Ben Holt

Copyright Š 2015 by Mayme Wilkins Holt and Nevilla E. Ottley All rights reserved under the international copyright law. With the exception is reviewers, who may quote brief passages in a review, no part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without the express, written permission of the authors. Requests should be mailed to Nevilla E. Ottley and Mayme Wilkins Holt, Permissions Department, Classics of Ebony Music Enterprises, LLC, 9529 Riggs Road, Adelphi, MD 20783.

Hardcover ISBN 9781562290757 Paperback ISBN 978562290702 eBook ISBN 9781562290764 Published by Christian Living Books, Inc. P. O. Box 7584 Largo, MD 20792 ChristianLivingBooks.com First Edition, July 2015 Printed in the United States of America Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Holt, Mayme Wilkins.

Ben Holt : apostle of musical enlightenment : a musical journey / by Mayme Wilkins Holt, as told to Nevilla E. Ottley. pages cm Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN 978-1-56229-075-7 (hardcover : alk. paper) -- ISBN 978-1-56229-070-2 (pbk. : alk. paper) -- ISBN 978-1-56229-076-4 (ebook : alk. paper) 1. Holt, Ben, 1955-1990.

2. Baritones (Singers)--United States--Biography. I. Ottley, Nevilla E. II. Title.

ML420.H5986H65 2015 782.1092--dc23 [B] 2015028155

Contents

Illustrations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . v Picture Gallery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ix Foreword . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xi Childhood/Takoma Elementary/Paul Junior High Years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 J. E. B. Stuart High School Years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Oberlin and Juilliard Years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 The Journey... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 The Other Ben . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 End of Ben’s Journey and the National Impact . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 Tributes to Ben Holt, Jr. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 From John Keene . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 From Cliff Jackson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 From Young Concert Artists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 From Patricia Prattis Jennings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 From Dominique-René de Lerma . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 About the Authors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 Special Tribute to Ben’s Teacher, Miss Woolfolk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65 Special Tribute to Richard Hurlbut . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66 Rod Brown, Artist of Ben Holt’s Portrait . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69 Awards and Citations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73 Interviews… and A Mother’s Thoughts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81 Appendix: by Dominique-René de Lerma, Ph.D., History of the Ben E. Holt Memorial Concert Series . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85

• iii •

Ben Holt Mission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91 Inauguration and Venues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93 Discography—1-2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95 Other recordings—1-114 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95 Ben Holt, Jr. Audio Tapes—1-53 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103 Recordings—39 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107 Baltimore Sun Review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111

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The Journey Continues…

Ben E. Holt, Jr. As A Professional Performing Artist In 1981 upon Lukas Foss’ invitation Robert Corman conducted Chants Malgaches with baritone soloist, Ben Holt, at the Brooklyn Academy of Music and at the Cooper Union Concert Hall in New York.

There was nothing one-faceted about Ben. As a classical singer, he was a performer of recitals, concerts, operas, but also of that wonderful category known as the Informance (informal presentation to a specific audience with whom there can be an exchange of question and answers followed by music). Ben and Cliff Jackson, his accompanist, were a perfect team for the informances.

This multi-faceted person was revealed in the area of sports as well as in the fine arts. Basketball was Ben’s first love. He saw the two careers as demanding top physical conditions. Even the longevity of top performance in each is somewhat limited.

Much later in his musical career, Ben hoped to be a vocal coach, and a major goal was to be an operatic stage director, because he thought there ought to be better acting among singers and he believed he could teach it.

Critics who have assessed his performances agree.

Before I embark upon that astounding musical journey, I’d like to share with you why mothers turn gray. I don’t know what Ben’s practice was away from home, but whenever he was in the home area for performances, I was his source for transportation. Ben had the habit of scheduling his departure time too close to performance time, leaving little or no time for unexpected occurrences. Though I was unduly stressed by this, I bore it gently, lovingly, motherly, giving my advice only once.

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Ben Holt

On one occasion, when Ben was scheduled to perform with the National Symphony Orchestra as a soloist under Mstislav Rostropovich in the Concert Hall of the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Maestro Rostropovich was booked for two evenings, one at 7:00 pm and one at 8:30 pm. Ben was resting calmly, thinking his performance was at 8:30 pm when the phone rang at 6:15 pm and the caller’s voice excitedly rang out: “Ben, you’re scheduled for the 7:00 pm performance!” The next words I heard was “Oh, Hell!” I was already dressed for the evening. “I’ll get you there.

Get dressed,” I said. Believe me, God had everything already planned for that evening. Everyone who was going to the Kennedy Center that evening in the Eisenhower Theater, Terrace Theater, and Concert Hall was already in his seat, waiting for the curtain to rise. Every policeman must have been on coffee break, watching TV. Going through Rock Creek Park from where we lived, the road was mine!!!

Every second counted—Maestro Rostropovich was prepared to proceed without the vocal soloist. As the orchestra sounded the soloist’s entrance score, suddenly those great green stage doors were flung open, and Ben regally entered upon the stage as if that was the way it was supposed to be. Oh, to have captured the expression on the face of Conductor Rostropovich who was prepared to conduct the musical score without a vocal soloist. That expression was priceless!! This is something that happens only once in a lifetime. Did this experience ever change Ben’s habit of scheduling departure time too close to performance time? I’ll never know, but I do know this experience added several years to my life. Now let’s get back to “The Musical Journey.”

…as Papageno in The Magic Flute …title role in The Marriage of Figaro • 14 •

The Journey Continues…Ben E. Holt, Jr. As A Professional Performing Artist

Baritone Ben Holt was an outstanding performer of opera, oratorio, recital, and chamber music, as well as that rare genre known as the “Informances”.

His numerous achievements include: •• First Prize of the Joy of Singing competition in 1982, •• First Prize of the Oratorio Society of New York also in 1982, •• First Prize of the Washington International Vocal Competition in 1980, •• First Prize Vocal Competition of the Friday Morning Music Club of Washington, D.C. in 1980, •• First Prize of the Independent Black Opera Singers Competition in 1980, •• He was selected to participate in the Affiliate Artists’ Residency Program, •• First Prize Young Artists International Audi-tions in 1983, resulting in an extensive recital tour of the United States, •• Won the Walker Fund Recital Prize in 1984.

Ben made his Metropolitan Opera debut in the 1985-1986 season production of “La Bohême” as Schaunard, as the Black Cat in “L’Enfant de les Sortiléges”, and in “Oedipus Rex”, having sung first with the company on the 1985 tour. He also appeared in “Romeo and Juliette” that year as Count Paris. He returned to the Met for a repeat engagement of “La Bohême” and also sang the role of the Chaplin in “The Dialogues of the Carmelites” in 1987. He sang in Orff’s “Carmina Burana” with the Herrara de la Fuete, conductor in the Sala Nezahualcoyotl, Mexico City, Mexico in 1988; with the Collegiate Chorale at Carnegie Hall. In March 1990, Ben sang the role of Sportin’ Life in the Met’s production of “Porgy and Bess”. Through a co-commission by the Virginia Opera Association and the London Royal Opera Company, Holt per-formed the role of Josiah in “Harriet: A Ben as Josiah in “Harriet”…

• 15 •

Ben Holt

Woman Called Moses” by Thea Musgrave at Norfolk Center Theater (Va.) in 1983.

In the fall of 1987, Ben made his highly-acclaimed New York City Opera debut in the title role of the world première of Anthony Davis’ opera, “Malcolm X.”

Ben Holt as Malcolm X • 16 •

The Journey Continues…Ben E. Holt, Jr. As A Professional Performing Artist

In 1988 Ben sang the title role of the “Marriage of Figaro” with the Virginia Opera Company. He also appeared as Harlequin in “Ariadne auf Naxos” at the Spoleto Festivals in both Charleston, South Carolina and in Spoleto, Italy. He sang with the Atlanta Symphony for an Affiliate Artists two-week residency, with the American Symphony Orchestra during the Lincoln Center Out-of-Doors Festival, and the Chamber Society of Lincoln Center’s Bach Festival at Alice Tully Hall. He sang under the baton of Zubin Mehta and multiple times with the National Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Mstislav Rostropovich.

Ben Holt as “Harlequin Lied” in Ariadne auf Naxos

• 17 •

Ben Holt

Ben Holt with Ester Hinds in Ariadne auf Naxos

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The Journey Continues…Ben E. Holt, Jr. As A Professional Performing Artist

Ben as “Harlequin Lied” in Áriadne auf Naxos His twenty-five solo recitals throughout the United States include his Ambassador Auditorium debut, and his May 7, 1985 recital on the Young Concert Artists New York Series at the 92nd Street Y. His exceptional dramatic gifts on the operatic stage have taken him from Papageno (the little bird catcher) in “The Magic Flute” and Dr. Falke in “Die Fledermaus,” to Ismenor in Rameau’s “Dardanus”, and Death in Holst’s “Savitri” with such companies as the American Opera Center, Opera South, and the San Francisco Opera’s “Merola” Program.

Ben Holt as Papageno in Magic Flute • 19 •

Ben Holt

Ben Holt as Dr. Falke in Die Fledermaus • 20 •

The Journey Continues…Ben E. Holt, Jr. As A Professional Performing Artist

Ben as Death in Holst’s Savitri • 21 •

Ben Holt

Ben as Death in Holst’s Savitri with soprano Linda Mabbs • 22 •

The Journey Continues…Ben E. Holt, Jr. As A Professional Performing Artist

…as Count Paris in Romeo & Juliette • 23 •

Ben Holt

Other appearances as soloist with orchestra include •• The New York Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of Zubin Mehta, •• The Philadelphia Orchestra under Raphael Fruhbeck de Burgos.

•• The Los Angeles Philharmonic, •• The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, •• Knoxville Symphony, •• The National Symphony, both at home and on tour, •• The Baroque Orchestra of Toronto, •• Tefelmusik the Arts at St. Ann’s in Brooklyn, NY, both highlighting the artist’s affinity for the baroque.

Appearing with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra in a special concert entitled “Rejoice! A Musical Celebration of Black History” under the direction of the ISO Associate Conductor, William Henry Curry, Ben Holt was one of the featured highlights with his reading of “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Ben was also featured as soloist in two scenes from the opera “Malcolm X”, a role he created in the world premiere by the New York City Opera in 1986. As soloist for baritone and orchestra, Ben rendered three spirituals, “Ride On, King Jesus”, “Joshua Fit de Battle o’ Jericho”, and “He’s Got the Whole World in His Hand”.

That marvelous instrument, the voice, is both powerful and yet surprisingly delicate. Ben says there are times when he has had to say “no” to a performance offer that he would like very much to do, but the signal to rest the voice was paramount in order to preserve the instrument. I came across an interesting statement by Ben in Deborah George’s interview with him following his role as Figaro in “The Marriage of Figaro.”

I know what I’m doing. I’m not doing what I do by accident. I know what my brain wants my voice to do when I’m singing.

Ben has his own technique of survival. After every session, he gets plenty of sleep because he knows that the next day is for priming his voice to perform again. On his days off, Ben sleeps late. He is just lazy. He avoids talking. He does not go out much. He says: “When I practice, I practice until I have • 24 •

The Journey Continues…Ben E. Holt, Jr. As A Professional Performing Artist

130% accuracy, so in performing, if I lose 30%, I still have 100%.”1 An occasional date with his friend, soprano Kathleen Battle afforded them both a frolicsome moment to chuckle about as seen in the photo to the left.

Every time Ben sings, a message is delivered, the per-son is revealed. It is a message you have to feel, or else as in an expression, Ben often used: “You missed the boat.” Ben figuratively, like an Atlas, straddled the globe with his message of universality of song. He was so passionate about what he did and believed. His entire life was a mission. More than an ambassador, Ben was an “apostle”—one “sent.” Sometimes one’s greatest strengths are in moments of greatest weakness. Time can become the master. In the words of Dr. Benjamin E. Mayes, President Emeritus of Morehouse College, Atlanta, Georgia: I have only just a minute Only sixty seconds in it, Forced upon me, can’t refuse it, Didn’t seek it, didn’t choose it, But it’s up to me to use it.

I must suffer if I lose it, Give account if I abuse it.

Just a tiny little minute, But eternity is in it.

1

George, Deborah. Staff writer “The Richmond News Ledger, November 8, 1984.

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Ben Holt

Among the many showers of blessings that fell upon Ben as he fervently continued his musical journey was his opportunity to perform at the Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University (Baltimore, Maryland) on the invitation of Dr. Eileen Kline, Dean of Peabody’s Conservatory of Music. This encounter was not just an opportunity to perform, but their meeting became a professional friendship that grew through the years in humility and service when Eileen helped Ben move furniture from his mother’s house in Washington, D.C. to New York. Eileen invited Ben to perform in a second concert at Peabody. Music was at the heart of the Cline family. Her daughter, sharing this picture, Joy Michele Cline-Phinney, is an accomplished concert pianist and an accompanist. Eileen was again supportive as she went with me at the New York City Opera’s world premier performance of “Malcolm X” in which Ben performed in the title role. Her home was often the scene of music lovers who gathered informally to share their art just for the love of music.

Dr. Eileen Kline and daughter Joy Michele The year 1987 was a stellar year for Ben on his musical journey. He has sung a variety of leading operatic roles, but he considered “Malcolm X” the type of role that comes along very seldom in a performer’s career. In Harriet Jackson-Scarupa’s article that appeared in the October 1986 edition of American Visions, Holt, as the performer, stated that improvisational • 26 •

The Journey Continues…Ben E. Holt, Jr. As A Professional Performing Artist

elements allow for individual difference in every performance. It is the element that lends a certain fluidity and spontaneity to each performance. “It is similar,” Holt says, “to what Malcolm would experience on the streets of Harlem or in his travels.”

Holt says: “For me, the performer, preparing for the role of Malcolm X was an honor, a challenge and an education. One learns a great deal about himself, his own people and his people’s history.” He prepared for this role by extensive reading, listening to Malcolm X’s speeches, and looking at film footage showing Malcolm X in action. Ben said: I felt I had to make some effort to at least resemble Malcolm’s mannerisms, because his mannerisms reflected his emotional and intellectual output.

I don’t want to convey a robotic performance. I’m not trying to be a clone of Malcolm X.2 Superb actor Holt glides from life-period to life-period in the life and times of Malcolm X with a dramatic transformational skill that individualizes the trinity of hustler, militant, and spiritual leader.3 Headed by Ben Holt in the title role, the cast could not have been better.

All of the leads—Ben Holt, Thomas Young as Street/Elijah Muhammad; Priscilla Baskerville as Louise Little/Queen Mother/ Betty Shabazz; Marietta Simpson as Ella Muslim; and, Mark S. Doss as Reginald—were making their New York City Opera debuts.

According to Eileen Siegel, Advance Music Critic of Staten Island Advance: Despite an outstanding supporting cast, however, Holt could have walked out of the theater and still taken the stage with him. He brought Malcolm’s personality into sharp focus with a voice, acting ability, and stage presence that marked him unmistakably as a potential opera superstar.3 John Rockwell in his article in The New York Times, Sunday, September 28, 1986, views Malcolm X as a hero to some and racist to others, and now the “stuff of opera.”

2

Scarupa, Harriet Jackson. “Setting Malcolm X to Music”, American Visions, (September/October 1986), p. 36.

3

Siegal, Eileen. “City Opera “X” Worth a Look”, Staten Island Advance (Tuesday, September 30, 1986).

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Ben Holt

One cannot recount great moments in Holt’s musical journey without citing his role as Malcolm X in Anthony Davis’ first opera “X” (The Life and Times of Malcolm X). Eileen Siegel, critic for the Staten Island Advance, describes the story of the life of Malcolm X as ….dramatic, powerpacked, and almost unbearably intense, encompassing Malcolm’s transformation—from hustler, to militant to spiritual leader.

It was vital that I portray these mannerisms without appearing to be a robot or a clone of Malcolm. At the same time, it was also necessary for me as an actor to portray and justify the rage, and hate that Malcolm felt resulting from circumstances in his early life. [One has to feel the character in order to know the character in order to portray the character.]4 Still another accolade awaited Ben when renowned musician and composer, Lee Hoiby set to music the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have A Dream” speech. In a letter Mr. Hoiby stated that when he heard Ben sing “I Have A Dream” at a first rehearsal, he immediately got up and wrote “To Ben Holt” on both copies.

Ben said that this was the first time anybody had dedicated a piece to him. Mr. Hoiby stated that he was so glad he had made that impetuous decision instead of waiting until he and Ben knew each other before making such a personal gesture.

Still another tribute presented itself to Ben when Thomas H. Kerr (19151988), organist, composer, and faculty member of the Howard University Department of Music, set to music Paul Lawrence Dunbar’s poem “Riding to Town.” It was “In Memoriam to Thomas H. Kerr, Jr.” that Ben was asked to sing the composition in the Concert Hall of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in a program titled “Black Composers Salute the Black College and Universities.” Accompanied by pianist Cliff Jackson, Holt also sang 4

Scarupa, Harriet Jackson, op. cit., p. 33.

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The Journey Continues…Ben E. Holt, Jr. As A Professional Performing Artist

•• Howard Swanson’s “Joy” •• Margaret Bonds’ “Minstrel Man” •• Howard Swanson’s “Death Song”, and one of •• Hall Johnson’s art songs composed in the style of a spiritual, “Ain’t Got Time to Die.” In a critique in The Washington Post, reviewer Joseph McLellan stated that: The fact that Holt is black and proud rings out clearly in his selection of material on his performances, but Holt’s heritage is only part of his musical equipment. He sings with great power and complete stylistic mastery whether in German lieder or in French and Spanish selections.

Wonders will never cease when God orders your steps. Little did Ben know when he was presented as soloist by Wendell G. Wright Memorial Concert Series that seven years later he would be chosen by this concert series to perform at The Joseph Meyerhoft Symphony Hall in Baltimore, Maryland, under the most unbelievable circumstances. The original concert had been scheduled to present Mattiwilda Dobbs and Robert McFerrin in the Historical Joint Benefit Recital. Unfortunately, Mr. McFerrin became ill and Ben was asked to replace him. What an honor and a privilege! Mr. McFerrin was the first black male to be accepted by the Metropolitan Opera. This also meant that Ben would be singing with the world renowned African American diva, Mattiwilda Dobbs, coloratura soprano, whose career had taken her from the Metropolitan and San Francisco operas to performances sung in every corner of the Earth. I remember his saying how his heart pounded with disbelief, excitement and anxiety. What a milestone in his musical journey!

The musical journey seems almost endless as we browse through program listings, and meet this actor/singer of opera, concert, oratorio and recital in such character roles as •• Christ in “The Ninth Hour”; •• Manoah (Samson’s father) in George Frederick Händel’s oratorio “Samson”;

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Ben Holt

•• Hidrato, a magician, King of Damascus in “Armide”, an opera by Jean-Baptiste Lully; •• the Knight Olimpio in the comedy, “Ubalda”; •• Dr. Falke in “Die Fledermaus” opera by Johann Strauss II; •• Isménor, a magician in “Dardanus”, an opera by Jean-Philippe Rameau; •• Josiah in “Harriet: A Woman Called Moses”; •• Papageno in “The Magic Flute” by Mozart; •• The title role of “The Marriage of Figaro” by Mozart; •• Sportin’ Life in “Porgy and Bess” by George & Ira Gershwin; •• Schaunard in “La Bohême”; •• Count Paris in Roméo et Juliette (Romeo and Juliet), opéra

by Charles-François Gounod; •• The Chaplin in “Dialogues of the Carmelites” by Francis Jean Marcel Poulenc; •• Death in “Savitri” by Gustav Holst; Holt has given recitals in such venues as: •• Carnegie Hall, New York City •• Alice Tully Hall of the Lincoln Center, NY •• The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Washington, D. C. •• WETA-FM, Public Television, Washington, D.C. He has appeared as soloist with the •• American Symphony Orchestra under Leopold Stokowski; •• Baltimore Symphony Orchestra in “Messiah” of George Frederick Händel; •• Los Angeles Philharmonic in “The Creation” of Franz Josef Haydn, under Carl Maria Giulini; •• National Symphony Orchestra in ŨŨ “La Vida Breve” of Manuel de Falla; ŨŨ “Creation” by Franz Josef Haydn; • 30 •

The Journey Continues…Ben E. Holt, Jr. As A Professional Performing Artist

ŨŨ “L’Enfant et les sortileges” by Ravel He sang on several audio and video recordings: •• “A Bayou Legend” by African American composer, William Grant Still, in 1981, the first broadcast opera on Television by a Black composer, conducted by Black Maestro Leonard de Paur; •• “Incoronazione de Poppea” by Monteverdi; •• Carmina Burana by Carl Orff was recorded with the orchestra and choir of Sinfonica de Mineris; •• Ariadne auf Naxus” by Richard Strauss, under baroque specialist Alan Curtis, on Fonicetra label; •• “Il Sant’ Alessio” (as Eufemiano) by Stefano Landi.

You haven’t met the complete person until you encounter this artist as he changes from tuxedoed singer in a great music hall to a normal person as he works his charm on an audience of high school students. Holt is not there to convert the students, but to expose them to other types of music as he sings a spiritual, a classical selection, or an operatic aria. He is not offended when the students tell him they didn’t like a particular song. He remembers when he was their age and that he felt the very same way. How can one say he doesn’t like something unless he is exposed to it? That’s what growing is all about.

Ben Holt in “Bayou Legend” • 31 •

Ben Holt

Article by Entertainment Writer, Aida Rogers. Photos by Bill Scraggins/ Sun News as Ben entertains and educates students of Berry County, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina According to David J. Marek of the Washington Post, “Besides solo voice with orchestral accompaniment and opera, Holt says he finds the solo recital the most challenging and rewarding because, except for the pianist, you’re out there all alone where you have to create the entire environment for each song, thus exposing who you are artistically, spiritually, and emotionally, and that what you are doing is for everybody.”5

Photo by Rich Crawford, The Richmond News Leader, Thursday, November 8, 1984 5

Marek, David J., “Solitary Pleasures”, The Washington Post, Sunday, September 20, 1987, F3.

• 32 •

The Other Ben

• 35 •

Ben Holt

• 36 •

The Other Ben

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