A CELEBRATION OF MUSIC: Soprano Valerie Francis Has Sung Works of Lucien Lambert, Scott Joplin & Samuel Coleridge-Taylor

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.