In support of the musical arts, King University is excited to offer regional high school students the opportunity to develop their skills through masterclasses presented by award-winning tenor Aaron Blake.
A native Californian who now resides in Bristol, Tennessee, Mr. Blake has earned international recognition for his performances. He is the recipient of the 2017 George London Foundation Award, and in 2022 was recognized with a Grammy award for his role as the High Priest of Amon in The Metropolitan Opera’s “Akhnaten.”
Recently he appeared in The Metropolitan Opera’s production of “The Tales of Hoffman,” in back-to-back productions of Donizetti’s “Elixir of Love” and Britten’s “Peter Grimes” with the Israeli Opera, followed by an appearance with the Haifa Symphony in concert performances of Rossini’s “The Barber of Seville.” In spring 2025 he performed the role of Michel in the premiere of “Juliette ou la Clé des Songes” with Opera Nice Cote d’Azur, and returns to the Met in May as Don Basilio in “Le Nozze di Figaro.” Additional performances include upcoming appearances with Houston Grand Opera, The Seattle Opera, and The Chicago Lyric Opera.
Masterclasses at King are open to area high school juniors and seniors and interested members of the community. Events are scheduled as Mr. Blake’s schedule allows and are offered free of charge.
Read on for information on upcoming classes.
Aaron Blake and vocal arts students in Fall 2024
Upcoming Masterclasses
Wednesday, April 2
10 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Vocal Arts Masterclass (Lunch to follow)
King University Memorial Chapel
2413 Tadlock Road, Bristol, TN 37620
This class is designed for observers and participants to gain a better understanding of the voice, along with a grasp of helpful tools to navigate their own technical path as singers. It will include instruction in classical voice as well as other potential genres.
Attendance is open on a first-come, first-served basis to high school music instructors, their classes, and interested members of the community. All guests are invited to share lunch in King’s dining hall afterwards. There is no charge to attend.
Registration is available HERE. Instructors, please make sure to complete the included registration form for your groups, especially for those students who intend to audition.
AUDITIONS:
Up to five students from each school may audition to receive personal instruction from Mr. Blake during the class. Students who auditioned for previous events are welcome to do so again.
The deadline to submit an audition video is Wednesday, March 26.
Applications will be accepted in video format.
Submissions should consist of one selection, either:
- A lyrical solo, or;
- An aria or art song in Italian, French, or German, or a lyrical solo from the popular or musical theater genres.
To submit a video:
- Capture a performance on an iPhone or smartphone device. Please video in horizontal (landscape) format. Where possible, vocal artists should have live piano accompaniment. Videos of performances from the past six months with live piano or orchestral accompaniment will also be accepted.
- Save the video under your name along with the word “audition” (example: Mark Smith audition).
- Instructors can upload videos to the dedicated audition folder HERE.
A total of five participants and two alternates will be chosen for each class.
If chosen, participants should:
- Prepare two contrasting selections (these may be different from the initial audition repertoire)
- Instructors should also upload a .pdf of the related sheet music to the audition folder by Monday, March 31. (For the convenience of our accompanist, selection changes after this date are not encouraged.)
Registration for the classes is available HERE.
For questions, email [email protected].
Want to see Aaron Blake at the Met? Watch for his 2025 performances in The Marriage of Figaro, The Magic Flute, and Carmen!
