Light Opera of New Jersey Names SHU Professor, Jason Tramm as New Executive Director  

A distinguished member of Seton Hall's College of Communication and the Arts, Jason Tramm, DMA who now serves as Associate Professor and Director of Choral Activities, was appointed as the new Executive Director for Light of the Opera New Jersey (LONJ) effective September 1, 2021. Formerly, this position was held by Founding Directors, William and Lauran Corson since LONJ's establishment in 1995.

The illustrious Maestro has worked with LONJ as a guest conductor for the past two seasons pre-pandemic and is now slated to head operations and creative procedures for the 2021-2022 season. In a recent press release, Dr. Tramm shared his hopes for his recent appointment, "Becoming the Executive Director of The Light Opera of New Jersey is both an honor and an opportunity for me to utilize my skills to serve the vision of LONJ founders Bill and Lauran Corson and to help reignite the company's mission after the pandemic. I look forward to working with LONJ's dedicated Board of Trustees and committed stakeholders, to shape a new, bright future for our art form in New Jersey."

Further underscoring the excitement of Dr. Tramm's appointment, are Founding Directors, William and Lauran Corson who posited in a recent statement, "We are ecstatic to have such a great musician, producer and friend taking over the reins of LONJ; looking forward to many more great years to come." In passing to baton, the Carsons will move on to serve on the Board of Trustees, working in conjunction with Dr. Tramm to oversee LONJ's production and planning.

Chairman of the Board, Heath Weisberg also noted confidence in Dr. Tramm's new station, "Jason is a proven leader with deep musical knowledge and artistry, and a distinguished track record of innovation and talent development." Weisberg further asserted certainty that Dr. Tramm "will ensure strong execution of [LONJ's] growth strategy and will take to new heights our mission of educating and delighting performers and audiences…"

Dr. Tramm's career-wide success has been critically acclaimed by a number of mainstream media outlets, namely, Symphony Magazine where he was dubbed "Conductor to Watch'' and the Huffington Post where he was said to be "filled with Italianate passion." Dr. Tramm's accolades in the orchestral, operational and choral domains are widely recognized throughout the United States and abroad--where he guest conducted--namely in Narni, Italy and several other Eastern European countries.

In addition to the Maestro's other positions, he also serves as the Artistic Director and Principal Conductor for the MidAtlantic Artistic Productions, with whom he made his debut at Carnegie Hall in 2015. Also noteworthy, is Dr. Tramm's 2009 HDTV broadcast, "Verdi Requiem: Live from Ocean Grove," published with PBS affiliate, NJN, which later acquired an Emmy Award nomination.

More recently, in 2020, in response to the cancellation of live events due to COVID-19, Dr. Tramm in collaboration with his son, and Audiovisual Producer, Quinton Tramm, launched the podcast "Music Matters with Jason Tramm." In the height of the pandemic, Quinton, a senior in Seton Hall's Visual and Sound Media Program, along with Dr. Tramm saw the need for a medium to explore creative domains during a globally challenging time. The production soon became ubiquitous within the realms of music culture, now streamed on YouTube, Spotify and on WMCA.com (FM 102.3 NY and AM 570) on Saturdays from 11:30 a.m. - noon.

Soon to make a LONJ debut on October 29, 2021 is yet another of the Maestro's creative ventures, Light Night, set to be a gala concert featuring chamber orchestra and soloists from Broadway and the Metropolitan Opera.

While at Seton Hall, Dr. Tramm was awarded University Faculty Teacher of the year in 2017, where he prides himself on being catalytic in molding future generations of artistic and musical professionals.

With Dr. Tramm as new Executive Director, LONJ continues to abide by their mission to "...educate communities by bringing shows to audiences who otherwise might not experience these art forms…" Based in Basking Ridge, New Jersey, LONJ serves as a premier non-profit musical, light opera company that hosts instrumentalists, professional singers, skilled amateurs, and a highly-qualified production team.

Additional information on Dr. Tramm's work and accomplishments may be accessed on his website. For more information on LONJ and their upcoming events, visit www.LONJ.org or their Facebook page.

Categories: Arts and Culture