Birth

:

1966 in Los Angeles, CA

Death

:

April 18, 2016

Genre

:

Choral

 

 

Vocal

 

Brian Asawa was a renowned countertenor who was born on April 1, 1966, in Los Angeles, California. He was the son of a Japanese-American father and a Mexican-American mother. Asawa grew up in El Cerrito, California, where he attended El Cerrito High School. He was a member of the school's choir and also played the piano. Asawa's interest in classical music began when he was a teenager. He was inspired by the music of Handel and Bach, and he began to study voice with Ruthanna Boris, a well-known vocal coach in the San Francisco Bay Area. Asawa's talent was evident from an early age, and he quickly became known for his beautiful voice and his ability to sing in the countertenor range. In 1984, Asawa enrolled at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), where he studied music and voice. While at UCLA, he continued to study with Boris and also worked with other vocal coaches, including Marilyn Horne and Martin Katz. Asawa's talent continued to grow, and he began to perform in local opera productions and concerts. In 1988, Asawa won the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, which is one of the most prestigious vocal competitions in the United States. This win launched his career, and he began to perform in major opera houses and concert halls around the world. Asawa's first major role was as Oberon in Benjamin Britten's A Midsummer Night's Dream, which he performed at the Glyndebourne Festival Opera in 1991. This performance was widely praised, and Asawa quickly became known as one of the best countertenors in the world. Over the course of his career, Asawa performed in many major opera productions, including Handel's Giulio Cesare, Monteverdi's L'incoronazione di Poppea, and Purcell's Dido and Aeneas. He also performed in concerts and recitals, and he was known for his beautiful interpretations of art songs and lieder. Asawa received many awards and honors throughout his career. In 1991, he was awarded the Richard Tucker Award, which is given to a young American singer who shows great promise. He was also awarded the Beverly Sills Artist Award in 2002, which is given to a singer who has made a significant contribution to the world of opera. Asawa's career was cut short when he died of natural causes on April 18, 2016, at the age of 50. His death was a great loss to the world of classical music, and he was mourned by his many fans and colleagues. In conclusion, Brian Asawa was a talented countertenor who had a successful career in opera and concert performance. He was known for his beautiful voice and his ability to sing in the countertenor range. Asawa won many awards and honors throughout his career, and he was widely regarded as one of the best countertenors in the world. His death was a great loss to the world of classical music, but his legacy lives on through his recordings and performances.

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