ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

NYELA BASNEY
M.Mus., Eastman School of Music

Currently Artistic Director for The Opera Project of Dallas, Nyela Basney serves concurrently as Director of the summer music festival Orvieto Musica in Italy, where she also conducts the chamber orchestra. Miss Basney was recently Music Director and Conductor of the Midland-Odessa Symphony and Chorale in Texas. In addition to her experience conducting Masterworks concerts, Pops concerts, headliner concerts, Tiny Tots, educational and run-out concerts in Texas, Miss Basney also guest conducts, having recently worked with the Toledo Symphony and Virginia Symphony in community concerts.

Formerly Associate Conductor of the Shreveport Symphony Orchestra in Louisiana, Miss Basney conducted over 60 performances a season, including subscription concerts as well as pops, run-out concerts, in-school presentations, Tiny Tots and Candlelight concerts. Miss Basney guest conducted the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra in a series of community concerts, and also in a Gala Benefit Concert with Metropolitan Opera star Renee Fleming at the Eastman Theater. In 1994 Maestra Basney made her guest conducting debut with New York's Little Orchestra Society, and returned to conduct four more concerts with the ensemble in 1995. She has also guest conducted the Voices of Change Orchestra in Dallas, the Glens Falls Symphony in New York, the Virginia Symphony in education concerts, and served as cover conductor for John Nelson at the National Symphony and for Andrew Litton at the Dallas Symphony. In 2003 she appeared as guest conductor in two concerts with the Toledo Symphony.

Miss Basney was previously Music Director of the Roberts Wesleyan College-Community Orchestra, and Artistic Director and Conductor of Premiere Ensemble of New York, a professional orchestra which presented New York debuts of rising young singers, instrumentalists and composers. From 1999 to 2001 she was Principal Conductor of the Massapequa Philharmonic of New York, and from 1994 to 1997 she was an Assistant Conductor for the American Symphony Orchestra for whom she led concerts featuring Peter Schickele. Ms. Basney was also Music Director of the West Side Symphony in New York City, and Conductor of the Western Massachusetts Youth Orchestras. In 1992 she led the performances of Amahl and the Night Visitors in a professional production at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. Miss Basney was invited to conduct the Curtis Institute Orchestra in a Master Class led by renowned conductor Max Rudolf, as well as the Eastern Wind Ensemble, the New World Symphony, and the Manhattan School Chamber Orchestra in Master classes under the direction of Fredrick Fennell, Michael Tilson Thomas and Jorge Mester.

In addition to her impressive record in symphonic repertoire, Nyela Basney has had significant experience in the field of opera. For three years, she was staff pianist at the Juilliard School where she studied conducting with Vincent La Selva, "the best Verdi and Puccini conductor living today" (Opera Magazine). Recognizing her "extraordinary talent," Maestro La Selva appointed her Assistant Conductor and Chorusmaster for the New York Grand Opera, in which appointed capacity she participated in 18 productions. Since 1982, she has provided professional role preparation and musicianship training for singers, in more than 55 roles from 25 operas. Most recently she served as Assistant Conductor for two productions with the El Paso Opera.

Miss Basney was invited by the United States Information Agency to serve as an Arts America Cultural Specialist in Uruguay in 1993 at the National School of Opera in Montevideo. In 1992 she was a fellow at the Conductor's Institute and was one of five conductors chosen to participate in the American Composers and Conductors Forum. In 1991 she served as Conductor and Opera Coach of the Sessione Senese per La Musica e L'Arte in Siena, Italy. Miss Basney conducted at the Aspen Music Festival in 1989 and 1990, where she assisted John Nelson and premiered a work by Dan Welcher.

Over the years, Nyela Basney has achieved first-hand knowledge of a wide repertoire by participating in more than 500 performances as violist, pianist and conductor. She attended the Eastman School of Music on a coveted Alumni Scholarship, receiving her undergraduate and graduate degrees with highest distinction.