Ricky Ian Gordon is one of America’s most acclaimed composers of songs. According to The New York Times, “If the music of Ricky Ian Gordon had to be defined by a single quality, it would be the bursting effervescence infusing songs that blithely blur the lines between art song and the high-end Broadway music of Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim. It’s caviar for a world gorging on pizza.” Through the generosity of Michigan Opera Theater, Gordon will conduct a master class with five pianist/vocalist teams from SMTD, performing songs chosen specifically for them by the composer.