Baritone Benjamin King is in his 29th year of association with Houghton College. Having taught at Houghton from 1980-1992, he served as Director of the School of Music and Chair of the Fine Arts Division from 1986-92. He then returned to Houghton in 1996 after a four-year absence as Professor and Chair of the Department of music at Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas. In 2001 he resumed his administrative duties as Director and Associate Dean for Music.

A native of the Texas Panhandle, Mr. King earned B.Mus. and M. Mus. degrees in vocal performance from Texas Tech University. He holds the DMA in vocal performance and music literature from the Eastman School of Music.

Mr. King has appeared with Houston Grand Opera, New Orleans Opera, Gulf Coast Opera, Western New York Opera, Houghton Opera Players, Eastman Opera Theater, and the MasterWorks Festival Opera. Recent performances include: baritone soloist, Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, in Mozart's Coronation Mass; baritone soloist in Mozart's Requiem Mass, Masterworks Festival Orchestra, Count Almaviva in The Marriage of Figaro, Houghton Opera Players, and the title role in the 2001 Masterworks Festival production of Puccini's Gianni Schicchi.

In addition to musical theater and opera activities, he is a recitalist and lecturer, having appeared at the Chautauqua Institution in addition to numerous venues at universities and community organizations.

His academic expertise includes Music Literature & History, Vocal Pedagogy & Literature, and a growing interest in music multi-media technology for the classroom and studio.

Most recently his work has centered on the development and implementation of new masters degree programs for the Greatbatch School of Music, Houghton College's first-ever graduate offerings.He also serves as an NASM senior visiting evaluator and is Immediate Past President of the New York State Association of College Music Programs.

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