Adjunct Instructor of Voice
seventhwife@gmail.com
Serena Kanig Benish has performed with orchestras and choral societies in New York, New Jersey, Utah, Maine, and in
Guest Artist recitals at Columbia University in New York City, Cleveland State University, Colby and Bates Colleges in
Maine, Ashland Community College in Ashland, Kentucky; and she has been soprano soloist in oratorios and concerts
du régiment; Baby Doe in Douglas Moore's Ballad of Baby Doe; Madame Goldentrill in Mozart's The Impressario; Marcello
in the US premiere of the new edition of Alessandro Scarlatti's Eraclea; Queen of Night and First Lady in Mozart's Die
Zauberflöte; Olga in the New Jersey premiere of Maury Yestin's Nine; an Enchanted Plate in Disney's Beauty and the
Beast and Mrs. Mayor in Seussical. With Theater in the Park in the summer of 2010 she will play Antonia (the female
alter ego of Antonio) in Much Ado About Nothing.
She was soprano soloist for many years at Huguenot Memorial
Presbyterian Church in Pelham, New York and also
soloist at St. Luke's
Episcopal in Somers, New York; Third Church of Christ Scientist in Salt Lake
City, and is regularly
a guest soloist at St. Mary's Church and Provo Community
Church in Provo, Utah; First Presbyterian in Salt Lake City
and in LDS wards to
numerous to name.
Recent performances include a collaboration of song and
ballet with the Ballet Ensemble of the University of Utah
and renown ballerina
and choreographer Jennie Creer-King and again singing the voice of Gretel in
Classical Ballet
Academy's production of Hansel and Gretel, another
collaborative effort melding voice and ballet.
She was thrilled to
perform with UVU students in concert with Dr. David
Fullmer and also with the combined orchestras of UVU and BYU
under the
direction of Dr. Eric Hansen.
As an Artist in Residence on the Utah Arts Council Arts
Education Roster, Ms. Kanig Benish has introduced opera
into the elementary
schools to help integrate the Arts. With
her adaptations of The Magic Flute and Hansel and Gretel,
and of
well-loved opera choruses and arias, she instructs children in all aspects of
producing an opera, culminating with
live performances.
While maintaining an active performance schedule, Ms. Kanig
Benish is the Director of Vocal Studies at UVU and has a
full vocal studio, as
well as private students. She has been
an Adjunct Instructor at UVU since 2006 and takes very
seriously President
Holland's vision of engaging the students in fulfilling their musical dreams
and potentials.