Kevin Gruden, Piano Teacher & Voice Teacher:
Kevin Gruden has extensive backgrounds in both music education and performing, and has been a featured tenor soloist in both the U.S. and abroad.
Kevin earned his Bachelor of Music Education degree from the Duquesne University School of Music, and earned graduate study credits via the University of Cincinnati Conservatory of Music while performing opera and solo roles in Italy with the Opera Theatre of Lucca.
Mr. Gruden has served as adjunct professor of voice in the musical theatre departments at Carnegie Mellon University's Pre-College Summer Program, Point Park College, and in the Music Department at Westminster College.
Kevin's voice students have been performing in every musical genre from musical theatre, choral/concert work, opera and sacred music to pop, rock, and blues. Many middle school and high school students have competed and were selected to perform in the PMEA District, Regional, and State Choral Competitions in Pennsylvania, and have scored lead and principle roles in their high school musicals.
This past May, one of Mr. Gruden's voice students won the Best Supporting Actor Award in Pittsburgh's annual Gene Kelly Awards, and over the years, several other high school students of Kevin's have received nominations for the Kelly's in the categories of best actor, best actress, and best supporting actor.
Mr. Gruden's performances abroad include the powerful high tenor roles of "Bruto" in Respighi's Lucrezia, and the famous tenor blockbuster aria "Cujus Animam" from Rossini's Stabat Mater at the Opera Theatre of Lucca, Italy. Kevin made his solo debut with the Czech State Philharmonic as the tenor soloist in Dvorak's Mass in D, and Bernstein's Chichester Psalms, during a summer European concert tour.
While residing in Manhattan, Kevin's musical theatre performances included the roles of Bentley/Night-Rider in the Off-Broadway show, “The Peanut Man, Pish-Tush in the NY Fashion Institute's performance of “The Mikado,” High Priest, in South Jersey Regional's production of “Jesus Christ Superstar,” and Pianist/Vocalist at the Riverside Dance Festival. In the Classical/Sacred Music genre, Mr. Gruden performed numerous solo and choral roles throughout the New York City area.
On the U.S. classical stage, Kevin has been featured as tenor soloist in several series of Beethoven and Schubert works with the Virginia Symphony, and has soloed with the Canton Symphony, Westmoreland Symphony, Manhattan Chamber Choir and Orchestra, and in numerous engagements in Shadyside's “Music in a Great Space” concert series where he was accompanied by members of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. Mr. Gruden has performed with the Pittsburgh Opera, and with the Opera Theatre of Pittsburgh he performed the roles of Elder Hayes in Carlisle Flloyd's “SUSANAH,” and Der Adjutant and Ein Ausrufer in the English language premiere of Kurt Weill's “DIE BURGSCHAFT.”
Mr. Gruden was a 1998 winner of the Pittsburgh Concert Society Competition, had been named beneficiary of the prestigious “Obershenk Medallion Trust” for gifted singers, and performed as guest vocal artist for the Steinway Society of Western Pennsylvania.
Kevin earned his Bachelor of Music Education degree from the Duquesne University School of Music, and earned graduate study credits via the University of Cincinnati Conservatory of Music while performing opera and solo roles in Italy with the Opera Theatre of Lucca.
Mr. Gruden has served as adjunct professor of voice in the musical theatre departments at Carnegie Mellon University's Pre-College Summer Program, Point Park College, and in the Music Department at Westminster College.
Kevin's voice students have been performing in every musical genre from musical theatre, choral/concert work, opera and sacred music to pop, rock, and blues. Many middle school and high school students have competed and were selected to perform in the PMEA District, Regional, and State Choral Competitions in Pennsylvania, and have scored lead and principle roles in their high school musicals.
This past May, one of Mr. Gruden's voice students won the Best Supporting Actor Award in Pittsburgh's annual Gene Kelly Awards, and over the years, several other high school students of Kevin's have received nominations for the Kelly's in the categories of best actor, best actress, and best supporting actor.
Mr. Gruden's performances abroad include the powerful high tenor roles of "Bruto" in Respighi's Lucrezia, and the famous tenor blockbuster aria "Cujus Animam" from Rossini's Stabat Mater at the Opera Theatre of Lucca, Italy. Kevin made his solo debut with the Czech State Philharmonic as the tenor soloist in Dvorak's Mass in D, and Bernstein's Chichester Psalms, during a summer European concert tour.
While residing in Manhattan, Kevin's musical theatre performances included the roles of Bentley/Night-Rider in the Off-Broadway show, “The Peanut Man, Pish-Tush in the NY Fashion Institute's performance of “The Mikado,” High Priest, in South Jersey Regional's production of “Jesus Christ Superstar,” and Pianist/Vocalist at the Riverside Dance Festival. In the Classical/Sacred Music genre, Mr. Gruden performed numerous solo and choral roles throughout the New York City area.
On the U.S. classical stage, Kevin has been featured as tenor soloist in several series of Beethoven and Schubert works with the Virginia Symphony, and has soloed with the Canton Symphony, Westmoreland Symphony, Manhattan Chamber Choir and Orchestra, and in numerous engagements in Shadyside's “Music in a Great Space” concert series where he was accompanied by members of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. Mr. Gruden has performed with the Pittsburgh Opera, and with the Opera Theatre of Pittsburgh he performed the roles of Elder Hayes in Carlisle Flloyd's “SUSANAH,” and Der Adjutant and Ein Ausrufer in the English language premiere of Kurt Weill's “DIE BURGSCHAFT.”
Mr. Gruden was a 1998 winner of the Pittsburgh Concert Society Competition, had been named beneficiary of the prestigious “Obershenk Medallion Trust” for gifted singers, and performed as guest vocal artist for the Steinway Society of Western Pennsylvania.