CURRENT MISSION

Sing for Your Supper: To Eat and Sing EVERYWHERE in the world!

ABOUT ME

First, the boring stuff...

My Professional Biography:

Eric Christopher Perry is consistently recognized for his thoughtful expression of words and effortless coloratura singing. He is highly active in oratorio, concert and bel canto operatic performance; recently reviewed as “exuberant” and “sweetly sung” in his Boston solo debut- Bach’s “Mass in b minor” at historic Old South Church [Boston Musical Intelligencer]

Theatrical credits include The Sorcerer (Alexis),

Don Pasquale (Ernesto), Sunday in the Park with George (George), The Secret Garden (Archibald), Le Nozze di Figaro (Basilio/Curzio), Così fan tutte (Ferrando), Friar I in the East Coast orchestral premiere of Buoso’s Ghost by Michael Ching and La Cenerentola (Ramiro), which broadcasted on WKBQ-Phoenix’s Saturday at the Opera program. His concert repertoire includes Mozart’s Requiem, Bach’s Magnificat, Mass in b-minor and various cantatas, Handel’s Messiah, Janàček's Diary of One Who Disappeared, Maunder's Olivet to Cavalry, Schumann’s Szenen aus Goesthes Faust, Saint-Saëns Christmas Oratorio, and the complete Mass settings of Haydn and Schubert.

Mr. Perry has appeared with the Martina Arroyo Foundation, Opera New Jersey, Western New York Chamber Orchestra, Arizona Lyric Opera Theatre, Hamilton College Oratorio Society, Arizona State University Baroque Ensemble Fredonia Bach Consort, Earlville Opera, Pro-Musica Arizona and Scottsdale Musical Arts.

Mr. Perry made his professional singing debut at the Fredonia Bach and Beyond Festival, singing Monteverdi’s virtuosi duet Zefiro, torna with Dr. Gerald Thomas Gray; Grant Cooper, conductor. In 2010 Mr. Perry joined the Grammy-award winning Phoenix Chorale as a chorister and soloist in Bach’s Weihnachts-Oratorium during the inaugural Arizona Bach Festival. Last season he made his national symphony debut as “The Milkman” in Krása’s children’s opera Brundibár with the Phoenix Symphony. In June of 2011 he will perform with the Tafelmusik Baroque Summer Institute for which he was awarded the Ivars Taurins Fellowship.

Mr. Perry has appeared with the Martina Arroyo Foundation, Opera New Jersey, Western New York Chamber Orchestra, Arizona Lyric Opera Theatre, Arizona State University Baroque Ensemble, Hamilton College Oratorio Society, Salisbury Singers of Worcester, Fredonia Bach Consort, Earlville Opera,

Pro-Musica Arizona, Scottsdale Musical Arts, and Amherst Societatis-Oratorio, which he co-founded in 2011.

Honours include semi-finalist placement in the 2009 Louisville Bach Society’s Young Artist Competition. He has also been awarded in vocal competitions sponsored by Syracuse’s Civic Morning Musicals and the National Association of Teachers of Singing. Academic accolades include BM: Vocal Performance at Fredonia State University; MM: Vocal Performance at Arizona State University. Teachers include Gerald Thomas Gray, David Britton, William Hite, Todd Graber, and Thea Fenton Wheeler.

Aside from singing, he also is an accomplished musical theatre coach and conductor across New York State. Selected credits include Godspell, The Rocky Horror Show, The Music Man, Hairpsray and Cabaret. He is currently in progress of a MM: Choral Conducting from the University of Massachusetts Amherst under the guidance of Tony Thornton.

In July of 2011 Mr. Perry will be the Lecturer of Musical Theater/Voice and musical director for the Arts Academy; University of Ballarat in Ballarat, Victoria, Australia.

Mr. Perry is a proud member of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, Men’s National Music Fraternity and the American Choral Directors Association.

PHILOSOPHY

Do. Everything. I am not well read in terms of philosophy but I am well versed in the myth of Orpheus.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

Once I settle in to my new post in Australia I hope to rent a two bedroom apartment- one room dedicated solely to international traveling musicians.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

I've never done this before! It was recommended to me about a year ago as I was cross-country traveling but I never spent much time with it. Now that I am hoping to travel more and host more I hope this will become a grand new way to meet people and explore regions!

Interests

As stated above, traveling and singing are the two things I love to do most. In fact I'd love to fuse the two together through cuisine for a YouTube series someday! Reality show style...more on that hopefully in the coming year?

Otherwise, reading, wine and beer and liquor and...beverages are pretty important to a traveler! Expanding horizons. People. My fraternity; Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Men's National Music Fraternity, and its ideal. Stories. Public radio and awareness of its importance. Boy oh boy do I love food! And blogging about it (food porno is a serious addiction for me!) Garrison Keillor and the art of storytelling.

• arts
• singing
• theater
• performing arts
• concerts
• festivals
• dining
• cooking
• wine
• beer
• marathon
• coach
• gardening
• reading
• traveling
• socializing
• blogging
• music
• opera

Music, Movies, and Books

There is no intellectual or cultural experience I don't enjoy or thoroughly remember

Current

Band I'm hot on : Old Crow Medicine Show
Book: Neuberger's "From Central Park to Sinai"

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Ran my first half marathon in Salem Massachusetts
Sang in an art gallery in a small mining town in Australia
Meet people from around the world ferociously
Driven across the United States and performed my own solo national tour

Teach, Learn, Share

I can teach you anything you need to know about the voice! Also how to create your own songs and come up with improv stories. Once I get to know an area, I can take you to all the ins and outs of it- and share some of the wackiest stories you'll ever hear. I'd very much enjoy cooking some of my favourite regional cuisines and perhaps even write/record a song or two!

Countries I’ve Visited

Australia, Canada, Japan

Countries I’ve Lived In

United States