From Elyria High School to worldwide operas: Lester Lynch to return to his hometown this week

ELYRIA — He's performed in opera houses across the world, including Berlin, New York, Italy, Norway and Sweden, but Lester Lynch's first performance was in fourth grade at Prospect Elementary School. Lynch is an internationally known opera singer, and his roots began on the east side of Elyria. This week, Lynch will revisit his hometown of Elyria and its schools. He will host a choral residency with the Elyria High School Music Department on Monday and Wednesday, and he will culminate his visit in a performance Thursday. Lynch's love of music began before high school, with one of his earliest interactions in fourth grade. As his class prepared for the Christmas program at Prospect Elementary, there was one solo line to hand out — five golden rings. His teacher, Mrs. Humphrey, went around to each student and had them sing the line. When it came to Lynch, he sang the line as instructed. Humphrey asked him to do it again. And again. And again. And again. Each time it was better than before. "She said, 'Young man, you have a great voice,' " Lynch said. "That was kind of the first moment when someone said, 'Wait a minute, this is different.' " But Lynch said he wasn't interested in singing. He sang in the church choir, but he was far more interested in playing instruments. He started with the flute, but he was no good at it, so he went to the clarinet and then the saxophone and then the piano. And there he stayed for a while. When he transitioned into middle school, Lynch said there was a teacher named Mr. Simpson who sang opera. It was one of the first interactions Lynch would have with opera and classical music. Lynch said he still played piano, playing many classical composers that Simpson introduced him to. Walking into Simpson's classroom, Lynch said there were posters of composers all over the wall. Simpson taught Lynch about classical music and opera, so Lynch walked into high school with a well-educated grasp of musical theory. Simpson also was an African American, like Lynch. When he went into high school, his choir director was Timothy Masten, a highly regarded teacher at the time. He taught an advanced class for four students, including Lynch. Lynch said he was introduced to more musical theories and classical music, and Masten stepped back and let the students almost run the choir completely, except for when it came to musical selection, Lynch said. In 1990, three years after Lynch graduated, Masten pleaded guilty to sexual battery involving a student. Lynch said the case horrified him because Masten had been so influential to him. "Mr. Masten really recognized musical talent," Lynch said. "He allowed me to take the reins in the choir and would give me more and more singing opportunities. He could really see the writing on the wall." Lynch later would be the student president of the Elyria High School choir. When it came time to graduate, Lynch was a singer more than a pianist because of the opportunities at Elyria High. He began looking at colleges nearby for music. "I had such a rich time while I was at Elyria High School," Lynch said. "I would not be the musician I am today if it were not for them. I am still in contact with some of those people I was with during those times. These friendships that were forged together back in those days through music, through the language of music, has held us all together." Lynch attended Baldwin Wallace University for two years, before the school ultimately told him he needed to take his talent to a bigger school. He went to school in Boston and then graduated from Julliard School of Arts, the renowned conservatory in New York City. But life outside of college and high school was more harsh than Lynch expected. He said he was "always color blind as a kid." "There's a lot of heartache and rejection," he said. "You will be rejected. It's not going to be like Mrs. Humphries' class. ... Once I got out of college, it became much more complicated. The issues of race kept coming back over and over and over and over again." Even after winning competitions and gaining accolades, Lynch said he still faced hardships being an African American man in the world of opera. Even in New York operas, Lynch would receive comments about changing his last name due to the connotations associated with it. One potential agent even told him, "I know they don't want blacks," he said. For a moment, Lynch said he wasn't sure if he could be an opera singer and be black. So, Lynch tried his hand in Europe. "America didn't want to accept me," Lynch said. "They were all saying no." Lynch began to make a name for himself across European opera houses. Lynch said when his performances started attracting attention, the American opera scene invited him back. His baritone voice began to boom across opera houses in the U.S. He also released an album. "It's been a ton of up and downs with tons of great contracts and great directors," Lynch said. "There are these extraordinary highs and then boom, five cancellations. You always have to be prepared for that kind of stuff. I've certainly enjoyed the journey." He said when he walks into the high school this week, he wants to tell the students to dream and set unattainable goals. "And be willing to travel and get around and learn," Lynch said. "People live completely differently than we do. This is such an important lesson. It calms down the fear. So much of the issues around us are all based on fear and not trying to understand the fellow man. Those are universal lessons." Lynch still makes it home to visit his mother and father, who still live in Elyria. He said his parents and sister were instrumental in their support for his career and the ups and downs along the way. Lynch will perform at the Elyria High Performing Arts Center at 7 p.m. on Thursday. The concert is free, and early arrival is recommended. He also will be a special guest Wednesday at the MAC Scholars program on Black History Month. Contact Laina Yost at 329-7121 or lyost@chroniclet.com. Follow her on Twitter @MissLainaMae.