Classic Cornelius!

The Short of It
Cornelius White, a classically trained singer who performs in various music genres. His performances have been described as both "lyrical and powerful, with a natural sense of musical interpretation". (Classical, Live stage performance and song "Someone Like You", currently playing) - with forthcoming Smooth Jazz CD
*He sang at the Metropolitan Opera at age 22 with operatic legends Soprano, Grace Bumbry and Bass Baritone, Simon Estes
He recorded the Grammy nominated cast recording of composer Anthony Davis' X: The Life And Times of Malcolm X for Gramavision records.
*At the request of Music Director/Conductor John Demain, he joined the Young Artist program at Opera Omaha performing in Carmen, La Boheme and Rigoletto.
*Was featured in Linda Twine's musical retrospective Harlem Symphony for MBS television in Osaka, Japan.
*Received critical reviews for the role of "Sportin' Life" in George Gershwin's "Porgy and Bess" throughout the U.S.,Canada and South America.
*Left music in 1994 became an award winning Project Coordinator receiving a 1999 "Leadership Award "for Bellsouth Telecommunications/AT&T in Atlanta, Georgia.
*Taught music at Ruth Eckerd Hall, Marcia P. Hoffman Institute for the Performing Arts in Clearwater Florida, as well as a performance consultant for young artists.
*Returned to performing for City Center's Encores!Production of "Purlie" starring Blair Underwood and Anika Noni Rose (Dreamgirls).
*Currently in development for hisCreative Mind Entertainment nu-jazz project.

The Long Of It
Singer/performer Cornelius White (b. Gary Cornelius White of Brooklyn New York), has always had a profound passion for music.
Beginning at age 3 he sang at the Berean Baptist Church in Brooklyn, and later was often requested to do command performances by teachers in various public schools.
He began studying music through the accordion at age 9 with Elsie M. Bennett in Brooklyn, New York to learn the keyboard and music basics. In his teens, his accordion skills excelled so much so that he was often a competitor and winner of various competitions sponsored by the American Accordionists Association of New York, and also found interest in conducting.
Thinking more of popularity, he moved towards the piano in senior high school. Where in some things he was inhibited, he was never shy when asked to sing. He would often enter talent contests at August Martin HS (Jamaica, Queens NY), performing cover tunes of the day with fellow musicians e.g. songs by Earth, Wind and Fire, Lionel Richie and the Commodores and Peabo Bryson, etc., but not foreign to classical music was fond of vocal art songs (e.g. Debussy and Faure). He auditioned for the New York All City Chorus, under the leadership of John L. Motley(at the time Director of Music for the Board of Education of NY and later became mentor and friend). There, he was introduced to some of the most talented singers and musicians of his peers. John Motley was responsible for promoting musicianship, the legacy of choral composer Hall Johnson , choral writings and arrangements of choral conductor and arranger Peter Wilhousky . He also received training in live performance etiquette, and growth with performance opportunities at the various performing arts centers, such as the United Nations, Waldorf Astoria, The King Cole room of the St. Regis Hotel (New York) and many other special events and cultural affairs that included visits from the Dalai Lama, performances with Mercer Ellington and his Orchestra , President Carter and fund raising events by socialites such as Gloria Vanderbilt and the late Kitty Carlisle Hart.
During one Saturday afternoon rehearsal, singer Angela Bofill (an alumnus of All City and the Dance Theater of Harlem chorus)introduced her debut album (now a classic) letting all the students know, "they could do as she did!".
Using this as inspiration, he took this as a directive to apply for the Hartt College of Music at the University of Hartford, in Hartford, Connecticut.
It was during his time at Hartt College that he was introduced to authentic jazz through professor/saxophonist Jackie MacLean and his students saxophonist, Jackie McLean ,Antione Roney(brother of Wallace Roney), and the Harper Brothers, where he performed as part of Jackie MacLean's "New Faces in Jazz" concert series.
Hartford Courant - Hartford, Conn. (Salute to Thelonius Monk) "[Gary]Cornelius White does more than justice to Billy Strayhorn's "Lush life"
Also during this time he was introduced to Jazz legend Betty Carter who happened to be the mother of one of his singing friends. Once hearing her a few times at the Blue Note and Village Vanguard in New York, he was hooked! He enjoyed her "laid-back" interpretations and vocal technique expressing well-known standards making them her own, as well as, performing her own compositions.
Prior to his senior year at Hartt College, he was introduced to Dr. Robert White (currently on faculty at The Julliard School and the Metropolitan Opera), who provided technical vocal study. It was through his training with Dr. White that he began to work professionally, which was proven by his contract to perform for the Radio City Music Hall Broadway revival of "Porgy and Bess" directed by Tony award winning director, Jack O'Brien and Choreographer George Faison .
A year later he received a two-year contract with the Metropolitan Opera in the first performance ever of the heralded work at the house, starring Grace Bumbry and Simon Estes .
In 1986 he made his debut in New York City Opera's production of X: The Life And Times of Malcolm X by composer Anthony Davis (recording the cast album in 1993 which garnered a "Grammy nomination for Best Contemporary Classical work")and then was invited to complete the Young Artist program with Opera Omaha performing in operas e.g. La Boheme, Rigoletto, and Carmen.
New Yorker Magazine- New York (X, The Life And Times Of Malcolm X) Fiery Minister - Critic The cast had the verbal vivacity that brings opera to life. In particular, tenor Cornelius White who is a singer with stage presence to note.
The late 80s through early 90s, he created a diverse performance portfolio that included every musical genre (even a back-up stint for New Kids on the Block), but couldn't decide where to focus his attention. He was offered development with recording companies (e.g. Warner, RCA, and CBS, and turned them down because of management direction), performed the "Harlem Symphony" musical for MBS Television in Osaka, Japan with Linda Twine (Music Director for Broadway's "Color Purple") and performed at the Teatro Colon in Buenos Aires, Argentina, where he performed the role of "Sportin' Life" in "Porgy and Bess"commencing over 150 performances throughout the United States and Canada.
The Vancouver Sun, Vancouver, BC (Porgy and Bess) Lloyd Dyck - Vancover Sun "Cornelius White was an excellent Sportin' Life, sounding as insinuatingly corrupt as he looked in his proto-zoot suit, peddling happy dust and crooning about the less Edenic attractions of New York. It was amazing how he managed to produce the sounds he did while flying around the set so physically."
In the fall of 1994, (and just like that), he decided to try a more stable existence and thought he might do well in sales and marketing and obtained a position in marketing as a project coordinator for training at BellSouth Telecommunications/AT&T in Atlanta, Georgia. Even though he received a "Leadership Award" from the company in 1999, he realized he began to miss performing.
A friend mentioned his name in an audition for the show; "Three Mo' Tenors", and the director Marion Caffey stopped the audition asking "Where is Cornelius? That's who I need to do this show!" But, because the show had already been done on DVD with Cornelius' colleagues, Tenors Thomas J. Young and Victor T. Cook, Cornelius turned down the opportunity twice! "I had no idea that that show was done to provide opportunities for anyone outside of the three gentleman (including Roderick Dixon) who initially did it, and they did a fantastic job with cemented performances!"
In 2002, he moved from Atlanta to Tampa, Florida in 2002 for a change, leaving the corporate world behind and decided he could best execute his passion for music through teaching. He enjoyed teaching and consulting for the Marcia P. Hoffman Performing Arts Institute at Ruth Eckerd Hall in Clearwater, Florida, but again felt the desire to perform!
During 2005, he gave in and joined a talented and exuberant cast at City Center in New York city performing for the Encores! Production of "Purlie" in honor of the late actor/playwrightOssie Davis with actor Blair Underwood, Tony award winners Lillias White and Anika Noni Rose(from the motion picture Dreamgirls), Opera Delaware in "Porgy and Bess" (directed by Leland Kimball) and the Tampa Opera League year-end gala headed by the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center, President Judith Lisi.
St. Petersberg Times Article
Recently, he's featured rotationally on Tampa Bay's televised Friday EXTRA Concert series (taped Spring of May 2007)sponsored by the Tampa Tribune and in association with his production company Creative Mind Entertainment
Friday Extra Concert Info
Mr. White is proudly sponsored by
the Department of Culturual Affairs for the State of Florida