James Benner, a professor emeritus in West Virginia Universitys Division of Music in the College of Creative Arts, will receive an honorary degree from Bethany College Saturday (May 5).
Benner will be recognized with an Honorary Doctor of Humanities during Bethany Colleges commencement activities, which begin at 10 a.m. on the Quadrangle of Old Main in Bethany.
At WVU , Benner developed undergraduate and graduate repertoire classes and performing seminars for singers. He established a two-year sequence of foreign language diction classes for singers and instituted a coaching and accompanying degree program for pianists. Under his directorship, the WVU Opera Theatre produced 38 productions of 34 different operas, fully staged, with orchestra.
After his retirement, Benner headed the musical preparation staff for Sarah Caldwell and the Opera Company of Boston. During his season there, he conducted all of the tour performances of PuccinisMadama Butterflyfor Opera New England, the touring branch of the Caldwell operation.
Benner has been engaged for numerous residencies at universities in the United States where he has given master classes, conducted opera performances and directed opera productions. He has filled numerous conducting engagements for the Pittsburgh Opera Theater in Pittsburgh, during residencies at WVU .
For seven summers, Benner was a member of the faculty at the Chautauqua Institute in Chautauqua, New York. Benner has taught 15 Elderhostel courses, mostly on opera.
He has translated a substantial number of operas from German, French and Italian. In addition toMadama Butterfly,he has made translations ofHansel and Gretel,The Magic Flute,theCarmendialogue, MozartsLa Finta Semplice,CimarosasIl Matrimonio Segretoand Wolf-FerrarisI Quattro Rusteghi.
Before joining WVU s faculty, he was a freelance coach and accompanist in New York City. He accompanied many of the leading singers of the day in extensive recital tours of North America. For nearly 15 years, he was pianist on all the major tours of the famed Obernkirchen Childrens Choir from Germany. He played more than 1,000 concerts for them in countries on five continents.
Benners former students include many conductors, accompanists and soloists who are active on the professional stages of Europe and the United States.
In 2003, Benner was given the WVU College of Creative Arts Deans Award forDistinguished Leadership in the Arts.
He earned a bachelors degree from Cornell University and a masters degree from Columbia University. He studied piano with Egon Petri and Gaston Dethier.
For more information, contact Charlene Lattea, Creative Arts, 304-293-4841, ext. 3108.