Auditions & Career Guidance
Matthew A. Epstein currently serves as the director of Columbia Artists Vocal, continuing a long tradition with Columbia Artists Management, which began in 1972.
Mr. Epstein was artistic director of Lyric Opera of Chicago from May 1999 to April 2005. He previously served as artistic consultant and later artistic advisor to general directors Carol Fox and Ardis Krainik, and to Lyric's first artistic director, Bruno Bartoletti.
As general director of the Welsh National Opera (1991-94), Mr. Epstein was the first American to run an opera company in Great Britain. From 1988 until 1990, he was artistic director of BAM Opera at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. As an artistic consultant, he has also worked with San Francisco Opera, Santa Fe Opera, Carnegie Hall, Sony Classical, and BMG/RCA Records.
Mr. Epstein has served as manager to many celebrated artists, including Kathleen Battle, Rockwell Blake, Ileana Cotrubas, Mark Delavan, Reneé Fleming, Susan Graham, Marjana Lipovsek, Catherine Malfitano, James Morris, Madga Olivero, Felicity Palmer, Ruggiero Raimondi, Samuel Ramey, Neil Shicoff, Elisabeth Söderström, Tatiana Troyanos, and Frederica von Stade. Throughout his career, he has been especially interested in and identified with the career development of American singers, conductors, and stage directors.
Mr. Epstein has been a member of the Music Academy faculty since 1997.