Artist Biographies

Jessica Cottis, conductor

These performances mark Jessica Cottis’s first appearance with the Charlotte Symphony.

Hailed by the UK music press as “one to watch”, Jessica Cottis possesses intellectual rigour, innate musicality and an easy authority; she is a charismatic figure on the podium who brings dynamism, intensity and clarity of vision to all her performances.

Frequently in demand as a guest conductor, highlights of Cottis’ recent seasons include performances at the prestigious BBC Proms, and engagements with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, BBC Symphony Orchestra, l’Orchestre Philharmonique de Monte Carlo, New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra, and recording with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra.

In the 2021/22 season, Cottis looks forward to engagements with Norrlands Opera where she will conduct a new production of Macbeth, in addition to working with the Oslo Philharmonic, Bremen Philharmonic Orchestra, Bordeaux Symphony Orchestra, San Antonio Symphony Orchestra, Charlotte Symphony, Basel Sinfonietta, and Ulster Orchestra among others, she will conduct the Royal Opera House’s world premiere of The Blue Woman by Laura Bowler.

Born in Australia and a dual BritishAustralian citizen, Jessica Cottis was awarded a first class honours degree in organ, piano and musicology from the Australian National University and continued her studies as an organist with Marie-Claire Alain in Paris, winning awards from the Royal Philharmonic Society and Royal College of Organists. She began conducting studies in 2006, studying with Colin Metters and Sir Colin Davis on the postgraduate conducting course at the Royal Academy of Music.

From 2009 to 2011 she was Assistant Conductor at the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra and Fellow in Conducting at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, and from 2012 to 2014 was Assistant Conductor of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra. In 2014 Cottis took up the position of Principal Conductor of the Glasgow New Music Expedition and is the current Chief Conductor of the Canberra Symphony Orchestra.

Jessica Cottis makes her home in South London and in her free time is learning to fly a helicopter.

Stewart Goodyear, piano

These performances mark Stewart Goodyear’s first appearance with the Charlotte Symphony.

Proclaimed “a phenomenon” by the Los Angeles Times and “one of the best pianists of his generation” by the Philadelphia Inquirer, Stewart Goodyear is an accomplished concert pianist, improviser and composer. Mr. Goodyear has performed with, and has been commissioned by, many of the major orchestras and chamber music organizations around the world.

Last year, Orchid Classics released Mr. Goodyear’s recording of his suite for piano and orchestra, Callaloo and his piano sonata. His recent commissions include a Piano Quintet for the Penderecki String Quartet, and a piano work for the Honens Piano Competition.

Mr. Goodyear’s discography includes the complete sonatas and piano concertos of Beethoven, as well as concertos by Tchaikovsky, Grieg and Rachmaninov, an album of Ravel piano works, and an album entitled For Glenn Gould, which combines repertoire from Mr. Gould’s US and Montreal debuts. His Rachmaninov recording received a Juno nomination for Best Classical Album for Soloist and Large Ensemble Accompaniment. Mr. Goodyear’s recording of his own transcription of Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker (Complete Ballet), was chosen by the New York Times as one of the best classical music recordings of 2015.

His discography is released on the Marquis Classics, Orchid Classics, and Steinway & Sons labels. His new album, entitled Phoenix, will be released on the Bright Shiny Things label in October 2021, and will include Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition.

Highlights for the 2021-22 season is his Boston debut at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, return engagements at the Chamber Music Society of Detroit, the Ladies Morning Musical Club (Montreal, Canada), l’Orchestre Symphonique de Quebec, Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, the Buffalo Philharmonic and the Vancouver and Indianapolis Symphonies, and his debut with the National Symphony Orchestra (Washington, DC).

stewartgoodyearpiano.com

Steinway Piano selected from STEINWAY PIANO GALLERY - CHARLOTTE

Lindsay Kesselman, soprano

Ms. Kesselman first appeared with the CSO in 2018’s Mr. Tambourine Man: Poems of Bob Dylan.

Hailed by Fanfare Magazine as an “artist of growing reputation for her artistry and intelligence...with a voice of goddess-like splendor” Lindsay Kesselman is a two-time GRAMMY ™ nominated soprano who passionately advocates for contemporary music.

Recent and upcoming highlights include Knoxville: Summer of 1915 by Samuel Barber with the Columbus Symphony Orchestra, Astronautica: Voices of Women in Space with Voices of Ascension, ongoing performances of two works written for Kesselman by John Mackey with orchestras and wind symphonies across the country, the John Corigliano 80th birthday celebration at National Sawdust (2018), Quixote (Amy Beth Kirsten and Mark DeChiazza) with Peak Performances at Montclair State University (2017), a leading role in Louis Andriessen’s opera Theatre of the World with the Los Angeles Philharmonic and Dutch National Opera and an international tour of Einstein on the Beach with the Philip Glass Ensemble (2012-2015).

Kesselman is featured on several recent recordings: Chris Cerrone’s The Arching Path (2021, In a Circle Records), Russell Hartenberger’s Requiem for Percussion and Voices (2019, Nexus Records), and Louis Andriessen’s Theatre of the World with the Los Angeles Philharmonic (2017, Nonesuch).

Kesselman has been the resident soprano of the Pittsburgh New Music Ensemble for 10 seasons and holds degrees in voice performance from Rice University and Michigan State University. She is represented by Trudy Chan at Black Tea Music and lives in Charlotte, NC with her son Rowan. More information can be found at lindsaykesselman.com

William Edwards, tenor

This concert marks Mr. Edwards’s first appearance with the Charlotte Symphony.

William Edwards, tenor, is from Kernersville, NC pursuing a Masters of Music in Vocal Performance at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. He has appeared with North Carolina Opera, Opera in the Ozarks, and the Des Moines Choral Festival. Operatic roles at UNCG include Jenik in Smetana’s The Bartered Bride, Mozart in RimskyKorsakov’s Mozart and Salieri, and John James Box in Sullivan’s Cox and Box. Recently seen on the operatic stage as a baritone, Will’s stage experience includes Fredrik in Sondheim’s A Little Night Music, Don Giovanni in Mozart’s Don Giovanni, Marquis de la Force in Poulenc’s Dialogues of the Carmelites, and Strephon in Gilbert & Sullivan’s Iolanthe. Will is a career grant recipient from the North Carolina and Virginia chapter of the National Society of Arts and Letters and is also currently a Coordinator of Contemporary Worship at Sedge Garden United Methodist Church in Kernersville, NC.

Reginald Powell, bass

This concert marks Mr. Powell’s first appearance with the Charlotte Symphony.

Reginald Powell, bass-baritone, is a 25 year old native of Wilson, NC. He earned a Bachelor’s degree from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro in May 2020. Reginald has performed with UNCG Opera Theater as Sarastro in Die Zauberflöte, Pistola in Falstaff, Simone in Gianni Schicchi (unfortunately canceled due to the pandemic) and Salieri in Mozart and Salieri. He made his debut with Greensboro Opera in December 2019 as King Balthazar in Amahl and the Night Visitors and last week appeared as Jim in Porgy and Bess. He is currently back at UNCG obtaining his master’s in music performance.

Zachary Taylor, tenor

This concert marks Mr. Taylor’s first appearance with the Charlotte Symphony.

Zachary Taylor, tenor, is currently pursuing his MM in Voice Performance at UNC Greensboro, where he studies with tenor Robert Bracey. He obtained his BM from Towson University in Fall 2020, where he studied with tenor Min Jin. Zach recently performed as Mozart in UNCG Opera Theatre’s production of Mozart and Salieri and will be performing as Vasek in UNCG’s production of The Bartered Bride this April; other past roles include Frederic in Pirates of Penzance and Don Basilio in Le Nozze di Figaro, as well as three different children’s operas. Zach is also an avid lover of choral music, having sung with two semi-professional chamber ensembles — the men’s group Quorus and the mixed ensemble Lux — while living in the DMV area. Outside of opera, Zach enjoys hiking, video games, and following the eclectic collection of sports teams he roots for.

Robert Wells, baritone

This concert marks Dr. Wells’s first appearance with the Charlotte Symphony.

Baritone Robert Wells is currently Professor of Voice and Coordinator of Vocal Pedagogy at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro College of Visual and Performing Arts. He earned the BM in Voice from the State University of New York College at Fredonia, and holds MM and DMA degrees in Voice from the University of Cincinnati CollegeConservatory of Music. Dr. Wells is a former Governor of the Mid-Atlantic Region of the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) and served as President of the NC Chapter of NATS. An active choral conductor recognized for his work with numerous professional and community choral organizations, Dr. Wells is the Director of the Chancel Choir at First Presbyterian Church, Greensboro. Dr. Wells was an Artist Faculty member of the Schlern International Music Festival in Voels am Schlern, Italy for a number of years and he formerly served on the faculty at the State University of New York College at Fredonia, where he was CoChair of the Voice Faculty.