麻豆影院

He鈥檚 walked the halls of the College of Music for more than 20 years, shaping the singing careers of countless men and women and enriching the lives of faculty, staff and student colleagues. Now, Professor of Voice Patrick Mason has announced that he will retire from teaching at the end of this academic year.

He says it was just time to step back. 鈥淚 wanted to leave while I was still teaching really well, and right now I know I have colleagues I can trust to carry on what we鈥檝e started.鈥�

Originally from Ohio, Mason has become known throughout his nearly 50-year career as a master of many genres. Since the 1970s, the baritone has collaborated with early music ensembles and, composers Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim, guitarist David Starobin and orchestras and opera companies around the world.

He says each stage of his career shaped what he鈥檚 been able to accomplish.

鈥淓arly on it was the and the on Fifth Avenue in New York. Then the Waverly Consort and great opportunities to sing in Alice Tully Hall and the [Met] Cloisters. That鈥檚 where I learned a lot of confidence and how to be a good ensemble singer.鈥�

Indeed, Mason has enjoyed a storied performance career that saw him premiere works by George Crumb and adapt Mozart鈥檚 for comic book with friend and artist P. Craig Russell鈥攁nd everything in between. And while his varied career gave him the chops to train singers at CU 麻豆影院 and at the State University of New York at Fredonia, he says his time as an educator has always informed his singing as well.

鈥淭eaching made me a better singer, and vice versa,鈥� he explains. 鈥淲orking with students on the issues they have鈥攂uilding technique and getting back to the basics鈥攎akes me constantly re-examine my singing.鈥�

As he prepares to hand off the reins of a program he helped shape, Mason says he鈥檒l continue to nurture close relationships with the students and faculty whom he鈥檚 grown to love over 24听years.

鈥淲hen I left Fredonia, this was the only place I was going to go. The college has always been known for its collegiality, and that鈥檚 what I鈥檒l miss the most. I鈥檝e been able to collaborate with so many of my colleagues here, instrumentalists and singers. They鈥檙e wonderful musicians and wonderful people, and our students pick up on that and it teaches them to respect each other as well.鈥�

He says he鈥檒l spend his retirement getting back to the basics: rekindling a deep-seated love of music.

鈥淚鈥檓 so excited to be able to go to more concerts! I鈥檒l get to do what so many people in this town do, and that鈥檚 take advantage of the music created here. I鈥檒l get back to being a music lover.鈥�

And he says that鈥攖he music鈥攊s what it鈥檚 always been about for him.

鈥淎ll I wanted in life, ever since I was a kid, was a life in music. I didn鈥檛 care what that was or what it looked like. And that鈥檚 what I got.鈥�

Mason is the Berton Coffin Faculty Fellow and past chair of the Department of Voice and Opera. He has degrees from the Peabody Institute at Johns Hopkins University and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.