Denes Van Parys

At home in Opera and Musical Theater, Denes has led performances for Tri-Cities Opera, Ithaca Opera, Ithaca College Opera, Delaware Valley Opera, Puget Sound Concert Opera, Rainier Family Opera, University of Puget Sound Opera Theater, the Hangar Theater of Ithaca, Repertory Theater of St. Louis and the Coconut Grove Playhouse. He led National Tours of FIDDLER ON THE ROOF, MY FAIR LADY, 42ND STREET, ANNIE, ANNIE GET YOUR GUN, and MAN OF LA MANCHA. He led the world premiere production of Cole Porter's ALADDIN on tour in Southeast Asia, ANNIE at the Opera House in Seoul and WEST SIDE STORY in Taipei where he also conducted a series of concerts of American Musical Theater for the Opera House in Taipei.

In New York, he led York Theater's Production of Charles Strouse's GOLDEN BOY as part of the MUSICALS IN MUFTI Series and the Workshop of the Strouse/Adams Musical REMEMBER ME. He also led the world premier of Strouse's musical REAL MEN at the Coconut Grove Playhouse, Miami.

Recipient of a Meet-the-Composer Grant for his opera HOUSE OF BUTTERFLIES, he has been commissioned by Ithaca College, Washington State University, and many individual vocalists and instrumentalists. He is also a leader of Worship, serving many churches. He currently serves at GOOD SHEPHERD LUTHERAN CHURCH, in Tacoma WA. He also writes the blog Music in God's Ears at denesvanparys.com

Denes served on the faculties of Ithaca College (Director of Opera and Musical Theatre) and Binghamton University, taught for the ATP Program of Tri-Cities Opera and ran the Artist Training Program of Ithaca Opera and supervised the Touring Opera-Go-Round for Tri-Cities Opera that reached 100,000 students annually. He is a clinician in Vocal Coaching and collaborative Piano. While on the Artistic staff of Ithaca Opera, he was Musical Supervisor and Composer-in-residence for Project Co-OPERA-tion, an NEA award winning program whereby middle school students create and produce their own original opera.

Currently Denes is Staff Accompanist at the University of Puget Sound, teaches Diction for Singers and serves as the Musical Director for Opera productions.

Since 1994, he has been the Musical Director for Camp Starlight, where he supervises 500+ children in producing 5-7 Broadway-style Musicals each summer. He also conducts the Counselor-Camper Chorus in weekly performances and a Counselor Chorus in a full length program at summer's end.