Key'mon Winkfield Murrah
{{close paraphrasing|date=May 2024|source=https://www.keymonmurrahcountertenor.com}}
{{Short description|American operatic countertenor (born 1990)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2023}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Key'mon Winkfield Murrah
| image =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1990|01|20}}
| birth_place = Louisville, Kentucky, US
| education = University of Kentucky (BA)
| occupation = Operatic countertenor
| years_active = 2018–present
| relatives = Kay'mon Murrah (brother)
| awards = Giulio Gari Vocal Competition (2023)
International Hans Gabor Belvedere Singing Competition (2022)
Operalia competition (2021)
| website = {{URL|https://www.keymonmurrahcountertenor.com/|Official website}}
}}
Key'mon Winkfield Murrah ({{IPA|[ki'mon wɪŋkfiːld məˈrɑ]}}; born January 20, 1990) is an American countertenor singer. He has performed leading roles with many opera companies and concert venues, including Bavarian State Opera and the Los Angeles Opera.
Education and career
He was born in 1990 in Louisville, Kentucky. After singing in the church choir as a child, at 9 years old, Murrah joined a boys choir of majority black students at the West Louisville Performing Arts Academy performing spirituals, jazz, and classical music across the country.{{Cite web |date=2021-06-17 |title='More than just music' {{!}} West Louisville Boys Choir weaves community connection spanning generations |url=https://www.whas11.com/article/news/local/west-louisville-boys-choir-community-impact/417-4eb6cf86-d4de-447d-8908-f17c26b0b202 |access-date=2023-12-28 |website=whas11.com |language=en-US}}
He began his classical music studies as a vocal major at the Youth Performing Arts School, a comprehensive magnet high school for the performing arts. In 2007 he attended the Kentucky Governor's School for the Arts. He received a bachelor's degree in Arts administration at the University of Kentucky.{{Citation needed|date=January 2024}} During his studies, he participated in several performances organized by the University of Kentucky Opera Theatre, Louisville Chorus, and the Bluegrass Opera Company. He continued his studies at the International Vocal Arts Institute.{{Cite web |title=Official website |url=https://www.keymonmurrahcountertenor.com |access-date=2023-12-28 |website=keymonmurrahcountertenor.com – official website}}
In 2019, Murrah made his professional debut as Asprano in Vivaldi's Motezuma at the American Baroque Opera Company. In 2020 he participated in the Joyce DiDonato Master Class series at Carnegie Hall,{{Cite web |title=Vocal Masterclass with Joyce DiDonato – Handel's "Where'er you walk" from Semele|url=https://bachtrack.com/masterclass-video/vocal-masterclass-with-joyce-didonato--handels-whereer-you-walk-from-semele/358989 |access-date=2023-12-28|website=Bachtrack}} toured with the American Spiritual Ensemble, was a young artist at the Glimmerglass Festival, joined the Studio Artist Program at the Florida Grand Opera, and debuted Bertarido from Handel's Rodelinda as a Fleming Artist at the Aspen Music Festival and School.{{Cite web |title=Key'mon Murrah: A Voice Rising to Any Challenge |url=https://issuu.com/aspenmusic/docs/amfs_2021_festival_focus_-_week_6_issue/s/13000692 |access-date=2023-12-28 |via=issuu}}
In his 2021–2022 season, he was the 1st-place winner of the 33rd Annual Houston Grand Opera Concert of Arias,{{Cite web |last=Salazar |first=David |date=2021-02-06 |title=Key'mon W. Murrah Wins Houston Grand Opera's 2021 Concert of Arias |url=https://operawire.com/keymon-w-murray-wins-houston-grand-operas-2021-concert-of-arias/ |access-date=2023-12-29 |website=OperaWire}} the grand prize winner of the Premiere Opera Foundation + NYIOP International Vocal Competition, and a finalist and encouragement award winner of Operalia.{{Cite web |title=Operalia 2021 Finalists Announced! |url=https://www.operaliacompetition.org/operalia-2021-finalists-announced/ |access-date=2023-12-29|publisher=Operalia}} He also made debuts at the Seattle Opera as Orfeo in Gluck's Orfeo and at Grand Rapids Symphony as the alto soloist in Bach's Mass in B minor.{{Cite web |title=Key'mon Murrah – Counter-tenor |url=http://www.l2artists.com/keymon-murrah/ |access-date=2023-12-28 |website=L2 Artists}}
In the 2022–23 season, Murrah's performances included his debut at the Bavarian State Opera in Dido and Aeneas, Handel's Messiah with St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, a debut with San Diego Opera in the world premiere of El último sueño de Frida y Diego by Gabriela Frank, Detroit Opera in the title role in Serse for, and the Théâtre du Capitole Toulouse in Bach's Christmas Oratorio.{{Cite web |title=Programme – Oratorio de Noël |url=https://www.calameo.com/toulouse/read/005971811931ce7811216 |access-date=2023-12-31 |website=calameo.com |language=en}} In June, he won first prize in the International Hans Gabor Belvedere Singing Competition.{{Cite web |last=Salazar |first=Francisco |date=2022-06-14 |title=International Hans Gabor Belvedere Singing Competition Announces 2022 Winners |url=https://operawire.com/international-hans-gabor-belvedere-singing-competition-announces-2022-winners/ |access-date=2023-12-29 |website=OperaWire}}
In 2023, Murrah made his debuts at the Los Angeles Opera, Edwardsville Opera, New Jersey Symphony, Komische Oper Berlin as Hamor in Handel's Jephtha, and Cologne Opera in concert. In May, Murrah also won the Giulio Gari Vocal Competition.{{Cite web |last=OperaWire |date=2023-10-15 |title=The Giulio Gari Foundation to Present 2023 Winners Concert |url=https://operawire.com/the-giulio-gari-foundation-to-present-2023-winners-concert/ |access-date=2023-12-29 |website=OperaWire}}{{Cite web |title=El Último Sueño de Frida y Diego {{!}} LA Opera |url=https://www.laopera.org/performances/202324-season/el-ultimo-sueno-de-frida-y-diego/ |access-date=2023-12-31|publisher=Los Angeles Opera}}{{Cite news|last=Moon |first=Jill |date=2023-08-22 |title=Edwardsville City Park features Opera Edwardsville free operatic concert |url=https://www.thetelegraph.com/news/article/free-opera-edwardsville-performance-set-sept-8-18290906.php |access-date=2023-12-31|newspaper=The Telegraph|location=Alton, Illinois}}{{Cite web |title=Handel's Messiah |url=https://my.njsymphony.org/overview/19604 |access-date=2023-12-31 |website=my.njsymphony.org}}{{Cite web|title=Jephtha|publisher=Komische Oper Berlin|url=https://www.komische-oper-berlin.de/spielplan/a-z/jephtha/ |access-date=2023-12-31|language=de}}{{Cite web |title=Opern-Air am Tanzbrunnen|url=https://www.oper.koeln/de/programm/opern-air-am-tanzbrunnen/6454 |access-date=2023-12-31|publisher=Cologne Opera}}
Awards
- 2nd place, Emerging Soloists Competition (2019)
- Semi-finalist, Metropolitan Opera Eric and Dominique Laffont Competition (2020){{Cite web |title=Metropolitan Opera announces 23 semifinalists in its National Council Auditions |url=https://www.metopera.org/about/press-releases/metropolitan-opera-announces-23-semifinalists-in-its-national-council-auditions/ |access-date=2023-12-29 |publisher=Metropolitan Opera}}
- 1st Prize, Camille Coloratura Awards (2020){{Cite web |title=2020 – Camille Coloratura Awards |url=http://www.camillecoloraturaawards.com/archive/2020-2/ |access-date=2023-12-29}}
- 2nd place, Rochester International Vocal Competition (2020){{Cite web |last=Stage |first=Sarah |date=2021-03-01 |title=Rochester International Vocal Competition 2020–2021 Winners |url=https://rossings.org/rochester-international-vocal-competition-2020-2021-winners-announced/ |access-date=2023-12-29 |website=Rossings |language=en-US}}
- 1st-place winner, Houston Grand Opera Concert of Arias (2021)
- Grand prize Winner, Premiere Opera Foundation + NYIOP International Vocal Competition (2021){{Citation |title=Premiere Opera Foundation International Vocal Competition 2020 | date=15 December 2020 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GaARpuvKu3Y |access-date=2023-12-29 |language=en}}
- Encouragement Award/ Finalist, Operalia (2021)
- Grant Winner, Career Bridges (2021){{Cite web |date=2023-04-12 |title=The Schuyler Foundation for Career Bridges' Cordially Invites You to Attend – Times Square Chronicles |url=https://t2conline.com/the-schuyler-foundation-for-career-bridges-cordially-invites-you-to-attend/ |access-date=2023-12-29 |website=t2conline.com |language=en-US}}
- Grant Winner, Sullivan Foundation (2022){{Cite web |title=The Sullivan Foundation |url=https://www.sullivanfoundation.org/winners.html |access-date=2023-12-29 |website=www.sullivanfoundation.org}}
- 1st place Winner, International Hans Gabor Belvedere Singing Competition (2022)
- 1st place Winner, Giulio Gari Vocal Competition (2023)
- Marian Anderson Vocal Award (2024){{Cite web |title=Marian Anderson Vocal Award Winner: Key'mon Murrah {{!}} Kennedy Center |url=https://www.kennedy-center.org/wno/home/2024-2025/keymon-murrah/ |access-date=2024-12-24 |website=The Kennedy Center |language=en}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{official|https://www.keymonmurrahcountertenor.com/}}
{{Portal bar|Biography|Opera}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Murrah, Key'mon Winkfield}}
Category:Musicians from Louisville, Kentucky
Category:Singers from Kentucky
Category:University of Kentucky alumni
Category:DuPont Manual High School alumni