American Voices during rehearsal

American Voices in Turkey

February 23-25, 2007

The American Voices duo of Michael Parks Masterson and John Ferguson charmed Istanbul district audiences with a lively mix of ragtime, show tunes, spirituals and pop music influenced by African-American traditions during a February 23-25, 2007 Turkey program as part of the Black History Month celebrations. The duo gave a master-class at a university for students, and performed at the IMOGA Art Gallery before traveling to Bursa to give a concert organized in cooperation with the American Corner.

John Ferguson,
Pianist and Executive Director

John Ferguson currently resides in Houston, Texas and Bangkok, Thailand where he carries out his dual roles as pianist and Executive Director of American Voices Foundation. His performing activities include over one hundred concerts, broadcasts and masterclasses per year throughout Europe, North and South America, Asia and the Middle East.

John Ferguson first studied music at the High School for the Performing Arts in his hometown of Houston, Texas and completed his studies at the University of Texas at Austin where he received his Master's Diploma. Additional studies took him to Paris where he was a student of Nadia Boulanger and to Geneva where he studied with Maroussia le Marc'hadour.His piano teachers have included Danielle Martin, Eugene List and Edith Lateiner-Grosz.

In 1993, John Ferguson founded American Voices to fulfill the need for quality, constructive American cultural programming in the newly independent nations of central and eastern Europe. Since then, the focus of American Voices has expanded to include any country where a scarcity of exposure to American culture exists.

His touring schedule regularly takes him through Central and Eastern Europe, the Middle East, Asia and Latin America. In Europe he has appeared in prestigious venues such as Amsterdam's Concertgebouw, Théatre de la Ville and Radio France in Paris, and Bonn's Kunst- und Austellungshalle. Festival appearances include the Yehudi Menuhin Foundation's "Flaneries de Reims", Germany's "Altmark Musikfest" , "A(r)tlantische Tage" and "American Music Week-Bonn". Radio and television broadcasts have reached millions in countries such as Vietnam, Lebanon, Azerbaijan, Germany, France, and India to name only a few.

John Ferguson's recordings include 'Rhapsody in Blue' with the Junge Philharmonie Thüringen, 'Saxofolies' for EPM, 'Jazz Bridges' for American Voices and a solo recording, 'Variations on America' to be released in 2006.

Michael Parks Masterson
Bass , Jazz Dance , Tap Dance , Choreographer、Director

Michael Parks Masterson is a sought-after performer, director, and choreographer in the United States and Japan. He has performed as Hoke in Driving Miss Daisy, Teen Angel in Grease, Ophelia in 15 Minute Hamlet, and Jim in Big River in addition to performing as a bass soloist in multiple Broadway revues. He also performed on Broadway in Phantom of the Opera and Les Miserables. His most memorable moment was performing at the White House with renowned soprano, Renee Fleming, in the 2000 “Christmas at the White House” concert.

Michael has also taught dance, music, and theatre in youth and young adult programs such as the Angelo Conservatory of the Arts in San Angelo, TX; Broadway Dance Theatre in Atlanta, GA; The Armory Performing Arts Centre in Montgomery, AL; and the Vivace Performing Arts Program in Tokyo, Japan. His directing credits include Grease, Beehive, Annie, Cotton Patch Gospel, Forever Plaid, Smokey Joe’s Cafe, Songs for a New World, and Seussical the Musical as well as two teen theatre workshops including Godspell and Once on this Island.

His studies include a degree from Angelo State University in Texas and graduate studies at the University of Texas and the Peabody Conservatory.