A CELEBRATION OF MUSIC
Sunday,
October 28, 2012
5:00
PM
Trinity
Episcopal Church
1329
Jackson Avenue
New
Orleans, Louisiana 70130
About The Artist: Soprano Valerie Anne Jones Francis
Valerie
Anne Jones Francis
holds the B.A., M.M., and D.M.A. in Vocal Music Education/Performance
from Dillard University, the University of New Orleans and the
University of Oklahoma, respectively.
She
also attended American
Institute of Musical Studies
in
Graz, Austria. She was one of the first recipients of the Carol Brice
Carey Scholarship. In 1994, she represented the Gulf Coast Region
for the National Council Auditions at the Metropolitan Opera, in New
York. Roles to her credit include,
Aida, Bess,
Serena, Magda, Donna Anna, Donna Elvira, Musetta, Madame Euterpova,
Madama
Butterfly, Micaela, Carmen and
Marschillin with the University of New Orleans Opera Theater,
Cimarron Circuit Opera Company, Shreveport Opera and New York Opera
Studio.
She made her debut with New Orleans Opera as the
Strawberry Woman and Soprano I Prayer Soloist,
in Gershwin’s Porgy
and Bess in
October 2010 and returned as Inez
in Il
Trovatore in
April, 2011 . Most recently she sang the role of Leonie
in a premiere concert performance of a newly commissioned opera,
Freedom Ride,
by Dan Shore. She
has also appeared as guest soloist with the Dallas Symphony, AIMS,
Louisiana Philharmonic and Jefferson Performing Arts Society
Orchestras.
Dr. Francis is also a new member of Opera
Creole with
whom she has performed the roles of Piquita
(Flamenca, Charles
Lucien Lambert),
Treemonisha
(Treemonisha,
Scott Joplin)
and Trolla
(Thelma,
Samuel
Coleridge-Taylor).
Dr.
Francis presents concerts with Dr. Wilfred Delphin, which has
included Benefit Concerts for AIDS
Relief in Zambia
in Carbondale, Illinois and Sundays
at Three
Afternoon Recitals Series, in Memory of Alpha
Brawner Floyd at
the Benjamin L. Hooks Central Library in Memphis, Tennessee, Trinity
Artist Series,
MOJA, and
Piccolo Spoleto
Festivals. Dr.
Francis also represented the United States as one of three judges for
X Concurso
Internacional Canto Lirico,
an international vocal competition
in
Trujillo, Peru.
Dr.
Francis also serves as Executive Artistic Director of “The
Patriotic Project Statewide Youth Chorus”,
an interactive, music empowerment program providing youth an
opportunity to be exposed to several forms of creative arts. This
program, also allows children from various backgrounds to come
together, transcending race, economic, and cultural differences to
form a diverse group of singers and performers who have volunteered
their voices and hearts to show the strength and beauty of unity in a
patriotic project to remind America that we are ALL
Americans!
She
currently serves as Assistant Professor of Vocal Music Education at
Nicholls State University in Thibodaux, LA, and choir director at her
home church, Free Mission Baptist Church, where her father, Reverend
Johnny Jones, Jr. serves as pastor.
Dr. Francis continues to perform
locally, nationally and internationally.
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