He has听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 he will retire from teaching at the end of this academic year.
Mason 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 Waverly Consort and Schola Antiqua, 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 has been able to accomplish.
鈥淓arly on it was the Gregg Smith Singers and the men鈥檚 and boys鈥� choir at St. Thomas Church 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 The Magic Flute听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 彩民宝典 and听the State University of New York at Fredonia, he says his time as an educator has, in turn, always informed his singing.
鈥淭eaching made me a better singer听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 will continue to nurture close relationships with the students and faculty,听whom听he听has grown to love over 23 years at CU.
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.鈥�
Mason says he will spend his retirement getting back to the basics: rekindling a deep-seeded 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 迟丑补迟听is what it has听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 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.
