"Mezzo-soprano and opera arranger Brenda Patterson has been at the forefront of innovation in opera and concert performance for 20 years. A graduate of the Juilliard School and Barnard College, Brenda Patterson was a member of the Hamburg State Opera ensemble for many years before moving to La Scala and the Metropolitan Opera, where she was Principal Artist for seven seasons. Brenda has been composition advisor for Opera Philadelphia's Composers-in-Residence and is a member of the vocal faculty at the University of Virginia. She has also taught courses at the Juilliard School, Mannes, Tanglewood and for the Metropolitan Opera Young Artists. Patterson is music director and co-founder of the groundbreaking Victory Hall Opera in Charlottesville, VA, and writes all of VHO's opera chamber music."