Biography

ARIETHA LOCKHART, SOPRANO:
Arietha has appeared as soloist with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Chamber Chorus in Carnegie Hall, the “Christmas with Robert Shaw” concerts of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, the Robert Shaw Chamber Singers and Festival singers and as a recitalist at Spivey Hall and Carnegie Hall, as well as, various churches and civic organizations. However, Arietha Lockhart’s largest audience never saw her -- for it was she who provided the haunting ethereal voice of the battered white butterfly in the worldwide broadcast of the 1996 Olympic Games Opening Ceremony in Atlanta, GA.

Arietha's awards include: 1st place jury and audience choice, the Meistersinger Competition, Graz, Austria. 2nd place, the Classical Singer Competition (Classical Singer Magazine); National Opera Association Competition’s Legacy Award Professional division; 2nd Place, The Center for Contemporary Opera International Competition-Prize; a New York debut recital at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall in 2002; the Friedrich Shorr Memorial Prize in Voice, National Association of Teachers of Singing Association Artist Awards for the State of Georgia; The Leontyne Price Vocal Arts Competition; The Encouragement Award form the Licia Albanese-Pucinni Foundation Competition; 3rd place in The Oratorio Society of New York competition.
 
Festivals and European Experiences: 
Summers at the Robert Shaw Choral Institute in Soulliac, France and Furman University * Performances in Graz, Austria, Wittenburg, Germany and Rome, Italy. In 1999, Aspen Music Festival, Opera Theatre, role of Zerbinetta in ARIADNE AUF NAXOS Edward Berkeley, director, Julius Rude, Conductor.
 
Discography: The Robert Shaw Festival Singers "Agnus Dei", by Samuel Barber on the Telarc compact disc EVOCATION OF THE SPIRIT, Telac Compilation Discs American Adagios and Samuel Barber, The Michael O’Neal Singers’ Highlights from the Creation by Haydn, the Cherokee Chorale’s Christmas album and Collegium Vocale’s “Lord Nelson Mass” by Haydn on the compact disc REMEMBERING THOSE WE LOVE. Impromptu's CATHEDRAL SERIES disc featuring the music of Mary Badarak and Atlanta Symphony Chamber Chorus' Telarc CD "A capella" directed by Norman McKenzie.

Soloist in the final movement of Vaughan Williams’s Dona Nobis Pacem during the Robert Shaw Memorial Concert. Mr. Shaw said of Ms. Lockhart:

”Arietha Lockhart is a young artist of taste and intelligence with a very beautiful high soprano voice." 

Performances: The role of Helmwige from the Third Act of Die Walkure with Donald Runnicles and the Mendelssohn Lobgesang with Robert Spano. The world premier of a new song cycle The Laughing Monkeys of Gravity by Curtis Bryant and poet Stephen Bluestone in Macon, GA. Barber’s Knoxville: Summer of 1915 with the DeKalb and Albany Symphonies. Sacred music concerts in New Hampshire at the St. John’s United Methodist Church, in Alabama at the First United Methodist Church and in Winder, Ga at the Spring Hill AME Zion Church. Operatic Favorites with the Montgomery Symphony. "All About Character" for elementary students presented for Spivey Hall’s educational series. Mozart's "Exsultate Jubilate" with the Cahaba Chorale and Vaughan Williams' "Dona Nobis Pacem" with the Augusta Choral Society. The Creation, Weiuca Road Baptist Church. Lord Nelson Mass, Trinity Presbyterian Church. Missa Brevis St. Joannis de Deo, Atlanta Baroque Orchestra.Role of Coretta Scott King in "An Evening with King", world premier of MLK by Douglas Tappin.

She is a Georgia Council for the Arts Touring Roster Artist.

Artist Statement

I have developed a set of recital programs of contemporary American pieces portions of which have been broadcast on WABE 90.1 FM, Atlanta's public radio station. As a Touring Artist for the Georgia Council of the Arts, my program of Contemporary American works is available to be performed throughout the state of Georgia. In addition, I premiere new works by local composers, and have done so for Mary Badarak, Curtis Bryant, James Cockerham, Steve Dancz and Douglas Tappin

Using my high, lyric, coloratura voice, I strive to bring each piece I sing alive for the listener. My voice is in its prime and ready to be heard across the land and the world. I want to be a messenger for American Music both Arts songs and Opera. I want to give audiences that may not have heard Opera before, an opportunity to hear it. 

"My wife, Liz, and I have attended the Montgomery Symphony Orchestra concerts since the beginning. Your performance last evening was high-water mark. You are the most talented soprano I have ever heard in a live concert. You are a true credit to your profession. We thank you for a wonderful evening of beautiful music."
- Peter A. Land MS, CSP, CMC, CPCM PAL/rsw

Montgomery (Alabama) Symphony Orchestra- Thomas Hinds, Music Director & Conductor

March, 2005

Dear Arietha,

     What a fabulous you did on our Opera Night Concert! From the enclosed review, you can tell the critic thought so, too.  And if you have any doubt remaining, just listen to the CD that just arrived.    

     From the moment you took the stage, you had all of us eating out of the palm of your hand.  My audience has never been so complimentary as they were of you and I can assure you that you are still the topic of conversation. 

     On behalf of all who love opera and who were thrilled by the sound of magnificent voice, please accept my warmest thanks for coming to Montgomery and sharing yourself with us.  We are grateful beyond words.

Sincerely,

Helen Steineker

Manager

Post Office Box 1864, Montgomery, Al 36102 (334) 240-4004

Father of the Bride

Bill Motley’s Phone Message Transcribed following his daughter’s wedding May 9th 2009

Hi Arietha, Bill Motley calling,

I just want you to know that your singing and presentation was just out of this world! It exceeded our expectations and it was wonderful. I know your ears were burning all night because all the people at the reception were just talking about how wonderful you were and a lot of folk who appreciate classical music just thought you were magnificent ..so I just wanted you to know and anytime… if you need some sort of referral or anything just let me know and we’ll be glad to recommend you to anyone.

Thanks ever so much it was a great wedding and people haven’t stopped talking about how wonderful you were.

Thank you very much. I hope to hear you again soon.

Bye-bye.
Bill Motley

Arietha's Quotes:
 
"Music is a basic and necessary component of an excellent education."
 
"Music begins in the heart before it's sound touches the ear"

State of Georgia- Office of the Governor Atlanta 30334-0900

July 29, 2003

Dear Ms. Lockhart:

     It was truly inspiring to hear you sing The National Anthem and Georgia On My Mind at the Education Summit 2003 in Perry, Georgia.  I appreciate the time you took from your busy schedule to perform for the administrators, teachers, parents and state officials attending the summit. 

     I am hopeful I will be fortunate enough to have the pleasure of hearing you perform again in the near future.

Sincerely,

Sonny Perdue

Governor

Arietha Lockhart in the Schools
"Children in particular are very good at seeing through smoke screens and false disguises so I have learned to be myself. Singing means both delivering words and making the meaning of those words evident using my face, gesture, posture and a sound that comes from my heart, without anything else getting in the way."