Brian Thorsett

About

Brian Thorsett is an Associate Professor of Voice at Virginia Tech School of Performing Arts and a strikingly gifted tenor recognized for his deeply moving, unblemished voice. He holds an Artist Diploma in Vocal Performance from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music (2004) and a Master of Music in Opera Performance from the same institution (2003). In addition to his vocal expertise, he brings unique perspective through dual degrees from Santa Clara University, holding both a Bachelor of Arts in Piano Performance and a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics. Throughout his distinguished performance career, Thorsett has performed in over 100 operatic roles spanning from early modern composers to contemporary works. His concert repertoire exceeds 250 pieces, demonstrating remarkable versatility across musical styles and periods. He maintains an active engagement with contemporary music, regularly commissioning and premiering new vocal-chamber works. His professional accomplishments extend to the recording industry, where he has contributed voice work to commercial recordings and film soundtracks. Thorsett specializes in historically informed performance, particularly Baroque and Early Classical repertoire, while maintaining expertise in standard operatic and recital literature, as well as historical Broadway repertoire from 1900-1920.

Education & Qualifications

Artist Diploma, Vocal Performance, San Francisco Conservatory of Music; M.M., Opera Performance, San Francisco Conservatory of Music; B.A., Piano Performance, Santa Clara University; B.S., Mathematics, Santa Clara University

Teaching Styles