John Matz '96 Named Distinguished Alumni 2011

John Matz ‘96 – Tenor, has performed at the Washington National Opera, Los Angeles Opera, Tulsa Opera and Dallas Opera. He has appeared in Gala Concerts both at the Washington Opera and Los Angeles Opera with Placido Domingo, the Palm Beach Opera with Bryn Terfel, the Beethoven Ninth Symphony with the Isarael Philharmonic and Zubin Mehta and the London Philharmonic with Kiri Te Kanawa. He is a graduate of the Metropolitan Opera’s Lindeman Young Artist Program and has won prizes in the Placido Domingo Operalia competition in Paris, the Licia Albanese Puccini Foundation Competition in New York, the Loren Zachary Society National Voice Competition in Los Angeles, the Jeunesesses Musicales International Competition in Montreal and was named “Artist of the Year” by the Washington National Opera. In 2003 the Marilynn Horne Foundation named John Matz one of its distinguished Young Artists recognizing his affinity for recitals in addition to his work in opera, oratorio and concert.

John has returned to Benjamin for many events, including singing the national anthem at the 2009 homecoming game.