By LEONA CARNEY

William Ferguson—the remarkable young tenor from Richmond, Va., who will be making his debut in Alice Tully Hall on November 20—always knew music was something he wanted to pursue. An artistic child in a non-artistic family, he first wanted to become a concert pianist, but soon realized that the solitary hours in a practice room weren't for him. It seemed natural for this fresh-faced fellow to slip into singing classical music as an enjoyable substitute. "Had I realized one could have a career playing for singers, I might have tried to be an accompanist—but I love singing, and decided to pursue an opera career instead. I love the collaboration of all the arts that go into singing: text, drama, music, everything! That really attracted me to it. Singing was the natural step for me to take." At age 15, he began his voice training. Around the same time, he experienced his first opera, the Virginia Opera's production of Verdi's Il Trovatore. He spoke passionately as he recalled the event: "Here was something so beautiful to watch and beautiful to hear … it completely took me."

William Ferguson (Photo by Lisa Kohler)

This year, Ferguson became the first tenor to win the annual Alice Tully Vocal Arts Debut Recital, launched in 1997 to provide young Juilliard-trained singers full of potential a great place to begin their promising careers. Encouraged and funded by the Alice Tully Foundation and The Juilliard School, these debut recitals have already brought considerable talents to the world.

Ferguson graduated from Juilliard in 2001 with bachelor's and master's degrees, fully prepared for the world around him. He studied with Marlena Kleinman Malas and credits all the vocal arts faculty and staff at Juilliard for the skills that rendered him so qualified. He has also studied at many prestigious music festivals, including the Chautauqua School of Music, Opera Theater of St. Louis, Tanglewood Music Center, and Music Academy of the West.

His roles to date have included Hérisson de Porc-Épic in L'Étoile with the New York City Opera, the title role of Benjamin Britten's Albert Herring with the Music Academy of the West, Andres in Wozzeck with Opera Festival of New Jersey, Bentley Drummle in Miss Havisham's Fire with Opera Theater of St. Louis, and Jo the Loiterer in The Mother of Us All with the Juilliard Opera Workshop, as well as numerous others. Yet with all his opportunities in opera, he still loves to sing recitals, which he has given in Washington, New York City, Los Angeles, and many other cities.

"A recital is much more personal … you get to have a conversation with the audience, something that rarely happens in opera," Ferguson notes. For his Tully debut recital, he wanted something atypical. "I came up with about five different drafts of the program. One of the things I do, which I feel keeps me fresh as an artist, is always program new repertoire. That way, I am constantly broadening my repertoire, and that keeps me energized." He will perform three selections from a cycle by the young composer Mason Bates titled Songs From the Plays: "Bring Back the Beds," "They Say Prince Hamlet's Found a Southern Island," and "Your Genius Made Me Shiver." The text of the songs was written by Kenneth Koch, one of Bates's teachers at Columbia University. Koch, a former professor of English and comparative literature, has won many awards for his poems and was inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Letters. (Sadly, he died from leukemia in July 2002.)

Ferguson grew up around the corner from Bates, and so has a special bond with him. They attended school together, all the way from kindergarten through Juilliard, where both earned their bachelor's and master's degrees. Immensely interested in contemporary music, Ferguson truly advocates the importance of performing new pieces: "Music is a living art … how exciting it is to perform new music!"

He is also performing Schubert's "Fischerweise," "Der Jüngling an der Quelle," "Leid eines Schiffers an die Dioskuren," "Die Forelle," "Auf dem See," "Am Meer," and "Der Zwerg"—all of which relate to water. Ferguson says he is "fascinated by Schubert's settings of 'water texts.'" He deliberately juxtaposed the two composers on the program because most listeners would otherwise miss the progression he sees within both sets. "You can see influences of Schubert in the Bates," he points out.

For the second half of the evening, he will perform Purcell's "Mad Bess," Winter Words by Benjamin Britten, and songs by Percy Grainger. Britten's themes frequently revolve around the loss of innocence, the sort of blissful ignorance that can never be regained—a subject matter that fascinates Ferguson. He also loves to sing traditional folk songs, as they are "so honest … they are genuine expressions that are so raw, so human—and that really attracts me."

Alice Tully Vocal Arts Debut Recital: William Ferguson, Tenor with Steven Philcox, Piano Alice Tully Hall Thursday, Nov. 20, 8 p.m. For ticket information, please see the calendar.

He will perform with pianist Steven Philcox, whom he first met in 1997 at the Music Academy of the West. "It is rare that I hear a pianist who plays for singers so beautifully … we really listen to each other," Ferguson says of his collaborator. Fate joined the two when they were assigned to a coaching together, and since that time the partnership has continued. Philcox attended the Manhattan School of Music for his master's degree at the same time Ferguson was finishing his bachelor's at Juilliard, so each quickly became the other's first choice for partnership in future performances. "When Steven plays with me, I feel as though it's different from when I sing with someone else. He and I create an individual sound," he points out.

When asked about his favorite role so far, Ferguson hesitates a moment before citing Jo the Loiterer in The Mother of Us All, by Virgil Thomson. The opera is the chronicle of the life of Susan B. Anthony, and her fight for women's rights. Jo the Loiterer is the only individual who stands by Susan's side throughout the entire piece. The character of Jo the Loiterer was created with the American writer Joseph Barry in mind. Ferguson explain his warm feelings for the role: "I never felt so connected—not only myself to the character, but also the way in which my character fit into the larger piece, and how Jo was part of the whole scope of the opera. The performance we gave was really fantastic, and I learned so much from that experience." Having learned the role at Juilliard, he was fully prepared to cover it as his first job at New York City Opera. He first sang the role in the Juilliard Opera Workshop's first production by a second-year voice class.

Many opportunities await Ferguson in the coming year. This month, he will sing the role of Nanki-Poo in The Mikado with the New York City Opera. He will perform with the Orchestra of St. Luke's on January 4, singing Bach's "Christmas" Oratorio, Parts 1-3. He is also slated to appear in a recital in May with the Marilyn Horne Foundation.

Spotting William Ferguson was not difficult when I met him the first time. There is a presence about this congenial tenor, an air about him. When I met him for brunch, he was on his way to another long, but motivating rehearsal. I immediately felt a connection with him, and knew I was going to enjoy our time together. Ferguson is a "people person" who avidly told me how much he loved to meet new people and give the gift of music to them. When we began discussing his upcoming recital, the passion and excitement glowed in his eyes. "I'm not taking anything for granted," he told me near the end of our interview—and, as remarkable as it may sound because of the success he has achieved already, I believe him.

Leona Carney is a second-year voice student.