Acclaimed American composer Ricky Ian Gordon will join Stetson voice students for “An Evening with Ricky Ian Gordon” on Wednesday, Nov. 4, 7:30 p.m., at Lee Chapel in Elizabeth Hall on Stetson’s DeLand campus. The concert is free and open to the public.

Gordon will accompany the singers at the piano for an intimate evening of music, celebrating the power and artistry of living American music. The concert is part of a campus residency during which Gordon will coach students individually on his songs and on selections from his operas featured in Stetson Opera Theatre’s upcoming performances. He will also lead a seminar and Q&A with Stetson voice and composition students.

Gordon is one of America’s leading composers of art song, opera and musical theater. His songs have been performed and recorded by internationally renowned singers, including Renée Fleming, Audra McDonald, Kristin Chenoweth, Kelli O’Hara, Nadine Sierra and Frederica von Stade. His operas include “The Grapes of Wrath,” “27,” “Intimate Apparel” and “The Garden of the Finzi-Continis,” and have been produced by Lincoln Center Theater, Houston Grand Opera, Minnesota Opera, Opera Theatre of St. Louis, Cincinnati Opera and Pittsburgh Opera, among others. He composed “The House Without a Christmas Tree” for Houston Grand Opera.

A graduate of Carnegie Mellon University, Gordon has taught masterclasses and composition classes at Juilliard, Yale, New York University, Northwestern and the Eastman School of Music. Also, he has served as composer-in-residence at festivals, including the Aspen Music Festival, Ravinia and Chautauqua.

“Having a composer of Ricky Ian Gordon’s caliber work directly with our students is an incredible opportunity,” said Olivia Yokers, DMA, director of opera and assistant professor of music, voice at Stetson. “There is something meaningful about young singers learning from the person who created the music they are performing. This experience embodies what makes Stetson Music so special: the opportunity to collaborate directly with professional artists and gain invaluable experiences that students will carry with them throughout their careers.”

The concert opens a week of opera at the School of Music. Stetson Opera Theatre will present “Opera Past and Present: An Evening of Opera Scenes,” directed by Yokers, on Friday, Nov. 6, 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, Nov. 8, 3 p.m., also in Lee Chapel. The program will include selections from Gordon’s operas.

Tickets for the “Opera Scenes” performances are $15 for adults, $5 for students and free with a Stetson ID. They are available at https://www.tickettailor.com/events/stetsonuniversityschoolofmusic.