Accompanists
José Meléndez
Librarian and Accompanist
José Meléndez has been an active pianist, coach, accompanist, and conductor in opera, recitals, and concert work in the United States, South America, Central America, Asia, and Puerto Rico. As recitalist, José Meléndez has worked as part of a double piano team with Akiko Hosaki in a series in Japan, New Jersey, and Minnesota, under the tutelage of Margo Garret. Mr. Meléndez also continues an eight-year collaboration with soprano Maya Hoover in recitals of all Latin American music throughout the United States and abroad.
José Meléndez is currently staff accompanist/pianist for the prestigious Academy of Vocal Arts in Philadelphia, The Curtis Institute, as well as rehearsal pianist for the Opera Festival of New Jersey. He has worked with Opera de Puerto Rico, Teatro de la Opera in Puerto Rico, and Indianapolis Opera. As conductor, Mr. Meléndez has worked in the Bay Area Summer Opera Theater Institute (BASOTI) conducting Menotti's The Medium and The Telephone, and conducted Luisa Fernanda with Orlando Opera in 2004.
In Puerto Rico, Mr. Meléndez had the honor to be one of the pianists for the Plácido Domingo International Voice Competition (Operalia 99). He has participated in numerous master classes given by distinguished artists such as Alfredo Kraus, Pablo Elvira, Mignon Dunn, Eugene Kohn, Licia Albanese, Sharon Sweet, Robert White, Justino Diaz, Christofer Macatsoris, Regina Resnik, Renata Scotto, and Dalton Baldwin. Mr. Meléndez has collaborated with the Casals Festival as pianist and rehearsal accompanist, and has continued his collaboration with the Puerto Rico Metropolitan Opera Council Regional Auditions.
In 1992, Mr. Meléndez won the first prize in the Conservatory of Music of Puerto Rico's Piano Competition and made his debut with the Puerto Rico Symphonic Orchestra, conducted by Maestro Roselin Pabón, in Haydn's Concerto for Piano and Orchestra in D Major. With this orchestra, he has also performed Copland's Concerto for Clarinet and Orchestra, Manuel de Falla's Las noches en los jardines de Espa˜a and El sombrero de tres picos, Holst's The Planets and Mahler's Symphony No. 8. In 2007 he joined the administrative staff of The Academy of Vocal Arts as librarian.
Michele Marie Scanlon
Accompanist
Michele Scanlon is a native of the Philadelphia area and a graduate of the University of Delaware. She has served as assistant musical director and musical director for Concertopera Philadelphia, New Jersey Opera Theatre, Concert Operetta Theatre and Delaware Valley Opera. She has also worked frequently with The Philadelphia Singers, The Savoy Company, Philadelphia Chamber Chorus, University of the Arts, Temple University, the Philly Fringe Festival, and has produced over 75 concerts for the Opera Gala Series at Tomasello Winery in Hammonton, New Jersey.
