Artists

Jon Lackey, Tenor
Tenor Jon Lackey garners international acclaim for his appearances both on the solo recital stage and as a concert soloist with symphony orchestras. His distinctive voice is a unique blend of both a heldentenor and a lyric tenor — a combination that has lead critics to refer to Mr. Lackey’s voice as having both “penetrating power” and “focused lyricism.” Mr. Lackey’s vocal prowess is due in great part to his study of the bel canto singing technique with his master teacher, Ilse Metternich, in Munich, Germany.

Mr. Lackey has sung countless performances internationally, many of which have been broadcast live to millions around the world by the BBC, Radio France, WGMS Radio in Washington, D.C., and PBS Television. He has sung for U.S. Presidents, foreign heads of state, ambassadors and royalty. Mr. Lackey had the rare privilege of residing for a year with the Richard Strauss Family in Munich, Germany, and resided in Paris, France for a year while studying with the internationally acclaimed baritone, Gérard Souzay. In recognition of Mr. Lackey’s remarkable abilities as a performer and his demonstrated interest in the French culture, the Government of France sponsored his residency during the annual international summer music festival at the Maurice Ravel Academy in St. Jean-de-Luz, France.

A native of Seattle, Washington, Mr. Lackey began his music studies at the age of ten and by the age of sixteen made his public debut as a tenor soloist in Handel’s Messiah. He received a Bachelor of Music degree in Vocal Performance on scholarship from Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, Washington, and did graduate music studies at both the University of Washington in Seattle and at Kent State University in Akron, Ohio.

Included among the many honors received by Mr. Lackey throughout his career was being the Top National Finalist in the prestigious National Federation of Music Clubs Voice Competition, scoring above all of the nearly 300 classically trained singers from throughout the United States.

Mr. Lackey’s extensive music career has included a full-time position as tenor soloist with the United States Air Force Band and Singing Sergeants in Washington, D.C., and positions as resident tenor soloist for prominent church congregations in Seattle, Washington, D.C., and Paris, France. He has appeared as a guest artist with numerous symphony orchestras including L’Orchestre de Bordeaux, the Seattle Symphony, the Tacoma Symphony, the Arlington Symphony, and the Williamsburg Symphonia.

In addition to his singing performances, Mr. Lackey is active as a voice teacher. He has served on the faculties of Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, Washington, and Northern Virginia Community College in Alexandria, Virginia. Mr. Lackey is currently serving as Minister of Music at Peace Lutheran Church in Seattle, Washington.

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Critical Reviews

“With his rich and innocent tenor voice, Lackey holds his audience in a quiet trance … hardly a breath was taken by his listeners.”
— Music Critic; St. Thomas, Virgin Islands —

“Tenor, Jon Lackey, sang with ease, power, and flexibility.”
— Joseph McClellan, The Washington Post —

“Jon Lackey: brilliant vocal temperament, dynamic, spiritual, and, our fortune, adorned with a voice of magnificent timbre.”
— Music Critic; Journal de Blois, Blois, France —

“Tenor, Jon Lackey combined intimacy with drama in his moving performance … and his voice has a lightness and radiant warmth but is also capable of penetrating power.”
— Roy Guenther, Music Critic; The Washington Post —

“Jon Lackey possesses a tenor voice of extraordinary strength and focused lyricism.”
— John Shulson, The Virginia Gazette —

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CD Releases

Ich Liebe Dich

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James Jelasic, Pianist
Piano virtuoso, Fulbright Scholar and International Steinway Artist, James Jelasic was born into a noble family descended from Croatian aristocrats. He continues the rich musical heritage established by his maternal grandfather, Jan Nemec, a composer and playwright in Czechoslovakia in the early 1900s. In the family tradition, he began his piano studies at the age of six and, at age nineteen, had twice been featured as a concerto soloist with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra.

Mr. Jelasic is a native of Dearborn, Michigan, and received his early musical training at the Detroit Institute of Musical Arts, his Bachelor of Music degree in Piano Performance on full scholarship from Eastern Michigan University, and his Master of Music degree in Accompanying and Chamber Music from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. He has also done advanced studies at the Sorbonne in Paris and at Warwick University in Coventry, England. Mr. Jelasic’s master teachers include such distinguished artists as Gordon Green of the Royal Academy of Music in London, England; Eugene Bossart in Ann Arbor, Michigan; Martin Katz in Boulder, Colorado and Akron, Ohio; and Leonard Hokenson in Augsburg, Germany.

Under the gracious patronage of the Richard Strauss Family, Mr. Jelasic resided for a year in Munich, Germany. While there he performed extensively as both a soloist and accompanist and conducted advanced research into the interpretation of the German lied. He then moved to Paris, having been awarded the prestigious Fulbright Scholar grant to research the interpretation of the French mélodie with the internationally acclaimed baritone, Gérard Souzay. At that time, in recognition of Mr. Jelasic’s remarkable abilities as a performer and his demonstrated interest in the French culture, the Government of France sponsored his residency during the international summer music festival at the Maurice Ravel Academy in St. Jean-de-Luz, France. During his residency in Paris, Mr. Jelasic was also a guest lecturer at the American College in Paris/WICE and did extensive concert touring throughout France and the United Kingdom.

Mr. Jelasic has received critical international acclaim for his appearances with numerous symphony orchestras, as a solo pianist and as a collaborative performer in concert recitals. Several of his live performances have been broadcast on the BBC Radio — Cornwall, England; Radio France ‘Live from Salle Gaveau’ — Paris; WGMS-FM two performances of ‘Live from the National Gallery of Art’ — Washington, D.C.; KING-FM in Seattle and PBS Television. Mr. Jelasic has performed for U.S. presidents, foreign heads of state, ambassadors, and royalty.

James Jelasic has released several recordings on the Water’s Edge Records label including the complete Chopin Waltzes and a 2-CD set of the complete Chopin Nocturnes, as well as a recording of his society dance band entitled Enter Club Havana. His fourth release, Ich Liebe Dich, is an all-German recording of solo voice and piano literature with the American Tenor, Jon Lackey. In 2013, Mr. Jelasic’s recording of one of the Chopin Waltzes was included in the soundtrack of the French film, La Cage Dorée, directed by Ruben Alves and distributed worldwide by Pathé Films.

He has taught on the music faculty of Northern Virginia College. Currently residing in metropolitan Seattle, Mr. Jelasic maintains a full schedule as a classical soloist, piano tutor (both in-person and internationally on Zoom), accompanist/vocal coach, and recording artist. Having served at churches on both the east and west coasts, he also continues his work as a Minister of Music conducting choirs and performing as the organist and pianist.

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Critical Reviews

“Mr. Jelasic’s pianism was a sound to behold!”
— Charles McCardell, The Washington Post —

“The performance of accompanist, James Jelasic, was shimmering throughout.”
— Roy Guenther, The Washington Post —

***** (Five-Star) A Masterful Performance
“James Jelasic’s stirring performance of Chopin’s waltzes is the finest I’ve heard. His voicing technique combined with a precise execution of the music makes this one of the most listenable works I own. Open a bottle of wine, find a comfortable leather chair, and put on this CD. You won’t be disappointed.”
— Mega Music Reviews.com —

“James Jelasic — excellent musician with a talent admired by all … impressive and securely facile.”
— Music Critic, Journal de Blois, Blois, France —

“In his brilliant execution, Jelasic captures and transports us with his art to the imaginary musical world of Chopin, which is difficult to find in other recordings of Chopin’s music. With profound technique on the piano, when Jelasic plays Chopin, he makes us feel the composer’s expression, times, passages of life, and personality.”
— Eddie Galleno, La Nación, Washington, D.C. —

“The performance by James Jelasic & His Dance Band at the Detroit Opera House was very entertaining. Mr. Jelasic projected his love of music, and contributed greatly to the success of the event hosted by our president, Jac Nasser.”
— Paulette Moreno - Ford Motor Company —

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CD Releases

Enter Club Havana | Chopin Waltzes | Chopin Nocturnes | Ich Liebe Dich

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