Friday, November 1, 2024
On October 24, 2024, Longy held its annual Gessner-Schocken Concert, featuring a performance by baritone Brian Major.
The Gessner-Schocken Concert Series, hosted by the Gessner family, honors the legacy and foresight of musician, educator, and philanthropist Ruth Gessner-Schocken.
This year’s concert celebrated the life and contributions of David Gessner, who tended to this family legacy with an artistic curiosity and a passion for music.
As concert guests and members of the Gessner family took their seats for the evening in Pickman Hall, they heard from Longy President Karen Zorn and Charles Gessner, who shared memories of his brother.
After Charles’ remarks, featured artist Brian Major took the stage for his performance, which centered on Mortal Storm, a song cycle by Robert Owens with text by Langston Hughes. He sang alongside accompaniment from Longy faculty member Noriko Yasuda on piano and student Long Okada (GPD ‘25) on viola.
Brian Major consistently garners praise from critics for his “velvety voice” and stage presence.
Major’s noteworthy past season credits include the role of Malcolm X in Metropolitan Opera’s X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X; his debut with Opera Columbus and the Columbus Symphony Orchestra as Amonasro in Aida; and a reprisal of the role in a debut during Opera Theatre of the Rockies’ twentieth year, where his voice was lauded as “honey-filled and capable of organic, dramatic expression.”
In addition to his operatic accomplishments, Major is an accomplished recitalist and concert artist. He has served as the baritone soloist in Handel’s Messiah, Vaughan Williams’ Five Mystical Songs, Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9, and Mendelssohn’s Elijah, to name a few.
Major has been widely recognized on the competition circuit, earning him prestigious awards such as the 2022 Sullivan Foundation Award, second prize at the Harold Haugh Opera Vocal Competition, first prize at the Opera Ebony Vocal Competition, and more. He holds degrees from Morehouse College, Boston University, and Michigan State University.
Noriko Yasuda began her career in Osaka, Japan as an accompanist with the Osaka Philharmonic Orchestra and Osaka College of Music Opera House. Since moving to the U.S. in 1993, she has worked with Grant Llewellyn, Harry Christophers, John Nelson, and Stephen Lord, among others.
An active vocal coach and accompanist in the Boston area, Yasuda has worked with organizations like Boston Lyric Opera, Boston Baroque, Handel and Haydn Society, and Chorus Pro Musica. Currently, she is the principal coach at Longy Opera Workshop and Opera North and staff accompanist/coach for the Boston University Opera Program.
