In “Reflections: Finding Light Beyond the Shadows”, Balcony Series presents a thoughtful musical program exploring the balance between darkness and light in the human experience. Tenor Taka Komagata, soprano Luisamaria Hernandez, and pianist David Holkeboer bring earnest interpretation to a program of pieces from a variety of time periods and languages.
Experience an evening of expressive music, presented with sensitivity and nuance, that invites reflection on the ways music can illuminate our shared human emotions. -
Taka Komagata, tenor Tenor Taka Komagata brightens international classical music with his sincere presence and vibrant vocal style. He performs “with earnest gusto” (The Boston Globe) and has been praised for his “believable and stunning” character portrayals (Los Angeles Times). Mr. Komagata’s 2025/2026 season features a role debut as Monkey/Rat in Big Swim, a co‐production of Houston Grand Opera and Asia Society Texas, the tenor solo in Britten’s Spring Symphony with Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra, a company debut as Goro in Madama Butterfly with Opera Grand Rapids, and a recital series in Tokyo and New York.
Recent highlights include role debuts as Guang in Stuck Elevator and Nemorino in The Elixir of Love with Hawai’i Opera Theatre, company debuts with Pacific Opera Project and Opera in Williamsburg, performing Goro in Madama Butterfly, and the tenor solo in Mozart’s Requiem with MidAmerica Productions. In 2020, he made his Japan debut performing the leading male role in the Christmas musical, I’ll Be Home for Christmas at Asakusa Kyugeki Theater. As a former Young Artist at Opera Maine and Hawai’i Opera Theatre, he performed in Cenerentola, Rocking Horse Winner, Bastien und Bastienne, and Aida. He is a prize winner of the Basel International Vocal Competition and the Yokohama International Music Competition. Mr. Komagata co-founded and produces Balcony Series, an artistic troupe delivering timeless compositions to the unsuspecting listener.
Luisamaria Hernandez, soprano Luisamaria Hernandez is a Dominican American vocalist and storyteller based in Brooklyn, New York. As an active recitalist and concert curator, Luisamaria has made Latin American, Caribbean, and Spanish art music the center of her storytelling and performance practice. With a desire to diversify her storytelling practice, Luisamaria made her librettist debut with “Prisoner of Mercy,” in which she sings the role of Broken in the fall of 2022 when she presented a short form preview of her libretto. Programs like “Songs from the Homeland” and “On Shuffle” with the ensemble she co-founded, Balcony Series, have captivated audiences as music, history, and connection have been at the core of how the group performs. Luisamaria believes representation on and off the stage is key to developing community and well-rounded artistry. Her experiences as a Sphinx Connect Fellow and Sistema Side-by-Side Instructor have been integral to her work as she strives to tell stories that will reach those who need it most. Other writing and production projects are on the horizon as Luisamaria hopes to continue learning and growing her skills as a multifaceted storyteller.
David Holkeboer, piano
David Holkeboer maintains a coaching studio in New York City and collaborates with singers in recitals. Mr. Holkeboer has worked with the Chamber Opera Theatre of New York, the First American Music Theatre Festival in Philadelphia, the O’Neill Theatre Center in Connecticut, the International Vocal Arts Institute, the Florentine Opera in Milwaukee, the Johanna Meier Opera Theatre Institute, the Respiro program in New York City, Opera Lirica in Orvieto, Italy, and with the Career Blueprints program of Opera America. He has performed in over forty Community Concerts across the country with soprano Alba Quezada and has recorded a recital program with Mark S. Doss at the Sirius Satellite Radio studios for broadcast. He recorded a CD of the songs of Robert Kahn with tenor Martin Dillon. He has been the provided pianist for auditions for the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, the Oratorio Society of New York Solo Competition, the Liederkranz Foundation Art Song Competition, Career Bridges, the George London Foundation, the Lindemann Young Artist Program, the Neue Stimmen Program, Verbier Festival, and the Zurich Opera Studio,Tanglewood, Des Moines Metro Opera, Opera Neo, Opera North, Opera in the Heights, Pittsburgh Opera, Shreveport Opera, and the Omaha Symphony. He has appeared as collaborative pianist in performances with many singers including John Bellemer, Ariel Bybee, Phillip Cokorinos, Brain Dore, Susan Dunn, Faith Esham, Scott Hendricks, Ruby Hinds, Maria Gabriella Landers, James McCracken, Rod Nelman, William Andrew Stuckey, Erika Sunnegårdh, Sandra Warfield, Constantinos Yiannoudes and Regina Zona. He graduated Calvin College in Michigan, and received a Master of Music from the University of Illinois studying with John Wustman.
Taka Komagata, tenor - Luisamaria Hernandez, soprano - David Holkeboer, piano
Bleuet - Francis Poulenc
Zueignung - Richard Strauss
No puede ser - Pablo Sorozabal
ah la paterna mano - Giuseppe Verdi
Small Sky - Toru Takemitsu
Sakura Alley - Yoshinao Nakada
Yume mita monowa - Makiko Kinoshita
Equations of the Light - Lori Laitman
Gracias a la vida - Violetta Parra
O cieli azzurri - Giuseppe Verdi
I keep my beloved in a box - Dominic Argento
Am I absolved? - John-William Gambrell (world premier)
Cancion del Arbol del Olvido a Alberto Ginastera
Triste - Alberto Ginastera
*program is subject to change.
Luisamariahernandez.com, IG: @lmhdz, takakomagata.com, IG: @takakomagata