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The American tenor, Scott Mello, holds degrees from Oberlin Conservatory and New York University. He is currently pursuing Artist Diploma studies under the tutelage of renowned American tenor James Taylor in the program of early music, oratorio and chamber ensemble at the Yale University Institute of Sacred Music and School of Music.
Scott Mello has been praised for his “winningly lucid voice” (WCLV) and being “sonorous and alive to text” (Cleveland Plain Dealer). Highlights of previous seasons include performances of Johannes Brahms’ Liebeslieder and Neueliebeslieder Waltzer on tour with the Mark Morris Dance Group, Sven-David Sandström’s Messiah under the baton of Maestro Helmuth Rilling in a presentation for the Philadelphia Bach Institute and American Choral Director’s Association, Leonard Bernstein’s Mass and Ramirez’s Missa Criolla with the Camerata Exaudi Orchestra at the Melodia Festival in Buenos Aires, Argentina, the New York City Premiere of Jake Heggie’s song cycle Here and Gone with baritone Christopher Herbert at Gallarie Icosahedron, and the title role in a staged production of George Frideric Handel’s Jephtha with American Opera Theater, as well as numerous appearances with Apollo’s Fire, Bach Sinfonia, and Early Music New York. The Baltimore Sun said Mello’s portrayal of Jephtha was “phrased with admirable sensitivity…He shaped the oratorio’s most famous number, ‘Waft her, angels, through the skies,’ with considerable eloquence.” Additional opera and musical theater credits include Nemorino in L’Elisir D’amore, Tamino in The Magic Flute, Tom Rakewell in The Rake’s Progress, Acis in Acis and Galatea, Hippolyte in Hippolyte et Aricie, Guillot de Morfontaine in Manon, Bill in Hand of Bridge, the Sailor in Dido and Aeneas, Harry in Company and El Gallo in The Fantasticks.
An avid interpreter of art song, early music and new music, he has had the opportunity to work with musical luminaries John Harbison, Jake Heggie, Rudolf Jansen, Martin Katz, and Craig Smith in performances at SongFest in Malibu, California. In 2006, Scott Mello was selected as one of four Virginia Best Adams Fellows at the Carmel Bach Festival and has twice been awarded fellowships to the Aspen Music Festival. In the spring of 2008 he was selected as one of the ten finalists in the American Bach Society/Bach Choir of Bethlehem Vocal Competition. Mello has recorded with Apollo’s Fire for Avie Records, Koch International Classics and National Public Radio (NPR), Early Music New York on Ex Cathedra Records, and Bach Sinfonia on Dorian Sono Luminus. As an ensemble artist, he regularly appears with Conspirare, Oregon Bach Festival, Santa Fe Desert Chorale, Seraphic Fire and TENET.
Recent seasons included appearances with New Music New Haven performing Steve Reich’s Proverb, Apollo’s Fire for performances of Monteverdi’s Vespro della Beata Vergine 1610 in Cleveland and on a USA Tour from New York to New Mexico, Bach Collegium San Diego as Aeneas in Purcell’s Dido & Aeneas, as well as American Bach Soloists in performances of J.S. Bach’s Magnificat in D Major (BWV 243) and Antonio Lotti’s Mass for Three Choirs with conductor Jeffrey Thomas in San Francisco.
The 2012-2013 season includes performances of the title role in G.F. Handel’s Samson with conductor Nicholas McGegan, J.S. Bach’s Mass in B minor (BWV 232) with Juilliard415 under the baton of Masaaki Suzuki, G.F. Handel’s Messiah with Handel Choir of Baltimore and Bach Collegium San Diego, and The Play of Daniel at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in collaboration with Gotham Early Music Scene. The 2013-2014 season begins with performances of Messiaen’s La Mort du Nombre with Cantata Profana at New York’s Galapagos Art Space and J.S. Bach’s Cantata Ich armer Mensch, ich Sündenknecht (BWV 55) with conductor JanJoost van Elburg and the Westerkerkkoor in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Scott Mello continues with debuts in the title role of Benjamin Britten’s Saint Nicolas with the Grace Cathedral Choir of Men & Boys in San Francisco and as the tenor soloist in Carl Heinrich Graun’s Der Tod Jesu with the Finnish Baroque Orchestra in Turku and Helsinki, Finland. He will return several times this season to Bach Collegium San Diego for performances of G.F. Handel’s Dixit Dominus and Messiah, as well as J.S. Bach’s Cantata Christ lag in Todesbanden (BWV 4) and Mass in B minor (BWV 232).
A dedicated educator, Scott Mello has served on the voice faculties of Seton Hall University (2004-2010), Washington & Lee University (2010-11) and the University of Richmond (2010-11). |
