Steven Dunham '88

A graduate of the Chapman University School of Music in Orange, California, lyric tenor Steven Dunham has appeared throughout the Western United States as a soloist in both concert repertoire and opera.  Overseas, Mr. Dunham has performed with the Central Philharmonic Orchestra of Beijing, China, in a nationally televised program of operatic excerpts and with the Frankfurt Opera in Germany in Lohengrin.

Other operatic engagements include performances with the Santa Fe Opera, Long Beach Opera, Euterpe Opera Theatre, Pacific Repertory Opera, Los Angeles Concert Opera, Guild Opera of Los Angeles, Los Angeles Music Theatre Company, and the Santa Barbara Symphony.  As a concert artist, Mr. Dunham has performed a wide range of literature including performances with the Santa Barbara Choral Society, Chorale Bel Canto, the Riverside Master Chorale, the San Diego Symphony, the William Hall Master Chorale, the Saddleback Concert Chorale, the Antelope Valley Master Chorale, the Riverside Symphony Orchestra, and the Long Beach Bach Festival.

An active recording artist, he can be heard on the sound tracks of several recent motion pictures including Vampire In Brooklyn, Sixth Sense, Snow Falling On Cedars, Dinosaur, Behind Enemy Lines, The Scorpion King, The Matrix Reloaded, and The Matrix Revolutions.  Mr. Dunham is also a featured soloist on the William Hall Master Chorale recording of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony.

Mr. Dunham is the artistic director for Orange County Opera, a non-profit organization that partners with the Orange County Department of Education to bring the exciting world of opera to K-12 school children.  Orange County Opera sets as its objective the best possible performance of classical opera performed by local professional artists at an affordable price.  Productions are acclaimed for their clean diction, beautiful singing, convincing acting, imaginative costumes and scenery, and rich visual humor.  Orange County Opera offers a significant opportunity for young professional singers to develop their craft in a fun and rewarding environment.  Many alumni have gone on to have major international careers in opera, singing on the stages of the world's largest opera houses.

This is Mr. Dunham's thirteenth season as a company member of Orange County Opera and his fifth season as artistic director.  Steven lives in Lakewood, CA with his wife Ronda and their two sons, Chris and Eric.