Opera Tenor Eric Ferring (he/him/his) has joined AGMA’s professional staff as a Business Representative, effective March 1.
“I’m so excited to focus my full-time efforts on building member engagement and member education,” said Ferring. As a Business Representative, he will be working as part of AGMA’s senior staff on a number of tasks, including national initiatives, new organizing campaigns, and contract negotiations. He looks forward to serving AGMA’s membership in this new capacity.
Ferring is no stranger to AGMA, having been an active member in good standing since 2015. He’s performed at AGMA and non-AGMA signatories all over the world, including The Metropolitan Opera, Santa Fe Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, LA Opera, Opéra national de Paris, and concert halls such as Carnegie Hall.
Prior to being elected to the AGMA Board of Governors in 2019, he was a member of the Midwest Area Committee. Once on the Board, he rose up the ranks, working on a number of Board Committees and becoming the first-ever Soloists Vice President in 2023. He formally resigned from the Board in February 2024.
"Artist advocacy has been an integral part of my journey. In many ways, it is a natural, exciting next step that I will be joining the full-time professional staff at AGMA as a Business Representative,” said Ferring. “This work is such an integral part of who I am, and I’m honored to be joining the team to create the just and thriving industry of tomorrow.”
Ferring is a native of Dubuque, Iowa and graduated from Drake University with a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance and The Boston Conservatory with a Master of Music in Opera Performance. Ferring is a graduate of the Lyric Opera of Chicago’s Ryan Opera Center and the Pittsburgh Opera Resident Artist Program. Ferring’s career in opera has resulted in numerous awards, top prizes, and grants, including an Emmy Award and presence on the Billboard Charts. He is the Executive Director of the Collaborative Arts Institute of Chicago (CAIC) and Project Curator for Lexicon Classics.
"We are thrilled to have someone of Eric's caliber and dedication join AGMA's staff. His wealth of experience as a performer and his passion for artist advocacy make him such a valuable asset to the team,” said Sam Wheeler, National Executive Director of AGMA. “Eric has been a leading voice on behalf of his fellow Artists as an elected member of AGMA's Board of Governors, and I'm so excited for him to use his considerable talents on AGMA's staff to support and empower our members across the country."
To hear more from Eric Ferring about this career transition, in his own words, please visit this essay.