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 Bio: George Hernandez |
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George Hernandez
Conductor and Music Director |
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Mr. Hernandez received his Bachelor of Music degree in piano and choral conducting from the University of the Philippines in 1981. He formed Saringhimig Singers in 1974 while he was a choral conducting student at U.P. Under his leadership, his choir won the following international awards: First prize in XXVII Concorso Polifonico Internationale, Guido d’ Arezzo, Italy in 1979; Grand prize in Lehiateka Certamen Cancion y Polifonica Vascas in Tolosa, Spain in 1980; Third prize at the LLangollen International Musical Eisteddfod held in Wales, United Kingdom in 1980; and Top prize in XXIX Concorso Polifonico Internationale, Guido d’ Arezzo, Italy in 1981. In 1980 he also conducted the Ave Maria Male Choral and received the top prize for the male choir category at the XXVIII Concorso
He moved to San Francisco to continue his studies in choral conducting, piano, and organ at San Francisco State University. In 1986 he was the feature piano soloist for the Beethoven’s Concert no. 5 “Emperor Concerto” at SFSU Symphony. He was one of the winners of the Franz Lizst Piano Competition in 1987. He transferred to the San Francisco Conservatory of Music where received another music degree in Vocal and Instrumental Accompaniment and also a degree in Voice Performance. He won First place in the Abramowitsch Lieder Competition in 1989.
As a bass, he has sung with San Francisco Opera as a chorus member since 1990. He also has sung operatic roles with Townsend Opera Player, West Bay Opera, Bear Valley Music Festival, San Francisco Lyric Opera, and Donald Pippin’s Pocket Opera in the following operas: Mozart’s “Die Zauberflote”, “La Finta Simplice“, and “Le Nozze di Figaro“, Verdi’s “Rigoletto”, Il Trovatore and “La Traviata“, Menotti’s “Amahl and the Night Visitors“, Offenbach’s “Bridges of Sighs“, Bizet’s Carmen, Puccini’s “Madame Butterfly” and “Gianni Schichi” to name a few. He has sung as bass soloist for several symphony orchestras in the bay area. One of his memorable performances was with the Redwood Symphony Orchestra’s performance of Mahler’s Eighth Symphony singing the Bass solo and Pater Profundis in April 1999.
He currently teaches voice and piano in his music studio. Several of his students have won awards and competitions in opera, broadway, pop, and karaoke categories locally as well as nationally. His students have performed professionally with companies like the San Francisco Opera, New York City Opera, San Jose Opera, Bear Valley Opera, San Francisco Lyric Opera, West Bay Opera, Los Angeles Opera, Broadway By The Bay, The Mountain Play, touring broadway companies of “Rent“, “Miss Saigon“, and “Les Miserables“.
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