Baritone Aaron Agulay, pianist Aurelia Andrews to perform Feb. 21

Baritone Aaron Agulay and pianist Aurelia Andrews will present a recital titled “Rule of Three” as part of the Chamber Music and Jazz at Ripon Series Friday, Feb. 21, at 7 p.m. at Ripon College in Demmer Recital Hall, C.J. Rodman Center for the Arts.

In addition to their evening performance, the artists will lead a masterclass with Ripon College voice students in Demmer Recital Hall at 4:15 p.m. Masterclass performers will include sophomore baritone Matthew Buchholz, senior baritone Owen Mehring and senior mezzo-soprano Lucie Petri-Rose. Adjunct Professor of Music David Thompson will collaborate on piano for the masterclass.

Both the masterclass and concert are free and open to the public, as all Chamber Music & Jazz at Ripon events are made possible courtesy of donations through Ripon College’s Friends of the Arts.

“The recital is a journey through the emotional and expressive power of triptych song sets, using the rule of three to guide both the programming and the listener’s experience,” Agulay said.

Agulay said the rule of three is a principle that suggests groups of three are more memorable, effective and satisfying than other numbers. This recital explores the depth of poetic expression through the voices of four composers, Hugo Wolf, Franz Liszt, Maurice Ravel and Samuel Barber, each bringing a unique perspective to the art of song.

“Together, these works form a compelling journey – one of introspection, passion and dramatic storytelling,” Agulay said.

Agulay has extensive performing experience in venues and organizations worldwide, including Opernhaus Zürich, Konzert Theater Bern, Theater Magdeburg, Central City Opera, Opera Theatre of St. Louis, Banff Performing Arts Center, McCaw Hall at Seattle Center, Martin Woldson Theater at the Fox, Marcus Performing Arts Center and Carnegie Hall.

As a performer, adjudicator and clinician, Agulay continues to gain recognition through performances, masterclasses, collaborations, festivals and competitions. He serves as the head of voice and opera studies at the UW-Milwaukee Peck School of the Arts.

Andrews enjoys a dynamic career as a sought-after coach, collaborator and conductor. She is a two-time winner of the Kansas City Symphony concerto competition and is a recipient of the Reid Nibley Scholarship at Brigham Young University. She participated in the collaborative piano program Oberlin in Italy and at The Aspen Music festival where she worked with some of the top voice teachers and coaches in the country.

Andrews has served on the music staff of numerous opera companies in the United States and Germany. She has been the returning pianist for the Dallas Opera Vocal Competition and the Hart Institute for Women Conductors.