Brian L. Fenderson, baritone, started his 2024-2025 season with the Southern Exposure: new music series in their "Richard T. Greener Recording Project." Upcoming performances include: USC's Centennial Gala at the Koger Center for the Arts (Columbia, SC), his "Building Bridges" Doctoral Recital, Soloist for the Columbia South Carolina Opera Guild, and his role debut as the title character in Puccini's Gianni Schicchi with Opera at USC.

 

During the 2023-2024 season, Brian performed the roles of Don Bartolo in Mozart's "Le Nozze di Figaro" and  Johannes "Pa" Zegner in Missy Mazzoli's "Proving Up" with Opera at USC. In June 2024, Brian made his role debut of Peter in Humperdinck's "Hänsel und Gretel" and Bass Soloist in Puccini's "Messa di Gloria" with Varna International Music Academy in Columbia, SC. In December 2023, Brian participated in "The Embrace", a Recital of Spirituals and Hymns in Brooklyn, NY.  Other 2023 performances include: the Castleton Music Festival's Robert and Clara Schumann Art Song Series in August and performed the role of Rickey Jackson in the second production of Scott Davenport Richards' "Blind Injustice" with Opera Theatre of the Rockies, for their 25th Anniversary Season. Brian has had multiple role debuts with Opera at USC (University of South Carolina). Brian performed in their productions of the Robert Ward's The Crucible (Thomas Putnam), Mozart's Die Zauberflöte (Sprecher), and is preparing for Viktor Ullman's Der Kaiser von Atlantis (Lautsprecher). Brian was selected to participate in the 2nd Virtual Artist Partnership Program through the Gabriela Lena Frank Creative Academy of Music.

 

Brian returned to the Metropolitan Opera for their 2021-2022 Season to perform in the Grammy Award Winning production of Porgy and Bess. Brian was selected to perform in another historic production of Porgy and Bess for the 50th Anniversary Season of Des Moines Metro Opera. This production was the 103rd role of Opera Legend, Simon Estes, and his farewell operatic performance

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Summer 2021, Brian performed in Berlin Opera Academy's production of Puccini's Gianni Schicchi (Marco). As the representative of Alpha Phi Alpha, by way of the Alpha Alpha Lambda Chapter, Brian partnered with the City of Newark, NJ and Newark Symphony Hall to present "A Juneteenth Celebration." Commemorating the first Juneteenth as a Federal Holiday, Brian used Home-Grown Newark Creatives to make the Visual and Performing Arts more accessible and relatable to the inner city community. "A Juneteenth Celebration," can be found here. 

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In 2020, Brian participated in soprano, Nicole Heaston's Purple-Robe Series Juneteenth Project, which gained national news and accolades. Brian also participated in the 105 Voices of History National Historically Black College and University (HBCU) Week Project, presented by the White House Initiative on HBCUs. Brian was invited to participate in "The Soul of Newark Symphony Hall," a documentary honoring the Black Music History of Newark Symphony Hall. In February 2020, Brian presented "A Recital of Gratitude," to his former music teacher, Dr. Jerry Forderhase, with other alumni of Arts High School in Newark, NJ. In November 2020, Brian presented the "Thankful for Family" Recital on Facebook Live featuring African-American Artists at the Nia Fellowship Baptist Church.  

 

Brian has had the opportunity to work with Opera Greats such as: tenor Dennis O’Neill, CBE, sopranos Dame Kiri te Kanawa, and Nuccia Focile, Marek Ruszczynski, coach at the Royal Opera House in London, Stephen Hopkins, conductor of the Wiener Staatsoper and participated in a mock audition for German Agents, Antonia Klein and Louis Chanson.

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Brian is a May 2017 Master of Music recipient, with a concentration in Vocal Performance from the University of Delaware, where he studied under the tutelage of Dr. I. Jess Muñoz; Brian holds a Bachelor of Arts from historic Lincoln University of Pennsylvania. Brian recently served as the Director of Music, Arts, and Cultural Programs at the Nia Fellowship Baptist Church. 

 

Other performance venues include: Carnegie Hall with New York Lyric Opera, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts with the 105 Voices of History National Historically Black College and University Choir, a 2-week South Africa Tour, Los Angeles City Hall, the New Jersey Performing Arts Center, the Lincoln Center, WestPoint Military Academy, and Newark City Hall.