Singer

François Clemmons to Present “Melodies of Life and Love” at

Middlebury College Center for the Arts on July 26

MIDDLEBURY, Vt.—François Clemmons, Middlebury College Twilight

Artist in Residence and director of the College choir, will perform “Melodies

of Life and Love” (in French and Italian) on Wednesday, July 26, at

7:30 p.m. in the Concert Hall at the Center for the Arts on Route 30. The

performance, which is sponsored by the Middlebury College French and Italian

Schools, is free and open to the public.

Clemmons’ talents as a singer and a

musicianhe is the founder and leader of the Harlem Spiritual Ensembleenrich

the experience that he brings to his many roles at the College. He taught

a January-term course, “The History of the American Negro Spiritual

and Its Influence on Western Civilization.” Clemmons also lectures

in history classes, serves as an advisor to students, performs at campus

and town events, and directs the Middlebury College Choir. He was awarded

an honorary doctor of arts degree from Middlebury College in 1996.

Clemmons’ big break as a singer came in 1968 when he won the regional

auditions in Pittsburgh for New York’s Metropolitan Opera. This achievement

allowed him to go on to the next level of competition in Cleveland, Ohio,

where he won a position in the Metropolitan Opera Studio. He sang with the

studio for seven seasons, performing more than 70 roles with various other

companies across the country, from the New York City Opera to the Cincinnati

Opera. In addition, he has sung with numerous orchestras, including the

Cleveland Orchestra, the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, and the Philadelphia

Orchestra.

Clemmons has performed the role of Sportin’ Life from George Gershwin’s

“Porgy and Bess” more than 100 times. His recording of the role

on London Records with the Cleveland Orchestra won a Grammy Award in 1973.

A versatile entertainer, Clemmons created and performed the role of the

friendly police officer, Officer Clemmons, on the Emmy and Peabody

Award-winning television program “Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood”

for 25 years. The current generation of young children is now enjoying him

on reruns of the show.

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