The Natchez Festival of Music Chairman, Ron McGowan, and The Natchez Festival of Music Board of Directors are pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. George Hogan as Artistic Director for the 2009 Natchez Festival of Music. Hogan succeeds the Founding Artistic Director, Dr. David S. Blackburn after his death on September 28, 2008.
Hogan has distinguished himself internationally as a performer and singer. He is also a successful voice teacher, opera director, and conductor. He will continue the tradition of outstanding quality productions Dr. Blackburn provided for the past eighteen years.
When asked to comment on the position, Hogan said, “I know I could never replace Dr. Blackburn. He was a mentor who helped me to understand the gift of music. He was the teacher who taught me to sing with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength. He was a surrogate father who showed me that with a positive spirit, sacrifice, and diligent work I can do anything, including achieving my dreams.
"I would like to express my gratitude to the Festival Board, its Chairman, Ron McGowan, Sara Blackburn, and the community of Natchez, which I love deeply, for this opportunity and for their continued support of the Festival.
"I also wish to convey my appreciation to the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor for affording me the opportunity to accept this position while continuing to serve UMHB as a full-time Professor. Finally, I am very excited and look forward to continuing to dream big dreams for this wonderful Festival.”
Hogan was persuaded by his Junior High Music teacher, Conrad Bratton, to pursue his formal voice training at the early age of fifteen with Dr. Blackburn. Hogan followed Dr. Blackburn throughout his undergraduate years, attending four different universities in order to complete his initial vocal training and Bachelors of Music.
He is grateful to Conrad Bratton for introducing him to Dr. Blackburn, to whom he attributes his many accomplishments.
Hogan began his relationship with Natchez in 1991 when he participated in the very first performance of the Festival as Don Quixote in the Man of La Mancha. That same season, he and his wife, Penny Hogan, joined together to present the Festivals’ first recital, “The Songs of the River”.
George and Penny are well known and loved in Natchez. Over the years, audiences of the Festival have seen Hogan perform Figaro in Le Nozze di Figaro, Sparafucile in Rigoletto, Mephistopheles in Faust, Timur in Turandot, and most recently in the 2008 Festival as Don Alfonso in Cosi fan Tutte.
His musical education includes a Performance Certificate in Operatic Performance from the Academy of Vocal Arts (Philadelphia, PA), a Bachelors of Music from Trevecca Nazarene University (Nashville, TN), and a Masters of Music from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (Fort Worth, TX).
While following Dr. Blackburn during his undergraduate years, Hogan also attended McMurry University (Abilene, TX), George Peabody College (Nashville, TN), Vanderbilt University (Nashville, TN) and Scarritt College (Nashville, TN). After his initial studies with Dr. Blackburn, he continued his vocal studies with famed Metropolitan Opera Bass, Giorgio Tozzi, Jerome Hines, and Armen Boyajian. Hogan has received many awards and recognitions. Some of his awards are a Sullivan Career Grant from the Sullivan Foundation, International Finalist in the Luciano Pavarotti Competition, First Prize Winner in the San Francisco Merola Opera Auditions (New York Region), a Grand Finals Winner at the San Francisco Merola Opera Program, and the winner of the Arturo Giargiari Bel-Canto Voice Competition. He was also a four-year member of the Texas All-State Choir, and Who’s Who in American High Schools and Universities.
Hogan made his operatic debut at the young age of nineteen for a PBS film as Theseus in A Midsummer Night’s Dream with the Des Moines Metro Opera. He has performed with well known artists Renee Fleming, Frederica von Stade, Denyce Graves, Thomas Allen, Jerome Hines, and Dolora Zajic, to name a few. He has been heard live on broadcasts from Lincoln Center, National Public Radio, and Public Broadcasting System Television Specials. He is also on the EMI and APAD recording labels.
Hogan has been heard in concerts at Alice Tully Hall (New York), Town Hall (New York), and with the Anchorage Symphony in Anchorage, Alaska, Eastern Music Festival, Houston Symphony, Lincoln Symphony in Lincoln, Nebraska, Opera Orchestra of New York City, Philadelphia Orchestra, Philadelphia Concerto Soloists, Philadelphia Singers, and the Washington Concert Opera.
Hogan has appeared nationally with the Austin Lyric Opera, Baltimore Opera, Central City Opera, Connecticut Opera, Connecticut Grand Opera, Dallas Opera, Des Moines Metro Opera Festival, Houston Grand Opera, Indianapolis Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Mississippi Opera, Natchez Festival of Music, New York City Opera, Opera Colorado Opera Memphis, Opera Omaha, Opera Pacific, Opera Company of Philadelphia, Orlando Opera, Palm Beach Opera, Sacramento Opera, Toledo Opera, Utah Opera.
He has appeared internationally with Der Vlaamse Oper in Antwerp, Belgium; Edmonton Opera in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada; L’Opéra de Montreal in Montreal, Quebec, Canada; and the Australian Opera in the famed Australian Opera House in Sydney, Australia under the baton of Sir Richard Bonynge.
While he continues to stay active as a recitalist, operatic artist, and an Oratorio soloist, he most enjoys teaching young singers to dream the dream.
Hogan is currently the Resident Vocal Artist, Director of Opera/Musical Theatre Activities, and Associate Professor of Voice at the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor in Belton, Texas. His wife, Penny, is a Soprano and Instructor of Music also at the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor. The couple has two teen-age boys, Max and Joey.
