ABOUT THE ARTISTS

ELIZABETH FULFORD MILLER

A graduate of the Eastman School of Music, Elizabeth Fulford Miller studied vocal performance under the famous American mezzo-soprano, Jan DeGaetani, earning both Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees. During her tenure at the conservatory, she performed roles in many operas, oratorios and chamber works including Isabella in Rossini’s Italian Girl in Algiers, and Donna Elvira in Mozart’s Don Giovanni, Nancy in Britten’s Albert Herring, Galatea in Handel's Acis and Galatea, as well as soloist in Duruflé’s Requiem, with the Rochester Philharmonic. A specialist in 20th century music, Ms. Miller performed frequently with Eastman's Musica Nova Ensemble, including in a special performance of Ancient Voices of Children by George Crumb (a work originally composed for Jan DeGaetani, and premiered at the Library of Congress). She can be heard on the Albany Records CD “Eastman American Music Series, vol. 6” in Gerald Levinson's in dark and Robert Stern's Blood and Milk Songs.

Since settling in the Washington, D.C. area, she has sung with a variety of musical ensembles, including the Wolftrap Chamber Singers, the Washington Opera Chorus, the Washington Bach Consort, the Choral Arts Society of Washington, the Master Chorale of Washington and the Washington Revels. Ms. Miller currently serves as music director for The Washington Revels – a group offering year-round tradition-based musical/theatrical celebrations of seasonal renewal, including The Christmas Revels, presented each December in Lisner Auditorium.

She also holds the position of alto section leader for the Lutheran Church of the Redeemer in McLean, Virginia.
Ms. Miller currently studies voice with lyric soprano, Angela Powell. By day, she is a Librarian and Webmaster at the Library of Congress. Outside of the Library, Ms. Miller designs and maintains Web sites for many local organizations and professionals, including, Augustana Lutheran Church (augustanadc.info), The Washington Revels (revelsdc.org), Donald McCullough (donmccullough.com), Angela Powell (angelsings.com) and The Delighted Eye (thedelightedeye.com).

J. THOMAS MITTS

Enthusiastic reviews praise the performance of J. Thomas Mitts as a "sensitive soloist who precisely spelled out the virtuoso passages" in his appearances as soloist, chamber musician, and keyboard artist for a wide variety of orchestras and choruses. Equally gifted as pianist and organist, Dr. Mitts has performed on numerous concert stages in the United States, France, Hungary, and the Czech Republic. He has appeared as a featured artist for the American Guild of Organists and The Organ Historical Society, and has presented solo organ recitals at the Spoleto Festival in Charleston, South Carolina, the Washington National Cathedral, and The Bach and Handel Festival at Shenandoah Conservatory. He can also be heard on recordings made by The Organ Historical Society, The Master Chorale of Washington, and the Adas Israel Chorale.

Dr. Mitts serves on the Music Theory and Graduate School faculties of the Music Conservatory of Shenandoah University in Winchester, Virginia, and is Organist and Choirmaster at Augustana Lutheran Church in Washington, DC. He is active as an accompanist, arranger, conductor, and soloist, and for several years was associated with the Adas Israel Congregation and The Master Chorale of Washington.

Dr. Mitts' educational background includes the Bachelor and Master of Music degrees from Louisiana State University and the Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Iowa. While in college he won numerous awards, including first place in the National Organ-Playing Competition sponsored by the First Presbyterian Church of Ft. Lauderdale, and finalist in the National Organ-Playing Competition sponsored by the Music Teachers National Association. Dr. Mitts has held academic appointments at Cornell College in Mt. Vernon, Iowa, the University of New Orleans, and Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia.

TERRANCE L. JOHNS

A Gulf Coast native, Mr. Johns began singing at age 19 while pursuing a degree in music at the University of West Florida. Shortly after beginning his studies, he made his debut with the Pensacola Opera Company, followed by many appearances with regional symphony orchestras and concert chorales. He did postgraduate work at Loyola University New Orleans where he earned an MFA degree in Vocal Performance. Mr. Johns then attended the Prazska Konzervator in Prague, Czech Republic, where he received a Certificate of Study in the area of 19th and 20th century song.

Returning to the United States, Mr. Johns earned a position in the Gregg Smith Singers, based in New York City, where he took part in dozens of recording projects and well over 200 tour dates during his five-year tenure with the ensemble. It was with the Gregg Smith Singers that he made his Carnegie Hall debut as tenor soloist in a performance of Dave Brubeck’s To Hope, To Glory, with the composer at the keyboard.

In January 2005, Mr. Johns performed as tenor soloist in the National Symphony Orchestra's world premiere of a new work by Philip Glass, the Symphony No. 7 – A Toltec Symphony, conducted by Maestro Leonard Slatkin and attended by the composer. Along with Ms. Powell and Ms. Miller, Mr. Johns recently returned from a 2-week European tour with The Master Chorale of Washington. Performances where held in Krakow, Poland as well as Dresden and Berlin, Germany; a special memorial concert was presented at Auschwitz II-Birkenau (Oswiecim, Poland).

ANGELA POWELL

Critically acclaimed throughout the United States and Europe for her "quintessential lyric soprano voice," soloist Angela Powell personifies the highest standards of artistic performance in today's classical music world.

She has appeared in numerous operatic roles, including the title role in Carlisle Floyd's Susannah, as Le Contessa in Le Nozze di Figaro, Rosalinda in Die Fledermaus, Micaela in Carmen and as Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni. Ms. Powell is a long-time favorite of area concert audiences and can be frequently heard at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. Her work has also been enthusiastically received at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York City, and by audiences in Rome, Prague, Krakow, Dresden, Berlin and Vienna.

Ms. Powell is a preeminent competitor, taking several first place awards, including the Metropolitan Opera National Council Audition, the Paul Robeson Competition, the National Society of Arts and Letters Vocal Competition and the Sigma Alpha Iota National Vocal Competition. She is also a recipient of the Maryland State Arts Council's highest grant awarded to a vocalist.

A graduate of Oberlin Conservatory (BM) and the University of Maryland (MM), Ms. Powell has appeared with leading orchestras in performances of music by such classicists as Bach, Brahms, Handel, Faure, Mozart and Verdi, and has premiered several works, including Adolphus Hailstork's Done Made My Vow and Luigi Zaninelli's opera Snow White, bringing to life the role of the Evil Queen. Ms. Powell's oratorio work includes Brahms' Requiem, Szymanowski's Stabat Mater, Faure's Requiem, Mozart's Requiem and Donald McCullough's Holocaust Cantata.

Her lyrical soprano voice has been hailed by critics as "impressive, sultry, and rich toned," and can be heard on several commercial recordings, as well as on her recently released solo CD, A City Called Heaven. Ms. Powell serves as Artistic Associate for Voice Development with the Master Chorale of Washington, teaches at Washington Bible College, and maintains a private voice studio in Maryland.