Obed Floan began his singing career at the very early age of 3. Through his studies as a music major at Luther College in Decorah, IA, Obed performed in numerous Opera productions, such as; Second Priest in Mozart's The Magic Flute, Basilio in The Marriage of Figaro, The Mayor in Britten's Albert Herring.
Post College Years:
In the spring of 1997, Mr. Floan moved to the Twin Cities where he performed with The Minnesota Chorale, Voce Magna and The Dale Warland Singers. Many of his oratorio performances occurred during this period. He was also a featured soloist with the Bach Society of the Twin Cities on numerous occasions.
Mr. Floan was awarded The 2000 Twin Cities Opera Guild Scholarship and was a featured guest artist in a performance with the St. Martin Chamber Players in Peoria , Illinois . He was also a charter member of the Twin Cities' opera company, Opera Vivace. While residing in the Twin Cities, Obed studied with Elizabeth Mannion. Upon moving to the east coast in 2001, he began studying with David Jones and he also studied with William Neill and the late Dixie Ross-Neill in their private studio in New York City.
Since Moving East:
While working for The Church of the Redeemer in Bryn Mawr , PA , Obed sang the role of King Kasper in their production of Menotti's Amahl and the Night Visitors. He also was the tenor soloist for The Philadelphia Chamber Chorus' performance of Schubert's Mass in A Flat and Handel's The Messiah. Mr. Floan was the tenor soloist at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Wilmington , DE during the 2004-2005 church season, where he performed the Saint-Saëns Christmas Oratorio.
In 2005, Mr. Floan performed the role of Judge Gray in the Philadelphia staged debut of the fledgling opera Vanqui, written by composer Leslie Burrs. He also performed the role of Florestan for The Other Company's production of Beethoven's Fidelio in association with the Philly Fringe Festival that same year.
In March 2007, Obed enjoyed performing the roles of Arturo and Normanno in Center Stage Opera Company's performances of Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor, and the title role of Tito in Mozart's La Clemenza di Tito with The Susquehanna Symphony Orchestra in Bel Air, Maryland. Shortly after, Mr. Floan also performed the role of Arrigo in Verdi's La Battaglia di Legnano in April of 2007.
The summer of 2007, Mr. Floan returned to Minnesota, and as a recipient of the Berneking Fellowship in 2008, he was accepted into the Master’s Degree program at the University of Minnesota. There he performed the role of Laça in the university's production of Janácek's Jenůfa. Upon completion of his Master’s Degree in the spring of 2010, Mr. Floan accepted an adjunct voice faculty position at Oklahoma City University where he is able to share his knowledge and passion for the vocal arts while having the freedom to pursue his own performing aspirations world-wide.
Mr. Floan was one of three American singers selected to participate in the new Lauritz Melchior International Singing Competition in November of 2010, under the patronage of Her Majesty Queen Margrethe II held in Aalborg, Denmark. The competition is the largest in the world of its kind, whose goal is to find and profile the best young Wagnerian singers and to celebrate and honor the greatest Wagnerian tenor from Denmark - Lauritz Melchior. Mr. Floan was chosen from an international pool of contestants as one of 16 singers considered to be the world's greatest up-and-coming Wagnerian singers.
Mr. Floan appeared with The Des Moines Metro Opera in their 2011 season as Parpignol in La Bohème, and The Father Confessor of the Covenant in Dialogue of the Carmelites.
Obed also immensely enjoys, and finds great fulfillment sharing what he has learned throughout the years teaching his private vocal studio, M-OStudio, in a joint effort with his wife, Megan Wagner Floan.
