Conductor of Opera at the University of Southern California’s Thornton School of Music
As Conductor of Opera at the University of Southern California’s Thornton School of Music since 2004, McMunn has mentored numerous singers in a vibrant program, and this spring will be traveling to Finland for Thornton Opera’s collaboration on a world premier opera with the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki. McMunn’s professional operatic credits include five seasons as conductor at the New York City Opera, plus guest conducting at Arizona Opera, Calgary Opera, Opera Saratoga, Kentucky Opera, and Opera New Jersey. His engagements at Pittsburgh Festival Opera included a highly successful series of five operas by Strauss. Additionally, he has served as an Assistant and Cover Conductor for a combined total of 20 seasons at LA Opera, Santa Fe Opera, New York City Opera, and Dallas Opera. In recent seasons he has led operas in concert: Carmen, La Bohème, and La Cenerentola, for The Opera Buffs Inc, in Los Angeles, featuring illustrious alumni of the program. He also conducts the National Finals of the Loren L. Zachary Voice Competition. As a pianist, McMunn has collaborated with eminent musicians, including principal players of the New York Philharmonic, members of the Juilliard String Quartet, cellist Lynn Harrell and ECM recording artist Michelle Makarski. He has appeared in recital at Carnegie Hall, the Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival, and frequently serves as the official pianist for the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, Western Region. He has worked extensively with young singers in the young artist programs at the major companies mentioned, and as a faculty coach at the Aspen Music Festival.