Saturday, November 16, 2024 | 7:30pm
The Lucas Theatre for the Arts
Jonathan Taylor Rush guest conductor
Savannah Philharmonic Chorus
Paul Thornock chorus master
AUGUSTA READ THOMAS Aureole
BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 9, “Choral”
Jonathan Taylor Rush is an accomplished and visionary conductor whose musical journey is a testament to the transformative power of music and its ability to inspire joy and hope in the hearts of others.
Rush draws inspiration from the profound emotions evoked by the enthusiastic audiences that gather to experience his performances. Fueled by a deep passion for music, his mission is two-fold: to cure someone’s bad day through the power of music and to ignite a passion among younger generations of musicians and creators, who may doubt the possibility of realizing their dreams.
Rooted in his musical upbringing within the church, Rush’s approach to conducting is imbued with elements of gospel and soul music. He fearlessly infuses his performances with soul and
passion, breathing new life into the classical masterworks. An ardent advocate for living and underrepresented composers, Rush is committed to programming their music in the concerts he conducts. His dedication to inclusivity and representation shines through in every performance he leads.
Among his many achievements, Rush was named Assistant Conductor, and was later promoted to Associate Conductor with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra from 2020 to 2023. At the Baltimore Symphony, Rush also served as Artistic Director of the Baltimore Symphony Youth Orchestras, where he led the ensemble on its first-ever international tour through Europe.
Rush’s conducting prowess has graced esteemed stages both nationally and internationally. He has made captivating debuts with renowned ensembles, including the Chicago, Philadelphia, Detroit, Minnesota Orchestras, among many others, as well as his opera debut with the Washington National Opera at the Kennedy Center. Jonathan’s Mentors and teachers of conducting are Joseph Young, Mei-Ann Chen, and Marin Alsop.
Soprano Jasmine Habersham’s recent and upcoming engagements include her role début as Juliette in Roméo et Juliette with Opera San Jose, Gilda in Rigoletto at Atlanta Opera, Frasquita in Carmen in her début with the Gran Teatre del Liceu (Barcelona), Pamina in Die Zauberflöte at Nashville Opera, and Mabel in The Pirates of Penzance at Central City Opera. She appears in concert with multiple orchestras: the Fresno Philharmonic for Mahler’s 4th Symphony, the Baltimore Symphony for Carmina burana, and Syracuse Orchestra for a concert of operatic excerpts. In past seasons, Ms. Habersham has performed as a featured soloist in numerous concert productions including Szymanowski’s Stabat Mater, Schubert’s Mass in G, Bach’s B Minor Mass, Handel’s Messiah, and Duke Ellington’s Concert of Sacred Music.
Cameron J. Rolling boasts a multi-faceted career as an emerging operatic baritone, professional chorister, and conductor. He was a 2023 Merola Opera Program Young Artist and has been selected for the 2024 Young Artist Program of Glimmerglass Festival.
Recent performances include Junis in Benjamin Britten’s The Rape of Lucretia for the Merola Opera Program, Guglielmo in Mozart’s Così fan tutte as well as soloist in Handel’s Messiah, Bach’s Jesu Meine Freude, and Mendelssohn’s Elijah. Upcoming performances include three main-stage productions for Glimmerglass Festival in 2024.
Cameron currently serves as the Director of Music at Village Church on Antioch in Overland Park, KS and the Artistic Director of the Northland Community Choir in Parkville, MO. He sings with the Spire Chamber Ensemble and Missouri Choral Artists in Kansas City, MO. He is also a teaching artist with the Voces8 Educational Foundation for workshops across the United States.
Cameron holds dual Master of Music degrees in Choral Conducting and Vocal Performance from University of Missouri-Kansas City. He holds a Bachelor of Music degree in Music Education with concentrations in voice and conducting from Mercer University.
Demetrious Sampson Jr. is a tenor from Albany, Ga. A 2022 alumnus of HGO’s Young Artists Vocal Academy, he finished his undergraduate studies at Georgia State University’s School of Music in May of 2023, after which, he joined the Sarah and Ernest Butler Studio at Houston Grand Opera. This Summer Mr. Sampson makes company and role debuts with Cincinnati Opera as Gastone in La Traviata and Wolf Trap Opera as the Kronprinz in Silent Night by Kevin Puts. In 2023 he was the Second Place and Audience Choice Winner in HGO’s 35th Annual Eleanor McCollum Competition and a Georgia District Winner of the Metropolitan Opera’s Laffont Competition. Winning first place in the Southeast Region, Demetrious became a national semifinalist for the Laffont Competition and ultimately a 2024 Grand Finalist.
Mezzo-soprano, Kendra Faith Beasley, acclaimed by Opera News for her “big voice, powerful at both extremes of the range,” will make her debut in Des Moines Metro Opera the 2023-2024 season. As an Apprentice Artist with DMMO, Kendra will take on the dual roles of Florence McKeller/Mrs. Smithson in Lila Palmer and Damien Geter’s riveting opera, American Apollo. With recent successes including standout performances as Berta in Cincinnati Opera’s Il barbiere di Siviglia and Girlfriend #3 in New Orleans Opera’s Blue, Kendra’s talent continues to captivate audiences. Notably, she premiered the role of “Raksha” in the Glimmerglass Festival’s innovative adaptation of The Jungle Book in 2022, under the direction of Francesca Zambello. A distinguished alumna of the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music with an Artist Diploma and the University of Kentucky with a master’s degree in performance, Kendra’s achievements reflect her dedication to her craft. Her exceptional talent was further recognized when she was chosen from a pool of hundreds of applicants to become one of Detroit Opera’s esteemed Resident Artists for the 2024-2025 season. During her residency with Detroit Opera, Kendra will grace both the Detroit Opera House stage and various other performance venues with a richly filled schedule.
