Join Us For This Special Holiday Tradition!
Mark Daniels, tenor
Tenor Mark Daniels and pianist Rob Goodling are returning for their sixth Holiday Bravo recital. In 2017, Mark and Rob began a collaborative partnership that has resulted in more than forty often sold-out performances here in New York State and from Maine to Florida. One reviewer stated, “What immediately grabbed my attention was Mark and Rob’s flawless sense of each other AND conveying that to their audience. One was caught, drawn in, and surrounded by the passion of their music!” In 2020, they released their first CD Recording, The Lyric Tenor in Recital and in 2021 they were featured in Rochester’s 585 Magazine!
Mark Daniels is a versatile tenor who hails from Kennebunk, Maine. His early studies were with David Goulet in Portland, Maine, where he made his professional debut as Charlie Dalrymple in Lerner and Loewe’s Brigadoon. Mr. Daniels continued his studies at the Eastman School of Music in the studio of Rita Shane, where he made his Eastman Opera Theatre operatic debut as Sam in Carlisle Floyd's Susannah. Mark performed the role of Bingley in the world premier performance and recording of Amanda Jacobs and Lindsay Warren Baker’s Jane Austin’s Pride and Prejudice. He sang the role of Ferrando in Mozart’s Così fan tutte in Italy as well as many other roles here in the USA. Mr. Daniels is in frequent demand as a soloist with various orchestras.
Jessica Ann Best, mezzo soprano
Jessica Ann Best is a diverse cross-disciplinary artist, performing nationwide in opera, musical theater, concert, oratorio, recital, and jazz. Known for her interpretations and versatility, Jessica has premiered many new works including: Mrs. Otis and Madeline in Gordon Getty’s The Canterville Ghost and Usher House at LA Opera, The Stepmother in Anton Coppola’s, Lady Swanwhite with Opera Tampa, the International Carol Suites (soloist) by Mark Hayes, at Carnegie Hall, the roles of Bessie and Mary Rivers in Louis Karchin’s Jane Eyre, (The Center for Contemporary Opera), Mrs. Foster in Shot, (Nickel City Opera), and the title role of Alice in Alice Ryley, by Michael Ching, commissioned by the Savannah Voice Festival. She made her debut as Carmen in Carmen with Salt Marsh Opera in 2021; singing the title role again that fall with Buffalo Opera Unlimited. In September 2021
In addition to her role as Artistic Director of Opera, Jessica was a professor of voice at Nazareth University, teaching music performance, music therapy, music education, and music theater majors. She holds a Master of Music in Vocal Performance and Literature from Northwestern University and a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance and Literature from Nazareth College. Ms. Best is a proud member of AGMA and The Actor’s Equity Association. She continues to write, sing, direct, music direct, and tour; while holding a private voice studio.
Rob Goodling, pianist
Rob Goodling is a well-known Rochester teacher, conductor and accompanist. Having taught music history courses at the Hochstein School of Music and Dance for twenty years, Mr. Goodling was also the vocal music and choral director at Churchville-Chili High School for twenty-eight years, where many of his students went on to outstanding music careers. His choirs consistently won state and national honors that resulted in their representation of New York State in international performance tours that included singing for his holiness, Pope John Paul II. Mr. Goodling has received Outstanding Music Educator awards from the RPO, Roberts Wesleyan University, SUNY Fredonia, MIT and has been named in various editions of “Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers.