Heidi Skok
Biography
Contralto Heidi Skok has had a long and diverse vocal career professionally since 1990. Although Skok sang as a Soprano, she is really a low voice in disguise. Heidi Skok sang at the Metropolitan Opera first as a member of the Lindemann Young Artist Program from 1991-94 and then as an Artist until 2003. She sang mostly under the baton of Maestro James Levine in German, Czech, English and Russian operas. Skok has sung concerts on four different continents including appearances at the 92nd Street Y and Carnegie Hall in NYC along with Jordan Hall in Boston, MA. Ms. Skok has appeared at US regional opera houses in addition to the MET including Pittsburgh Opera, Wolf Trap Opera and Lyric Opera of Kansas City, to name a few. She has also championed new music by some of today’s most talented composers including Jake Heggie, Martin Hennessy, Stefania de Kennessey and Candace Forest.
She has recorded Ned Rorem’s Women’s Voices for the Newport Classic label. An upcoming album is in the works of Strauss, Wagner, Webern, and Berg. Skok has won many awards and grants including Opera America’s Sullivan Award, Opera Index, the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions and The Center for Contemporary Opera.
Skok’s roles as a Contralto include Waltraute, Mme de Croissy, Madame Flora (Baba) Erda (Das Rheingold) and Erda (Siegfried) La Principessa, and Klytemnestra. Concert repertoire includes the Wesendonck Lieder (Wagner) the works of Mahler, Brahms, Strauss.
Heidi Skok has taught on many voice faculties in the US including Oberlin, New England Conservatory, Bennington College, The New School University, The University of Kentucky, The College of Saint Rose and Lakeland Community College. She presently teaches for Skokstudio Vocal Instruction online and in person. See Skokstudio.org.