Countertenor Mark Crayton with Pianist James Janssen in Wash. DC concert

On Sunday, January 15 at 5 p.m. Mark Crayton and pianist James Janssen return to The Phillips Collection, 1600 Twenty-First Street, NW, Washington, DC to present a concert of English and American song repertoire entitled “Native Tongue.” The program includes music by the Roger Quilter, Gerald Finzi, Ralph Vaughan Williams, John Jacob Niles as well as the debuts of new music specifically written for Mark Crayton by David W. Solomons, Ronald William Hill and Gregory Peebles. Concert tickets are included with admission to The Phillips Collection ($9 for adults, $7 for visitors 62 and over and students. No charge for visitors under 18 or Museum Members and seating is unreserved.)

Mark Crayton, the 2004 winner of Classical Singer Magazine’s International Competition Grand Prize performs on concert stages and in opera houses throughout the United States and Europe. Mr. Crayton created the roles of the "First Minstrel" in The Holland Festival's production of Peter Onnes opera/theatre piece Pantagruel et Gargantua, the Cardinal/Inquisitor in Phillip Glass’ opera Galileo Galilei (in Chicago, New York and London) and Louis Perch in the new Kander and Ebb musical The Visit starring Chita Rivera. The recital repertoire is important to Mr. Crayton. He has been heard at New York's Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, a live broadcast on Chicago's WFMT that was also transmitted via the internet, an appearance at Northeastern Illinois University’s acclaimed Jewel Box Series with a simulcast on WFMT, and at the Ravinia Music Festival. His orchestral appearances have been highlighted by performances at New York’s Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center and at Washington DC’s John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. This season Mr. Crayton, will make his debut with the San Diego Opera in Handel’s Giulio Cesare, tour Europe in recital that includes both Amsterdam and London as well as a return to the concert series of The Phillips Collection in Washington DC as well as Northeastern Illinois University.

James Janssen, piano, is artistic director, fortepianist, and harpsichordist for Haydn by the Lake, Evanston's period instrument chamber ensemble specializing in music of the Baroque and Classical periods. A native of Indianapolis, he received his education from Indiana University and Oberlin Conservatory's Baroque Performance. He tours regularly in recital with countertenor Mark Crayton and they have been featured on Chicago's WFMT in a Live from WFMT broadcast. James Janssen has appeared in the Chicago area with Ars Antigua, the St. Clement Orchestra, in recital with David Schrader, and on Northeastern Illinois University's acclaimed Jewel Box Series with Haydn by the Lake and also with Crayton. Outside the Chicago area, he has performed in Indianapolis IN, Washington DC at the Phillips Collection, and New York City, where he made his debut at Carnegie Hall's Weill Recital Hall. Internationally, he has performed in Amsterdam and in London. Recently, he performed Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 14, K.449 with Ars Antigua and toured Europe with Crayton highlighted by concerts in London and Amsterdam. James Janssen is also the organist at St. Matthew's Episcopal Church, Evanston.

# # #