Mark Trawka is in his sixth season with Pittsburgh Opera and third season as chorus master. He continues his duties as director of musical studies for the Pittsburgh Opera’s Resident Artist Program, the prestigious resident artist training program. He coaches and performs with the Resident Artists and has also accompanied renowned mezzo-soprano Marianne Cornetti in her Pittsburgh recital appearances. Mr. Trawka has been a member of the music staff at Houston Grand Opera, Dallas Opera, and Portland Opera (Oregon), where he was principal pianist and assistant chorus master. He has served as coach / accompanist at Chautauqua Opera and at Glimmerglass Opera for many summer seasons. In the summer of 2006 he was director of the resident artist program at Berkshire Opera. Educated at the Eastman School of Music and the University of Southern California, he began his operatic career in the Houston Opera Studio and in San Francisco Opera’s Merola Program.
An avid recitalist, Mr. Beyer has performed in recital with Craig Rutenberg, Mikael Eliasen, and Brian Zeger. He has given recitals through the Vocal Arts Society, Marilyn Horne Foundation, Chicago Cultural Center, Judith Raskin Foundation, Bretlesmann Foundation, Over the Rainbow Foundation and the Marian Anderson Foundation. He has degrees from the Curtis Institute of Music and the Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University.
Upcoming engagements include Schaunard in La Boheme and the Steward in Jonathan Dove’s Flight with the Austin Lyric Opera. He will also be singing the Captain of the Rachel in Jake Heggie’s premiere of Moby Dick at the Dallas Opera as well as Silvo at Opera Grand Rapids. This summer he will be singing L’Horloge Comtoise in Ravel’s ‘L’enfant et les Sortilèges’ at the Chautauqua Institution and the Steans Institute at Ravinia. He also has upcoming recitals through the Pittsburgh Concert Society and the Marilyn Horne Foundation.
