Baritone Erik Tofte.

Our 70th Anniversary Concert, Ode to Joy, features an extraordinary quartet of vocal soloists: soprano Sophia Hunt, mezzo-soprano Sophia Maekawa, tenor Ethan Burck, and baritone Erik Tofte. All four are rising stars of the international opera stage -- and Erik Tofte's talent is homegrown! Erik grew up in Owego, attended Binghamton University, and got his professional start Tri-Cities Opera. His recent engagements include appearances with Palm Beach Opera, the Chautauqua Opera Company, Opera Saratoga, and the Boston Symphony Orchestra.

We recently had the chance to chat with Erik about his career and what it means for him to come home

Erik Tofte as Boatswain in HMS Pinafore, Tri-Cities Opera, 2019. Binghamton Philharmonic: What were some of your formative musical experiences growing up in the area? Erik Tofte: Besides singing in choir in elementary school, some of my foundational experiences were of singing in community theater productions at the Endicott Performing Arts Center and singing at Our Lady of Sorrows parish in Vestal. As a senior in high school, I was fortunate to be in my first opera, Gounod’s Faust with the Tri-Cities Opera Chorus. During this process, I came to a realization that although I was nervous about pursuing music as a career, I could not see myself on any other path. BP: Who were the teachers and mentors in the local community who encouraged you? ET: There are too many to list, but to name a few, I wouldn’t have developed my passion for music if it hadn’t been for the fantastic music educators I had during my time at Owego Free Academy, Megan Burrell and Dan Fabricius. My time with them helped me develop the skills and the perseverance necessary for such a career. I would also like to thank Jordan Schreiner, my first voice teacher and an extraordinary tenor himself, and Tom Goodheart, my voice teacher at Binghamton University, who is my mentor to this day.

BP: Is there any advice or insight you received in your early training that you still carry with you today? 

ET: The best advice I received early on was to tune out the noise. The music industry can be unpredictable and confusing, and try as you might, there will always be forces beyond the individual artist's control. The biggest thing I have learned is that by focusing on the things I can control -- my own preparation, my artistic interpretation, being a good colleague, etc. -- I am better able to let the "noise" of the industry disappear into the background.

BP: You recently completed your Professional Studies Certificate in Opera at the famed Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia. What was the biggest adjustment you had to make in moving from Binghamton to one of the world’s top conservatories?

ET: Getting accepted into Curtis, where only 4% of applicants gain admission, is something I never thought would happen. I was stunned when I got the call. I had already lived in New York City for a time during grad school, so the culture shock of moving to a big city actually set in before I moved to Philadelphia. 

What really changed for me at Curtis, though, was the ability to fully commit to singing. In New York I was working as many part-time and full-time jobs as I could in between singing gigs in order to support myself. At Curtis, with the help of funds allotted to students for housing assistance, I was able to work fewer shifts at my day job and devote myself full-time to being an artist. This is when the world took on a whole new shape for me. It was a tremendous gift, and I am deeply thankful to Curtis for it.

BP: What roles or performances have been the most meaningful milestones thus far in your career?

ET: Last summer I made my mainstage debut as Schaunard in La Boheme with the Chautauqua Opera Company. This was my first leading role in a large festival program, and it was a breakthrough performance for me. In addition to this, my recent time at Palm Beach Opera was nothing short of transformative. I had the incredible experience of performing mainstage roles with great singers who are performing at top opera houses all over the world. 

BP: Does the message of Beethoven's 9th Symphony have any special resonance for you? What does it mean to you personally to sing the words of "An die Freude" in your hometown?

ET: This will be my first time performing the work, and the piece really resonates for its themes of happiness, brotherhood, and love -- all of the emotions I feel coming back to the area! Coincidentally, my parents are in the process of selling my childhood home as they have just moved to North Carolina for work, so the feeling of joy in returning to a place with so many fond memories for me is truly magnificent. The text of “An die Freude” illustrates how joy is distinct for each and every one of us. For me, there is a great joy in homecoming for this concert.