Person of interest: Robert Frankenberry
-
As L.M., Robert Frankenberry sings "Mona, Mona, Mona," a Jerry Lee Lewis take-off, in last February's "Pump Boys and Dinettes" with Actors Civic Theater at the Father Ryan Arts Center in McKees Rocks.
Share with others:
Don't ask Robert Frankenberry what instrument he plays if you're short on time. He's a conductor, pianist and singer on stage, a vocal coach and orchestrator off, and trained on tenor saxophone, bassoon, vibraphone and marimba. But with all these varied talents, it's his singular place in the Pittsburgh music community that best describes this music polymath.
A Pittsburgher since 1995, Mr. Frankenberry of the East End is often either the creative spirit behind many local small arts groups or the person who gets them on track -- or both. In the local scene in the past year alone he has performed with Pittsburgh New Music Ensemble, Opera Theater of Pittsburgh, Edgewood Symphony and Undercroft Opera and performed as a member of IonSound, entelechron and Pittsburgh Song Collaborative. He teaches voice at Point Park University, University of Pittsburgh and Duquesne and Seton Hill universities.
So you're a little busy these days? I've been more slammed than ever in my life since late August. I can't actually complain, as I just keep getting to do interesting things.
What roles are you proudest of?
In opera: Hoffmann, Faust, Luigi ("Il Tabarro"); in plays: Willy Wonka, Mozart ("Amadeus"), John Adams ("1776").
What's a cool thing that happened to you by accident? My arrangement of "Amazing Grace" (sung with German text "Ein Schoener Tag") was performed by Bobby McFerrin, Vesselina Kasarova, The Wise Guys and a choir of 60,000 voices (no kidding!) with the Bochum Symphony Orchestra and broadcast live on German National Television in June of 2010.
Is there a composer who you'd rather play/sing than listen to? Vice versa? I'd rather play Schubert than listen, unless it's in someone's living room and I'm sitting by the fire while they play/sing. In a concert hall? Not so much, thank you. [Conversely,] I'd rather listen to Michael Finnissy than play; it sounds so free and rhapsodic, but the notation drives me nuts. I don't have the time to decipher it.
Guilty pleasure: Hulu.
The best piece of advice you've ever received: Janet Bookspan told me this: Everything has a price. If you want something, find out what the price is and decide if you're willing to pay it. If not, let it go.
You have $20 and four hours to spend in Pittsburgh. What do you do?
I'd go to the Aviary or one of the Carnegie Museums, but the truth is probably that I'd spend three hours trying to decide (too many cool choices), and then go to Alchemy N' Ale in Lawrenceville for pickled beets and eggs and a beer. I mean, have you tried those beets? Don't get between me and them ...
Can't live without: My pressure cooker.
-- Andrew Druckenbrod
First Published December 25, 2011 12:00 am
