STEVEN BLIER is the Artistic Director of the New York Festival of Song (NYFOS), which he co-founded in 1988 with Michael Barrett. Since the Festival’s inception he has programmed, performed, translated and annotated more than 150 vocal recitals with repertoire spanning five centuries of art song and popular song. NYFOS has made in-depth explorations of music from Spain, Latin America, Scandinavia and Russia. New York Magazine gave NYFOS its award for Best Classical Programming, while Opera News proclaimed Blier “the coolest dude in town.” Mr. Blier’s career has included partnerships with Renée Fleming, Cecilia Bartoli, Samuel Ramey, Lorraine Hunt Lieberson, Susan Graham, Jessye Norman, and José van Dam, in venues ranging from Carnegie Hall to La Scala. He is also on the faculty of The Juilliard School and has been active in encouraging young recitalists at summer programs, including the Wolf Trap Opera Company, Santa Fe Opera, Ravinia’s Steans Music Institute, and the San Francisco Opera Center. Former students, including Stephanie Blythe, Julia Bullock, Sasha Cooke, Paul Appleby, Corinne Winters and many more who have gone on to be stars on the opera and concert stage. A champion of American art song, he has premiered works of John Corigliano, Paul Moravec, Ned Rorem, William Bolcom, Mark Adamo, John Musto and Adam Guettel among others. Mr. Blier’s extensive discography includes the premiere recording of Leonard Bernstein’s Arias and Barcarolles which won a Grammy Award/