Faculty

Paul Dorgan

Professor (Lecturer), Vocal Studies

DMA Ohio State University
MM Ohio State University
Licentiate, Trinity College of Music, London; Licentiate, Royal Academy of Music, London

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Office: DGH 162
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Biography

A native of Ireland, Paul Dorgan brings a wealth of national and international experience as both performer and teacher to his teaching at the University of Utah. His initial studies in Dublin were enhanced by two summers at the Mozarteum in Salzburg and by graduate degrees in piano performance at Ohio State University.

For seven summers he was on the music staff of Cincinnati Opera, playing rehearsals, coaching singers, and assuming various other musical roles. He spent two years at Virginia Opera where, in addition to his musical responsibilities, he wrote the lyrics for The Dream Maker, a project of the company's Educational Department that travelled to schools throughout the state. While with the company, he was often the keyboard-player with the Virginia Symphony Orchestra. In 1992, he became Principal Coach at Utah Opera where, along with playing rehearsals, he oversaw the establishment of the Young Artist and Studio Artist Programs and instituted "Preludes," a series of pre-performance talks. Other companies he has worked with include L'Opéra du Montréal, Opera Columbus, Atlanta Opera, Memphis Opera, and Opera Roanoke. In 2001, he was invited by Maestro Anton Coppola to assist him in the world première of his opera Sacco and Vanzetti at Opera Tampa, and returned as his assistant for the next eight seasons. In addition to his work with various opera companies, Paul Dorgan has performed frequently in Salt Lake City: the Temple Square Recital Series, the NOVA Chamber Music Series, the University of Utah's Virtuoso Series, and its "Sundays@7" Series. He has written many articles on operatic subjects. Various opera companies use his supertitle translations. He has furthermore given master classes for singers and accompanists throughout the United States. He is a member of the Advisory Board of the Utah Metropolitan Opera National Council and of the Utah Youth Symphony Orchestras.

While still in Ireland, Paul Dorgan toured the country as soloist and accompanist and appeared on Irish radio and television. He has accompanied singers in recital in London, Paris, Toronto, Biel, Switzerland, and at the Puccini Festival in Viareggio, Italy. He has served on the faculty of the Summer Academy of the Bern Opera Studio in Biel, Switzerland, coached singers and pianists at the University of Toronto's COSI program in Sulmona, Italy, and coached singers and pianists at FIOAmericas in Brazil, as well as musically-preparing the production of Les contes d'Hoffmann. In 2010 he was invited back to Ireland to be one of the official accompanists at the Veronica Dunne International Singing Competition.

Courses Taught

Vocal Coaching
Survey of Solo Vocal Literature for Singers and Pianists I
Survey of Solo Vocal Literature for Singers and Pianists II
Doctoral Vocal Literature
Diction for Singers: German
Diction for Singers: Italian
Diction for Singers: French