Niké St. Clair

Voice part: Mezzo-soprano

Season you joined the Chorale: 2002-2003

Birthplace (state or country): Debrecen, Hungary

Education/Vocal Training: BM in Choral Conducting, Music Education and Music Theory-Ear Training from the Liszt Academy of Music in Budapest, Hungary; MM and completed coursework for Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Choral Conducting from USC – currently writing the thesis for the completion of DMA degree in Choral Conducting

Do you make your living as a musician? Yes

If so, where else do you gig/teach/conduct/sing/perform? I teach Musicianship classes at Azusa Pacific University; Director of Chamber Choir at Santa Monica College; Director of Concert Choir at Cal Poly Pomona; Music Minister at La Verne Church of the Brethren; various other singing engagements such as caroling and session singing

Where else do you sing NOW? During High Holidays, Saban Theatre/Temple of the Arts

Recordings/TV/Film: Ice Age 3; Dr. Seuss: Horton Hears a Who; Wolverine; Earth; Race to Witch Mountain; Avatar, amongst others

Highlights of your musical career: Witnessing the improvement in my students’ musical skills every day; great concerts shared by fellow LAMC singers (too many to count)

Favorite choral work: Bach’s St. Matthew Passion

A defining moment or favorite onstage experience: Singing a Bach motet in Belgium under the baton of Frieder Bernius (Director of the Stuttgart Kammerchor)

What are you listening to these days? Gesualdo; Orbán György; Ghymes

Anything you’d like to add about yourself? Having been brought up in Hungary with the Kodály music teaching method, I also teach Hungarian Kodály Certification courses in LA (and in Kecskemét, Hungary summer of 2011).