Florida native Edward Lein* (b. 1955 in Fort Pierce, 5th among the seven children born to Marzell Martin Lein and Harry E. Lein, Sr.) was graduated from Fort Pierce Central High in 1973, and regularly performed with the community choral group Sing Out!/Up With People. Awarded a full scholarship for his undergraduate studies, Ed CLEP'd out of his freshman year of college and completed his Bachelor of Music degree at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton in 1976 (major professors: Richard Wright, voice/Mary Sue Barnes, music theory); he then went on to earn Master's degrees in both Music Theory (1983; Major Prof.: John Boda) and Library Science (1986; Major Prof.: Doris Clack) from The Florida State University in Tallahassee.
While living in Tallahassee (Fall 1976-Spring 1986), in addition to part-time graduate studies, Ed worked full-time for the FSU libraries, primarily as Music Cataloger. He then worked for the Jacksonville Public Library system from June 1986 until retiring from full-time employment in July 2014, serving the Jacksonville community primarily as Music Librarian, but with a stint as a Library Branch Manager during the 1990s.
As a tenor soloist he appeared in recitals, oratorios and dramatic works throughout his home state. Recital repertoire included song cycles by Beethoven ('An die ferne Geliebte'), Schumann ('Dichterliebe'), Ravel ('Mélodies populaires grecques'), Barber ('Hermit Songs') and Tippet ('Songs for Ariel'), and oratorio solo engagements included Handel's 'Messiah', Mendelssohn's 'Elijah', Saint-Saëns' 'Christmas Oratorio' and Respighi's 'Laud to the Nativity'. In addition to productions of 'The Pirates of Penzance' (as "Frederic") and 'Amahl and the Night Visitors' (as "King Kaspar"), dramatic highlights include "1st Rock Singer" in the Florida premiere of Bernstein's 'Mass', and "Prince Yamadori" in Puccini's 'Madama Butterfly' at the International Music Festival in Miami, Florida.
Drawing on his performance experience, the majority of his early compositions are vocal works, including his first substantive work, 'Missa pro defunctis' (1990-91), premiered in Jacksonville by the Riverside Presbyterian Chancel Choir and members of the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra. Ed was a finalist in the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra's 2006 Fresh Ink composition contest, and following performances of two orchestral works ('Meditation' for cello, oboe and orchestra, June 2006, and, 'In the Bleak Midwinter', December 2007), his instrumental catalog grew largely due to requests for new chamber music from Symphony players.
From February 2006 through June 2016, Ed produced the Music@Main concerts held at Jacksonville's Main Library (continuing part-time as concert coordinator after retirement). The concerts, featuring prominent musicians from throughout Florida and Georgia as well as national and international guest artists, were the best-attended series of adult programs in the history of Jacksonville Public Library.
Besides writing program notes for Library concerts, Ed regularly contributed articles published in the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra's 'Encore' magazine from February 2014 through April 2016.
Additionally, his English translations of French, German, Spanish, Italian and Russian art songs and arias are frequently published in music program guides in North America and Great Britain, ranging from student recitals to major concerts by such prestigious organizations as the Utah Symphony, Orchestre symphonique de Montréal, 'Music For Life' (United Nations Trust Fund to End Violence Against Women), the Music Therapy Charity (London, England), and Carnegie Hall's 'The Song Continues'.
*
The Norwegian pronunciation of the family name is like the English word "LANE," but we've always said it with a long "E" sound, like "LEAN."
While living in Tallahassee (Fall 1976-Spring 1986), in addition to part-time graduate studies, Ed worked full-time for the FSU libraries, primarily as Music Cataloger. He then worked for the Jacksonville Public Library system from June 1986 until retiring from full-time employment in July 2014, serving the Jacksonville community primarily as Music Librarian, but with a stint as a Library Branch Manager during the 1990s.
From February 2006 through June 2016, Ed produced the Music@Main concerts held at Jacksonville's Main Library (continuing part-time as concert coordinator after retirement). The concerts, featuring prominent musicians from throughout Florida and Georgia as well as national and international guest artists, were the best-attended series of adult programs in the history of Jacksonville Public Library.
Besides writing program notes for Library concerts, Ed regularly contributed articles published in the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra's 'Encore' magazine from February 2014 through April 2016.
Additionally, his English translations of French, German, Spanish, Italian and Russian art songs and arias are frequently published in music program guides in North America and Great Britain, ranging from student recitals to major concerts by such prestigious organizations as the Utah Symphony, Orchestre symphonique de Montréal, 'Music For Life' (United Nations Trust Fund to End Violence Against Women), the Music Therapy Charity (London, England), and Carnegie Hall's 'The Song Continues'.
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