Patricia McKewen Amato

Biography

Patricia McKewen Amato’s extensive operatic experience includes duties as conductor, coach, and collaborative pianist at the AIMS Institute in Graz, Austria, the Brevard Music Festival in North Carolina, the Aspen Music Festival in Colorado, the Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University, and the Young Victorian Theatre in Baltimore. She has served as assistant music director of the Baltimore Opera Company, music director of the Baltimore Opera Touring Company, assistant conductor and chorus master for Washington Summer Opera, music director and conductor for the Annapolis Opera, Maryland Lyric Opera, Brevard Music Festival, Opera Americana in Virginia, the Washington Savoyards, Rep Stage, Opera AACC, and the Cumberland Valley Chamber Orchestra.

A versatile pianist and first place winner of the Houston Chamber Music Society Competition,  Ms. McKewen Amato has collaborated  with the Baltimore Opera, Baltimore Musicales, Baltimore Choral Arts, Baltimore Symphony and Chorus, Annapolis Chorale, Goucher College Chorale, Johns Hopkins University Chorale,  Chesapeake Chamber Opera, Opera AACC,  Young Audiences KinderOpera Theatre, Annapolis Opera, NATS and Metropolitan Opera competitions;  and with conductors Marin Alsop, Sergiu Commisiona, Jack Everly, Richard Buckley, Robert Gerle, John DeMain, George Manahan, Eduardo Mueller, Elio Boncompagni, David Laughton and Mario Venzaga.

She served as director of Choral Activities at Hood College in Frederick Maryland, during which time she conducted annual performances with orchestra and soloists, of Messiah with the USNA Glee Clubs, as well as an all-Gershwin (with Morgan University)  and an all-Beethoven program (with Towson University)with orchestra, soloists and chorus.  She made her New York Lincoln Center debut, conducting an all-Charles Loeffler program, subsequently recorded by Koch International.  She  performed The Carnival of the Animals with the Maryland Symphony Orchestra; and Carmina Burana with the Annapolis Chorale,   Baltimore Choral Arts,  and Baltimore Symphony Orchestra.

Currently Ms. McKewen Amato is a vocal coach/collaborative pianist and music director of Music for the Stage at Towson University, pianist for Annapolis Opera,  and vocal coach at the American Institute of Musical Studies, in Graz, Austria.  She accompanies and has guest-conducted the acclaimed Children’s Chorus of Maryland.

Ms. McKewen Amato holds a BM from the Catholic University of America (magna cum laude), a MM from the University of Houston (magna cum laude), and certificates in lieder, opera, and chamber music from the American Institute of Musical Studies, Graz, Austria. Her teachers included  Marilyn Neeley, Brooks Smith, Albert Hirsh and Elena Nikolaidi.  She is listed in Marquis Who’s Who in America, and Who’s Who Among American Women.   She lives in Baltimore with her husband Sam and their three daughters.