Clifton D. Massey, holds a music education Bachelor's from Texas Christian University in Fort Worth (Class of 1998) and a Masters of Music degree in Early Music Vocal Performance and Choral Conducting from Indiana University (Class of 2008), where he studied with Paul Elliott, Alan Bennett and Paul Hillier.
Clifton Massey enjoys performing a variety of vocal styles with world-class musicians. Praised for his "depth of tone" by the Dallas Morning News and “impeccable phrasing and intonation” and as "an expressive marvel" by San Francisco Classical Voice, he strives for informed interpretations of styles from the Middle Ages to newly-composed pieces. Known for a deep commitment to musical excellence, he is often sought for oratorio and ensemble work throughout the Bay Area and beyond.At home on the concert and opera stage, he has appeared as Apollo in Tomaso Albinoni's Il Nascimento dell'Aurora with City Concert Opera, the sorceress in Purcell's King Arthur at the Bloomington Early Music Festival, and as soloist with notable period-instrument groups including Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra, Concert Royal NYC, American Bach Soloists (Director: Jeffrey Thomas), Dallas Bach Society, Bach Collegium San Diego, American Classical Orchestra, and has been featured on the Bach Vespers series’ at Holy Trinity Lutheran (Bach Vespers at Holy Trinity) and Trinity Church Wall Street (Bach at One) in New York City. He has collaborated with such renowned conductors as Nicholas McGegan, Michael Tilson Thomas, Skitch Henderson, John Holloway, and Paul Hillier.
An eclectic taste in music has led to work with ensembles as diverse as electronica composers, bluegrass bands, gospel choirs, and vocal jazz groups.A proponent of high-level ensemble singing, Clifton Massey has sung with Ensemble viii, Spire Chamber Ensemble, Clerestory (August 2006-March 2013) and with the award-winning ensemble Chanticleer (August 2003-August 2005) with whom he performed over 200 concerts, including the Tanglewood Music Festival, Ravinia Festival, Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, Concertgebou of Amsterdam, Tokyo Opera City and in a variety of the world's finest concert halls, as well as and the Early Music festivals of Berkeley, Bloomington and Boston. With them, he can be heard as a soloist on their recording "Sound in Spirit". In 2006, a group of alumni from that ensemble formed Clerestory, an acapella men's ensemble with whom he can be heard on their upcoming CD "Night Draws Near" available in October. He has recently (2015) relocated to the New York Cityarea and is a member of the professional Trinity Wall Street Choir.
As an educator, Clifton Massey seeks to instill a love of music and singing with young adults. As a clinician and educator, he works with area choral groups and currently directs the high school group Ecco of the Piedmont East Bay Children’s Choir, internationally known for their commitment to training the finest musicians of tomorrow. |
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Sources:
Magnificat Baroque Ensemble Website
Bits & pieces from olther sources (see links below)
Photo 02: Ya-Hsuan Huang; Photo 37: Teresa Tam
Contributed by Aryeh Oron (June 2017) |
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Recordings of Bach Cantatas & Other Vocal Works |
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Conductor |
As |
Works |
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Diane Meredith Belcher |
Alto |
Member of Bach Choir of Holy Trinity:
[C54-2] (2021, Video): BWV 233 [solo]
[C54-4] (2021, Video): BWV 90 |
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Jolle Greenleaf |
Alto |
Member of TENET:
[VV-5] (2022, Video): BWV 229, BWV 227 |
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Robert Mealy |
Alto |
Bach at One [BO22-8] (2023, Video): BWV 54, BWV 182 |
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Donald Meineke |
Alto |
Member of Bach Choir of Holy Trinity:
[C-2] (2018, Video): BWV 71 |
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Marianne Pfau |
Alto |
Angelus Sacred Early Music [ASM-17] (2017, Video): BWV 20, BWV 76 |
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Avi Stein |
Alto |
Bach at One [BO22-2] (2022, Video): BWV 78, BWV 167
Bach at One [BO22-5] (2023, Video): BWV 131, BWV 196 |
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Avi Stein |
Alto |
Member of Choir of Trinity Wall Street:
Bach at One [BO22-2] (2022, Video): BWV 78, BWV 1149, BWV 167 |
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Gwendolyn Toth |
Alto |
Member of ARTEK:
[CV-3] (2023, Video): BWV 191 |
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Julian Wachner |
Alto |
Bach at One [BO-43] (2015, Video): BWV 23
Bach at One [BO-44] (2015, Video): BWV 20
Bach at One [BO-45] (2015, Video): BWV 39
Bach at One [BO-46] (2015, Video): BWV 114
Bach at One [BO-50] (2016, Video): BWV 135
Bach at One [BO-52] (2016, Video): BWV 175
Bach at One [BO-54] (2016, Video): BWV 149
Bach at One [BO-57] (2016, Video): BWV 71
Bach at One [BO-58] (2016, Video): BWV 138
Bach at One [BO-60] (2016, Video): BWV 45
Bach at One [BO-61] (2016, Video): BWV 172
Bach at One [BO-62] (2016, Video): BWV 177
Bach at One [OI-3] (2018, Video): BWV 80, BWV 31
Bach at One [SA-1] (2018, Video): BWV 173, BWV 184
Bach at One [SA-2] (2018, Video): BWV 131, BWV 61
Bach at One [BO-80] (2018, Video): BWV 21, BWV 196
Bach at One [BO-81] (2018, Video): BWV 164, BWV 45
Bach at One [BO-84] (2018, Video): BWV 104, BWV 6
Bach at One [BO-85] (2018, Video): BWV 8, BWV 113
Bach at One [B1-4] (2018, Video): BWV 4
Bach at One [B1-5] (2019, Video): BWV 5
Bach at One [B1-10] (2019, Video): BWV 10
Bach at One [B1-12] (2020, Video): BWV 12 |
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Links to other Sites |
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Clifton Masey - counter-tenor (American Bach Soloists)
Magnificat Baroque Ensemble: Clifton Massey
The ThirteenChoir: Clifton Massey
Clifton Massey on Facebook |
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