Producing music for myself and others, mentoring, Performing Music, being the best I can be and sharing gifts of all kinds.
Music
Classical, R&B, Funk, House, Chill-out, Jazz, Nu-Jazz, L. Bernstein, H. Mancini, Clare Fisher, Q. Jones, G. Gershwin, R. Strauss, (The great singers)L. Price, M. Horne, F. Corelli, J. Bjeorling, B. Nilsson, Montserat Caballe, Shirley Verrett, Grace Bumbry, Barry White, Aretha Franklin, Chaka Khan, Barbra Streisand, Qunicy Jones, EWF, Luther Vandross, Gwen Guthrie, Jon Lucien, Will Downing, Johnny Hartman, Al Jarreau, Steely Dan, Incognito, Maysa, Michael Jackson, Janet Jackson, Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughn, Betty Carter, Jill Scott, Eryka Badu
Movies
Traffic, The Matrix 1, Boogie Nights, Harlem Nights, Auntie Mame, Office Space, Midnight in the garden of good and evil, Jurrasic Park, A Star is Born (Garland),Gypsy, Rear Window, Weekend At Bernies 2, The Lion King, The Mummy, Cape Fear 1 and 2, Independence Day, Erin Brochavich, Wag The Dog, All About Eve, Raiders of the Lost Ark, The Man Who Came To Dinner, Out On A Limb, Now Voyager, The Maltese Falcon, West Side Story, To Sir With Love, American Beauty, Courage Under Fire
Television
Jon Stewart Daily Show, Ugly Betty, Chelsea Lately, Kathy Griffin, CSPAN, Looney Tunes, Family Guy, The Odd Couple, I Love Lucy, Family Guy and The Honeymooners anytime!.
Books
The Four Agreements - Don Miguel Ruiz, The Game of Life and How to Play it - Florence Scovel Schinn, The Laws of Thinking - Bishop E. Bernard Jordan, Ask And It Is Given - Esther and Jerry Hicks, Repositioning yourself - T.D. Jakes, Often Wrong Never In Doubt - Donny Deutsch
Heroes
Leonard Bernstein, Barry White, Dr. Maya Angelou, John L. Motley, Magic Johnson, Bernie Mac, Chaka Khan, James Brown, Aretha Franklin, Curtis Mayfield, Janice Dixon(Soprano), Priscilla Baskerville(Soprano), Quincy Jones, Tavis Smiley, Zubin Mehta, James Levine, Leontyne Price
Cornelius White, a classically trained vocalist who performs various music genres. His performances have been described as both "lyrical and powerful, with a natural sense of musical interpretation".(Live stage performances and songs,currently playing at Cornelius White "The Bomani Project" Music Page)for the forthcoming Smooth Jazz CD.
*At age 22 he sang with opera legends Soprano, Grace Bumbry and Bass Baritone, Simon Estes
in the very first "Metropolitan Opera" Production of George Gershwin's "Porgy and Bess"
*At the request of Music Director/Conductor John Demain, he joined the Young Artist program at Opera Omaha performing in Carmen, La Boheme and Rigoletto.
*Was featured in Linda Twine's musical retrospective Harlem Symphony for MBS television in Osaka, Japan.
*Received critical reviews for the role of "Sportin' Life" in George Gershwin's "Porgy and Bess" throughout the U.S.,Canada and South America.
*Left music in 1994 became an award winning Project Coordinator receiving a 1999 "Leadership Award "for Bellsouth Telecommunications/AT&T in Atlanta, Georgia.
*Taught music at Ruth Eckerd Hall, Marcia P. Hoffman Institute for the Performing Arts in Clearwater Florida, as well as a performance consultant for young artists.
*Returned to performing for City Center's Encores!Production of "Purlie" starring Blair Underwood and Anika Noni Rose (Dreamgirls).
Singer/performer Cornelius White (b. Gary Cornelius White of Brooklyn New York), has always had a profound passion for music.
Beginning at age 3 he sang at the Berean Baptist Church in Brooklyn, and later was often requested to do command performances by teachers in various public schools.
He began studying music through the accordion at age 9 with Elsie M. Bennett in Brooklyn, New York to learn the keyboard and music basics. In his teens, his accordion skills excelled so much so that he was often a competitor and winner of various competitions sponsored by the American Accordionists Association of New York, and also found interest in conducting.
Thinking more of popularity, he moved towards the piano in senior high school. Where in some things he was inhibited, he was never shy when asked to sing. He would often enter talent contests at August Martin HS (Jamaica, Queens NY), performing cover tunes of the day with fellow musicians e.g. songs by Earth, Wind and Fire, Lionel Richie and the Commodores and Peabo Bryson, etc., but not foreign to classical music was fond of vocal art songs (e.g. Debussy and Faure). He auditioned for the New York All City Chorus, under the leadership of John L. Motley(at the time Director of Music for the Board of Education of NY and later became mentor and friend). There, he was introduced to some of the most talented singers and musicians of his peers.
John Motley was responsible for promoting musicianship, the legacy of choral composer Hall Johnson, choral writings and arrangements of choral conductor and arranger Peter Wilhousky. He also received training in live performance etiquette, and growth with performance opportunities at the various performing arts centers, such as the United Nations, Waldorf Astoria, The King Cole room of the St. Regis Hotel (New York) and many other special events and cultural affairs that included visits from the Dalai Lama, performances with Mercer Ellington and his Orchestra, President Carter and fund raising events by socialites such as Gloria Vanderbilt and the late Kitty Carlisle Hart.
During one Saturday afternoon rehearsal, singer Angela Bofill (an alumnus of All City and the Dance Theater of Harlem chorus)introduced her debut album letting all the students know, "they could do as she did!".
Using this as inspiration, he took this as a directive to apply for the Hartt College of Music at the University of Hartford, in Hartford, Connecticut.
It was during his time at Hartt College that he was introduced to authentic jazz through professor/saxophonist Jackie McLean and his students including saxophonist, Jackie McLean, Antione Roney (brother of Wallace Roney), and the Harper Brothers, (Philip and Winard), where he performed as part of Jackie McLean's "New Faces in Jazz" concert series.
Hartford Courant - Hartford, Conn. (Salute to Thelonius Monk) "[Gary]Cornelius White does more than justice to Billy Strayhorn's "Lush life"
Also during this time he was introduced to Jazz legend Betty Carter who happened to be the mother of one of his singing friends. Once hearing her a few times at the Blue Note and Village Vanguard in New York, he was hooked! He enjoyed her
"laid-back" interpretations,vocal style and technique expressing well-known standards making them her own, as well as, performing her own compositions.
Prior to his senior year at Hartt College, he was introduced to Dr. Robert White (currently on faculty at The Julliard School and the Metropolitan Opera), who provided technical vocal study. It was through his training with Dr. White that he began to work professionally, which was proven by his contract to perform for the Radio City Music Hall Broadway revival of "Porgy and Bess" directed by Tony award winning director, Jack O'Brien and Choreographer George Faison.
A year later he received a two-year contract with the Metropolitan Opera in the first performance ever of the heralded work at the house, starring Grace Bumbry and Simon Estes.
In 1986 he made his debut in New York City Opera's production of X: The Life And Times of Malcolm X by composer Anthony Davis(recording the cast album in 1993 which garnered a "Grammy nomination for Best Contemporary Classical work")and then was invited to complete the Young Artist program with Opera Omaha performing in operas e.g. La Boheme, Rigoletto, and Carmen.
New Yorker Magazine- New York (X, The Life And Times Of Malcolm X) Fiery Minister - Critic The cast had the verbal vivacity that brings opera to life. In particular, tenor Cornelius White who is a singer with stage presence to note.
The late 80s through early 90s, he created a diverse performance portfolio that included every musical genre (even a back-up stint for New Kids on the Block), but couldn't decide where to focus his attention. He was offered development with recording companies (e.g. Warner, RCA, and CBS, and turned them down because of management direction), performed the "Harlem Symphony" musical for MBS Television in Osaka, Japan with Linda Twine (Music Director for Broadway's "Color Purple") and performed at the Teatro Colon in Buenos Aires, Argentina, where he performed the role of "Sportin' Life" in "Porgy and Bess"commencing over 175 performances throughout the United States and Canada.
The Vancouver Sun, Vancouver, BC (Porgy and Bess) Lloyd Dyck - Vancover Sun "Cornelius White was an excellent Sportin' Life, sounding as insinuatingly corrupt as he looked in his proto-zoot suit, peddling happy dust and crooning about the less Edenic attractions of New York. It was amazing how he managed to produce the sounds he did while flying around the set so physically."
In the fall of 1994, (and just like that), he decided to try a more stable existence and thought he might do well in sales and marketing and obtained a position in marketing as a project coordinator for training at BellSouth Telecommunications/AT&T in Atlanta, Georgia. Even though he received a "Leadership Award" from the company in 1999, he realized he began to miss performing.
A friend mentioned his name in an audition for the show; "Three Mo' Tenors", and the director Marion Caffey stopped the audition asking "Where is Cornelius? That's who I need to do this show!" But, because the show had already been done on DVD with Cornelius' colleagues, Tenors Thomas J. Young and Victor T. Cook, Cornelius turned down the opportunity twice! "I had no idea that that show was done to provide opportunities for anyone outside of the three gentleman (including Roderick Dixon) who initially did it, and they did a fantastic job with cemented performances!"
In 2002, he moved from Atlanta to Tampa, Florida in 2002 for a change, leaving the corporate world behind and decided he could best execute his passion for music through teaching. He enjoyed teaching and consulting for the Marcia P. Hoffman Performing Arts Institute at Ruth Eckerd Hall in Clearwater, Florida, but again felt the desire to perform!
During 2005, he gave in and joined a talented and exuberant cast at City Center in New York city performing for the Encores! Production of "Purlie" in honor of the late actor/playwrightOssie Davis with actor Blair Underwood, Tony award winners Lillias White and Anika Noni Rose(from the motion picture Dreamgirls), Opera Delaware in "Porgy and Bess" (directed by Leland Kimball) and the Tampa Opera League year-end gala headed by the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center, President Judith Lisi.
In 2007 he was featured rotationally on Tampa Bay's televised Friday EXTRA Concert series (May of 2007)sponsored by the City of Tampa,Tampa Tribune and Brighthouse Networks
Mr. White is proudly sponsored by the Department of Culturual Affairs for the State of Florida
Cornelius White
Who I'd like to meet: Beautiful, passionate people of heart, mind and spirit. Whoopi Goldberg,Cornel West,Oprah Winfrey,Jerry and Esther Hicks, Louise Hay, Wayne Dyer, Will and Jada Smith, Chaka Khan.
"...As I open my eyes I see, none as handsome as thee. The reflection of your soul shines bright with the warmth and careing that lies within, for the friendship you extend. May your days be a reflection of your life and what lies within." Just thought I would express myself with an attempt at poetry, next I'll be singing and producing my own songs- smiling. Writers beware, I may have something here. Better yet, I guess I'll keep my day job- laughing real big. Have a great week my friend and thank you for keeping in touch. I've booked 3 trips already for next year- I start in a couple of weeks with a short trip to Reykjavik, Iceland. Yeah, I know, what in the world is she going there for- because it's there.
Hey there Cornelius ! How are you my brother ?...All is well on my end...Just breezin' through to say hello. Have a great weekend Until Next Time... Peaceeeeeeeeee Rod
Hello Cornelius, Thank you for the request and for enjoying my humble work, is an honor having you in my circle of friends, welcome and God bless....................Y
Hey, just sitting here enjoying the thought of you and counting my blessings which has started the week off really great, couldn't ask for much more, other than to wish a friend a fantastic week. I know you will make the most of it. Remember: "A dream is just a dream. A goal is a dream with a plan and a deadline"
Barley N Hopz Entertainment just released their album "The First Sip Is Free" I'm trying to spread the word, and I appear on 8 of the tracks. It's a great album, and it's free!! I wanted you to have it, so here's the link (it's a quick one)
Hey, just thinking aboutcha and wondering how your weekend went. I had a great time- kind of a family reunion. The weather has also cooled down, so I'm pretty happy right now and hope you are the same. Be sure to do something just for fun this week- you deserve it.
Have a fun, safe and happy 4th of July. Blessings to you and yours. Giving thanks for life and health. See you on my return. Thanks for being a friend.
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