The Center For The Arts To Present An Evening of Songs And Arias

MURFREESBORO — The Center for the Arts will present Katherine Sandoval Taylor in An Evening of Songs and Arias, a benefit for the renovation of The Center for the Arts building, November 20, 2009, 8 p.m.

Murfreesboro audiences who were fortunate enough to see the Center for the Arts production of The Sound of Music will remember Ms. Taylor’s portrayal of Maria Von Trapp. In addition to her stunning beauty, audiences will recall her stunning voice.

Ms. Taylor, a native of Asheville, NC, has appeared in oratorio, concert, musical theater, and opera performances throughout the Southeast, as well as in various venues in Massachusetts. Studying voice and pedagogy under Mark St. Laurent, she earned a Master of Music degree in Vocal Performance from the New England Conservatory (NEC) in Boston, MA. She also holds a Bachelor of Music degree in Vocal Performance from Furman University, in Greenville, SC, where she studied with mezzo-soprano, Trudy Hines Fuller. She has also studied with the renowned Pierre Vallet, John Moriarty, Marc Astafan, and Metropolitan operatic soprano Patricia Craig.

Ms. Taylor has performed myriad operatic roles including, Aurelia Havisham, in Dominick Argento's monodrama, Miss Havisham's Wedding Night and Pernile, in American composer John Duke’s comedy, Captain Lovelock. She was also a featured soloist in the musical review, There Once Was a Girl Named Jenny – Theater Music of Kurt Weill. Also at NEC, she performed the partial roles of Nannetta, in Falstaff, Sifare, in Mitridate, Nellie, in Summer and Smoke, Elisetta, in Il Matrimonio Segreto, and Vénus, in Orphée aux enfers. While at Furman University, she performed the role of Countess Almaviva, in Le Nozze di Figaro, and the partial roles of Mimi, in La Bohème and Frasquita, in Carmen. In April 2007, Ms. Taylor was delighted to return to her home town to perform as a featured soloist with the Asheville Lyric Opera and Asheville Bravo! in the concert, Rising Stars: A Homecoming.

“I fell in love with The Center for the Arts when I first entered its doors to audition for The Sound of Music. It is my hope that this concert will contribute to the overall success that the Center has already achieved this year, as well as assist financially in the renovations needed”, said Taylor.

One hundred percent of the proceeds from this concert will go to The Center for the Arts, Inc. Christy-Houston Matching & Development Fund 2009, wherein the foundation will match dollar for dollar all donations up to $45,000. Funds will be used to replace much needed air conditioning and heating systems, worn-out flooring and myriad other issues in the 100 year old building.

The cost for the red carpet evening will be $75 per person which will include a cash bar and dinner at B. McNeal’s Restaurant, a silent auction, the concert and a champagne/dessert reception in the art gallery after the concert.

“This event promises to be one of the most elegant, exciting events ever in Murfreesboro”, states Anthony Cimino, the Center’s Executive Director. “It will be like nothing Murfreesboro has ever seen, actually, more like something out of Hollywood!”

Tickets are very limited and must be purchased prior to November 10, 2009 by calling The Center for the Arts at 615.904.2787 or on-line at www.boroarts.org.