Cristie Strongman - Secretary

Cristie Strongman is a dramatic coloratura soprano and a native of Panamá City, Panamá. She began her musical studies as a child with her grandmother a lyric soprano, organist and pianist in Panamá and in Germany. She attended The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) as an Opera Performance Major and performed extensively with the UTEP Conservatory Repertory Theater, The Italian Art Song Society under the direction of conductor, composer and pianist, Dr. Lucy Scarbrough, (Founder and Artistic Director of The El Paso Chopin Music Festival), The International Festival de la Zarzuela, El Paso, TX and Mexico alongside the late Metropolitan Opera soloist lyric baritone, Pablo Elvira; The Jarvis Conservatory Napa, CA before making her move to New York, to study with Metropolitan Opera soloists lyric tenor, Francisco Casanova and dramatic soprano, Atarah Hazzan. She has performed internationally in operas, oratorios, recitals, concerts and zarzuelas depicting the works of classical, contemporary and experimental composers of the art song. She takes great pride in bringing music to a diverse group of people through the organizing and performing in outreach programs such as for The Educational Enhancement for Mothers and Daughters Program A.K.A. Mother Daughter Program (El Paso, TX) and for the community of The Navajo Tribe in NM. Cristie performed in Carnegie Hall (2010, 2011) depicting the works of Hector Villa-Lobos and Mexican microtonal composer, Julián Carrillo. In 2013 she will perform there again works by American composer Joseph Schwantner. 
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Dmitri Hvorostovsky (baritone) & Cristie Strongman