Lee University’s School of Music will reunite Dr. Ron Brendel, tenor, and Valerie Trujillo, piano, for a performance on Friday, Jan. 30, at 7:30 p.m. in Squires Recital Hall, located in the Humanities Center on Lee’s campus.   
 
The performance will feature selections such as Benjamin Britten’s “Seven Sonnets of Michelangelo” and “Sechs Hölderlin-Fragmente” and Ralph Vaughan Williams’ “Four Hymns.”  

“My doctoral work included a lot of Benjamin Britten’s music, and my dissertation was on a Britten-related topic. I have just finished a book regarding the music of Britten, so this music means a lot to me,” said Brendel, professor of voice at Lee. “I coached a Britten opera with Valerie Trujillo, so it will be a true honor to welcome her to Lee and to share this recital with her. She is a renowned vocal coach and accompanist, and a wonderful friend.” 
 
In addition to teaching all levels of applied voice and vocal literature, Brendel is the director of graduate programs in music at Lee. He sings a wide repertoire of opera, oratorio, and recital music and debuted at Carnegie Hall in 2006 as tenor soloist in Mozart’s Coronation Mass. He has done dozens of solo recitals and has presented papers and performances at academic conferences worldwide. Brendel’s book on Britten’s repertoire for tenors will be available this year. 
 

Trujillo’s experiences in song literature and opera make her a much-sought-after accompanist, coach, and teacher of masterclasses. Formerly co-director of the Young American Artists program at Glimmerglass Opera, she has been associated with many opera companies. Trujillo has served as artist faculty at the Tanglewood Music Center, Ars Vocalis México, the Taos Opera Institute, Si parla, si canta, and La Musica Lirica as well as the academic faculty at the Hartt School, Middle Tennessee State University, Yale University, and Central Connecticut State University.  
 
She made her Weill Recital Hall debut in 2006 and can be heard on the Grammy-nominated Chandos release of Bennett’s The Mines of Sulphur, as well as on the Mark Records, Albany, and Azica labels. Trujillo is proud to have served as the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) Master Collaborative Teacher for the 2020 and 2021 NATS intern programs. She received her musical training from Eastern New Mexico University and the University of Illinois. She taught at Florida State University from 1990-1996 and rejoined the faculty in 2002 where she is now professor of vocal coaching and accompanying and coordinator of the voice and opera area. 
 
This event is free, non-ticketed, and open to the public. Livestream viewing will be available at leeu.live.  
For more information about this recital or other music events, contact the School of Music at (423) 614-8240 or email [email protected].