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B i o g r a p h y

 Rodney Long’s  skills as a musician run the gamut. From the conductor’s podium, to the piano bench; From the classroom as a teacher, to the stage as a performer, he is comfortable wherever the music takes him. A tenor, his voice has been praised for its versatility and ability to sing in both an ensemble and solo setting, and classical and non-classical styles. He has been a finalist in both classical and musical theater categories at several National Association of Teachers of Singing auditions and other competitions regionally. He has performed in numerous operas, musicals, recitals and concerts, throughout college and professionally. His most recent performances were with the IU Opera Theater in their productions of Dialogues of the Carmelites  (Les Chevalier de la Force), Ariadne auf Naxos (Wig maker), L'Etoile, and West Side Story (Gee-tar). Rodney was the tenor soloist with the Advent Project Chorus and Orchestra of Virginia in their  performance of Bach’s Christ lag in Todes Banden, and appeared with the Bel Cantanti Opera Company in Il Barbiere di Siviglia.  His 2015-2016 season ended with a performance as the tenor soloist in Dubois' "The Seven Last Words of Christ". He is a former member of The National Broadway Chorus, a small, all professional vocal ensemble in Washington, D.C.  With NBC, Rodney has performed numerous times at the Kennedy Center, and has shared the stage with Renee Fleming, Harolyn Blackwell, and other highly acclaimed artists. Former voice teachers include Timothy Noble, Gregory Broughton and Earl Coleman.

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            Rodney received his early musical training as a pianist.  He learned gospel piano, improvisation, and techniques in his small hometown, and his talent at the keyboard quickly earned him positions at churches starting at an early age. He went on to minor in piano at the collegiate level, where he received formal training in classical piano and accompanying from Gila Goldsein and Yien Wang. He continues to be sought out as a professional pianist and has accompanied countless choral groups, soloists, instrumentalists, and plays in pit orchestras as music director. He was on the artistic staff of the Strathmore Children's Chorus as a piano accompanist from 2014-2017.  At The Johns Hopkins University, he was the music director for their production of Carousel , and for The Drowsy Chaperone, where he was the rehearsal pianist and pit orchestra conductor. He completed private conducting studies with Constantina Tsolainou.

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           Long is currently studying toward the Doctor of Music degree  at the Indiana University  Jacobs School of Music where he formerly was an associate instructor (vocal coach) for the IU Soul Revue. His Master of Music degree in Voice Performance and Graduate Certificate in Vocology was earned in 2019 from IU. He also holds  a Bachelor of Music degree in Voice Performance and Bachelor of Music degree in  Music Education,  both from the Schwob School of Music at Columbus State University, Columbus, GA. He is a former faculty member of Howard University's Chadwick A. Boseman College of Fine Arts (music theatre area).



 

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