Aaron Sheehan

For the Irish hurler, see Aaron Sheehan (hurler).
Aaron Sheehan
Born1975 (age 48–49)
Janesville, Minnesota
OccupationOpera singer
Years active2001–present
Websiteaaronsheehantenor.com

Aaron Sheehan (born 1975) is an American vocal tenor and professor of music who has been described as one of "the leading Early Music singers in the world".[1] He was one of the recipients of the 2015 Grammy Award for Best Opera Recording.

Early life and education

A native of Janesville, Minnesota, Sheehan began singing in 1994, his final year at Janesville-Waldorf-Pemberton High School, after spending his early years as an instrumental musician.[2] He continued singing at Luther College, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts, and went on to receive a Master of Music in early music performance at Indiana University Bloomington.[2][3]

Career

Following graduate school, Sheehan moved to Boston, Massachusetts, to launch his professional singing career.[2] His opera debut came in 2005 when he appeared as Ivan in the Boston Early Music Festival's premiere of Johann Mattheson's Boris Goudenow.[4] Sheehan went on to tour and perform extensively in Europe, South America, and the United States.[4]

Sheehan performed on the Boston Early Music Festival's recording of Charpentier’s La descente d'Orphée aux enfers, which received the Grammy Award for Best Opera Recording in 2015. The following year he appeared on two recordings nominated for the Grammy for Best Opera Recording: Il ritorno d'Ulisse in patria (with Boston Baroque) and Niobe, regina di Tebe (with the Boston Early Music Festival).[5]

As of 2017, Sheehan is teaching at Boston University as lecturer in Music, Historical Performance, Voice.[6] He also teaches voice at Wellesley College.[1]

According to Sheehan, he has been most inspired by Aksel Schiøtz and Anthony Rolfe Johnson.[4]

Reception

Sheehan has been described as "one of the leading Early Music singers in the world" by Marion Dry, the director of Wellesley College's music performance program.[1] The Boston Globe has lauded Sheehan as "superb: his tone classy, clear, and refined, encompassing fluid lyricism and ringing force".[7] In a review of the Boston Early Music Festival's 2015 staging of Monteverdi's L'Orfeo, The New York Times wrote that Sheehan "brought shining quality and deep sensitivity to the title role".[8] During the Dallas Bach Society's performance of Messiah, the Dallas Morning News called Sheehan the "best of the soloists", describing him as having an "agreeably fibrous tenor deployed to great expressive effect".[9]

Selected recordings

Personal life

Sheehan has three siblings.[10]

References

  1. ^ a b c "Aaron Sheehan Recognized for Boston Early Music Festival's Recording of 17th-Century Opera". My Wellesley. Wellesley College. Retrieved February 7, 2017.
  2. ^ a b c Maranell, Samantha (February 11, 2015). "Janesville native takes home Grammy for best opera recording". Janesville Argus. Retrieved February 6, 2017.
  3. ^ "Bio". Aaron Sheehan Tenor. Aaron Sheehan. Retrieved February 6, 2017.
  4. ^ a b c Seligson, Susan (February 6, 2015). "CFA Lecturer Nominated for Grammy Award". BU Today. Boston University. Retrieved February 6, 2017.
  5. ^ Costello, Becca (February 15, 2016). "Hoosiers Nominated For Grammy Awards". WFYI-FM. Retrieved February 6, 2017.
  6. ^ "Aaron Sheehan". bu.edu. Boston University. Retrieved February 6, 2017.
  7. ^ Guerrieri, Matthew (November 30, 2009). "Handel holds court in a richly staged Acis and Galatea". The Boston Globe. Retrieved February 7, 2017.
  8. ^ Oestreich, James (June 22, 2015). "Review: Aston Magna and Boston Early Music Festivals Offer Diverse Monteverdi Experiences". The New York Times. Retrieved February 7, 2017.
  9. ^ Cantrell, Scott. "Classical music: Orpheus, Ars Lyrica restore Messiah to rightful time period". The Dallas Morning News. Retrieved February 7, 2017.
  10. ^ Linehan, Dan (February 9, 2015). "Janesville native wins Grammy for Opera". Mankato Free Press. Retrieved February 6, 2017.