The Schumann Liederfest summer program for singers soon begins its second season, continuing its focus on teaching the song literature of Robert and Clara Schumann and other German Romantic composers.

The three-week program, founded and directed by Lee University faculty Ron and Chery Brendel, is located in Zwickau, Germany, the birthplace of Robert Schumann and home to the Schumann Haus. The schedule offers daily language-intensive study and coaching, master classes, diction lessons and substantial performance opportunities. Special-topics seminars will also be offered.

During the course of the program, there will be trips to locations of interest to classical musicians such as Leipzig and Dresden, as well as walking tours of Zwickau and the surrounding areas to explore the rich local history. Performances will be held in Zwickau, Leipzig and Schloss Waldenburg. The American Consul General in Leipzig will attend the Leipzig performance.

Ron Brendel said, “The Schumann Liederfest is a fabulous study and culture opportunity for singers. Top-flight faculty, culturally rich location, and loads of performance make this a chance-of-a-lifetime for the participants.”

Auditions were held by DVD submission, and 10 singers were accepted for participation. This year’s participants come from Lawrence Conservatory, Grand Canyon University, Liberty University and Lee University.

Ron Brendel first debuted at Carnegie Hall in 2006 as tenor soloist in Mozart’s Coronation Mass. He is currently an associate professor of music at Lee where he teaches voice, and graduate vocal pedagogy. He previously served on the faculties of colleges and universities in Pennsylvania, Florida, Missouri, and Georgia. He holds a Doctor of Musical Arts and Master of Music from Temple University, and a Bachelor of Music Education from Evangel University.

Chery Brendel, coloratura soprano, is currently in pursuit of a DMA at the University of Georgia, and has earned a Masters of Music from Temple University and a Bachelor of Music from Evangel University. Brendel has served on the voice faculties of Evangel University, Arcadia University, Southeastern University and Georgia State University. She is currently a member of the voice faculty at Lee.

Faculty for the 2012 Liederfest includes former chair of voice at the Hanns Eisler Hochschule für Musik in Berlin and renowned coloratura soprano, Renate Faltin; James Frost, veteran career singer at the Theater für Niedersachsen in Hildesheim, Germany and assistant professor of music at Lee; Sylvia Plyler, vocal coach of the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music, and Dr. Thomas Synofizk, director of the Schumann Haus, published author and performance practice expert. Additional staff includes Dr. Kristine Bengtson, and from Lee University, Perry Mears.

For more information please visit www.schumannliederfest.com.