|
The Americ an pianist, Jason Wirth, performed on the piano extensively from a very young age, including appearances with the Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra and the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra as a soloist. He studied at The New School. He studied Piano at Mannes School of Music (Class of 2008); and at Yale School of Music (Class of 2009). His teachers include Alexander Braginsky (University of Minnesota) and Pavlina Dokovska (Mannes).
"Jason Wirth [spun] a gossamer web of unusual sounds on the piano," writes the The New York Times. A versatile and intrepid performer, Jason draws on his varied interests to bring new perspectives into his music-making. His successful recording of Francis Poulenc's The Story of Babar, with film actor Michael Douglas narrating, can be heard on iTunes and Amazon/Audible. "Plundered Hearts", an album of songs by celebrated vocal composer Jorge Martín (Before Night Falls) with mezzo Heather Johnson and baritone Andrew Garland, is also available on iTunes.
In 2018, Jason Wirth performed with soprano Lynn Spurgat at Carnegie's Zankel, where returned in November 2019. He was honored to be a guest artist at workshops performances of Santa Fe Opera and Arizona Opera, presenting new works by Paul Ruders and Clint Borzoni. He is an expert performer of the operatic repertoire and has a deep love and affinity for art song, cabaret, musical theatre and jazz.
Jason Wirth has led and conducted a number of varied projects, ranging from Baroque music to contemporary opera and musical theatre. As a founder of the Modern Opera Company and their innovative Potluck Opera series, he has led their performances of Sweeney Todd, Into the Woods, The Medium, Amahl and the Night Visitors, and Street Scene. For Lighthouse Opera, Jason has led performances of Rigoletto and Carlisle Floyd’s Susannah. He was the assistant conductor of the award-winning new music ensemble Cantori New York from 2010 to 2014 and conducted this innovative group at venues such as Le Poisson Rouge and the DiMenna Center in New York City. Other musical theatre credits include The Threepenny Opera for Columbia Drama School, The Cradle WIll Rock for The New School. A talented improviser and arranger, he enjoys the challenge of reworking already-composed music to meet the requirements of new performers and new contexts.
Despite his early success as a solo instrumentalist, Jason Wirth has always loved singing and singers. He began accompanying voice lessons while he was still in high school, and has worked in some of the top vocal studios in New York City, where he learned about the craft of singing from some of the greatest artists and technicians alive today. A gifted score-reader, he is a sought-after répétiteur for 20th and 21st century operas; he is conversant in German, Italian, and French. He currently lives in New York City, New York. |
