Biography
A native of Northport, NY, Dana Zenobi is a versatile performer who embraces both standard repertoire and new music. On the opera stage, she was deemed "the chief vocal pleasure" of Lyric Opera Cleveland's The Pirates of Penzance, and named "a soprano to listen for" by the Cleveland Press. The Houston Chronicle praised her "emotionally intense and technically inspired singing" as Konstanze [Die Entfürung aus dem Serail], performed with Opera in the Heights. She has garnered similar success in roles ranging from Mozart heroines to Puccini's Mimi and Verdi's Violetta Valery. Her portrayal of Adina [L'Elisir d'Amore] earned her an Austin Critic's Table Award Nomination.
Dr. Zenobi's interest in contemporary music has lead to engagements with Austin Lyric Opera in the American premiere of Philip Glass' Waiting for the Barbarians, and the first production of Mark Adamo's Little Women directed by the composer. She also collaborated with composer H. Leslie Adams in a concert performance of his song literature.
On the concert stage, Dr. Zenobi performed Beethoven's Ninth Symphony with the Valley Symphony Orchestra and Chorale (McAllen, TX). Other concert repertoire includes the Haydn Lord Nelson Mass, Fauré Requiem, Schubert Mass in G, and Poulenc Gloria. She has also appeared with Viola by Choice chamber music ensemble, and is featured on their 2010 recording, Florilegium.
On the competition circuit, she won the voice division of the Entergy Young Texas Artists Music Competition and second place in the National Federation of Music Clubs' prestigious Biennial Young Artist Competition. She has been selected as a finalist in numerous competitions, including the Center for Contemporary Opera and the Austin Wednesday Morning Music Club Fielder Career Development Grant Competition.
Dr. Zenobi joined the voice faculty of Southwestern University in 2007, where she maintains a full studio of undergraduate students, including both music performance and education majors. She earned her Doctor of Musical Arts Degree in Voice Performance with specialization in Voice Pedagogy at UT Austin under the direction of Darlene Wiley. Her research interests include aural modeling and acoustic analysis of the singing voice. She holds a Master's Degree from the University of Texas at Austin, where she studied with Martha Deatherage, and a Bachelor's Degree from Duke University, where was a student of Susan Dunn.
Dr. Zenobi's interest in helping artists and musicians build successful careers and lives in the fine arts inspired her to co-found a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting artists and musicians in 2009. Please visit BELTA - Building Empowered Lives Through Art to find out more.
A native of Northport, NY, Dana Zenobi is a versatile performer who embraces both standard repertoire and new music. On the opera stage, she was deemed "the chief vocal pleasure" of Lyric Opera Cleveland's The Pirates of Penzance, and named "a soprano to listen for" by the Cleveland Press. The Houston Chronicle praised her "emotionally intense and technically inspired singing" as Konstanze [Die Entfürung aus dem Serail], performed with Opera in the Heights. She has garnered similar success in roles ranging from Mozart heroines to Puccini's Mimi and Verdi's Violetta Valery. Her portrayal of Adina [L'Elisir d'Amore] earned her an Austin Critic's Table Award Nomination.
Dr. Zenobi's interest in contemporary music has lead to engagements with Austin Lyric Opera in the American premiere of Philip Glass' Waiting for the Barbarians, and the first production of Mark Adamo's Little Women directed by the composer. She also collaborated with composer H. Leslie Adams in a concert performance of his song literature.
On the concert stage, Dr. Zenobi performed Beethoven's Ninth Symphony with the Valley Symphony Orchestra and Chorale (McAllen, TX). Other concert repertoire includes the Haydn Lord Nelson Mass, Fauré Requiem, Schubert Mass in G, and Poulenc Gloria. She has also appeared with Viola by Choice chamber music ensemble, and is featured on their 2010 recording, Florilegium.
On the competition circuit, she won the voice division of the Entergy Young Texas Artists Music Competition and second place in the National Federation of Music Clubs' prestigious Biennial Young Artist Competition. She has been selected as a finalist in numerous competitions, including the Center for Contemporary Opera and the Austin Wednesday Morning Music Club Fielder Career Development Grant Competition.
Dr. Zenobi joined the voice faculty of Southwestern University in 2007, where she maintains a full studio of undergraduate students, including both music performance and education majors. She earned her Doctor of Musical Arts Degree in Voice Performance with specialization in Voice Pedagogy at UT Austin under the direction of Darlene Wiley. Her research interests include aural modeling and acoustic analysis of the singing voice. She holds a Master's Degree from the University of Texas at Austin, where she studied with Martha Deatherage, and a Bachelor's Degree from Duke University, where was a student of Susan Dunn.
Dr. Zenobi's interest in helping artists and musicians build successful careers and lives in the fine arts inspired her to co-found a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting artists and musicians in 2009. Please visit BELTA - Building Empowered Lives Through Art to find out more.
Header Photo Credits: Kevin Gourley Photography (L and R) and Santana Lane Photography (Middle)
