Movin' on Up!

The time has come to bid a fond farewell to Jason Eck, beloved PAI counselor and baritone extraordinaire! Jason came to PAI as a student in 2001 after finishing his freshman year at a high school in Binghamton, New York. As a student at PAI, he played leading roles in Mystery of Edwin Drood, Les Miserables (Javert), Cabaret (Herr Schultz) and West Side Story (Tony). In 2004, he was invited to join the PAI staff as a junior-counselor and in subsequent summers he returned as counselor. Since then, his career has been moving at an amazing pace. Currently in his junior year at Oberlin Conservatory of Music, Jason has just recently learned that he was accepted to Marilyn Horne's vocal program at the Music Academy of the West in Santa Barbara CA. There, he'll be singing Colline in their production of La Boheme. Before he joined PAI for the 2006 season, he spent the month of June participating in the Young Artists Opera program with the Saint Louis Opera Company. Both of these honors are usually awarded to graduate students and young professionals---it is amazing that someone as young as Jason has already been the recipient of two such prestigious awards! There is no question that we can expect to hear great things about Jason's future! Having said that, his presence in the PAI dormitories, rehearsals, recitals and backstage will be sorely missed. Please join me in wishing Jason our very best.