Biography

Blas Canedo González is an accomplished educator and performer with extensive experience in the fields of vocal performance, music pedagogy, and arts leadership. He currently serves as Chair of the Commercial Music, Visual, and Performing Arts department and Assistant Professor at Lamar State College, Port Arthur.

Born in Colombia, Dr. Canedo González studied law and was a practicing lawyer, studying music on the side. Always compelled by the power of music and voice to communicate, heal, and facilitate connection, Dr. Canedo González ultimately chose to pursue music as a full-time career. He earned a scholarship to Texas Christian University for his Master of Music degree, then studied at the University of North Texas and earned the Winspear scholarship for his artist certificate diploma in opera. He completed his doctoral education at the University of Houston with a full scholarship, where he earned a Doctor of Musical Arts degree with a concentration in Voice Performance, Vocal Pedagogy, and Voice Science. Most recently, Dr. Canedo González has obtained a certificate in Vocology from Lamar University.

On the stage, Dr. Canedo González is internationally recognized as a deeply musical, persuasive baritone whose rich sound connects memorably with both repertoire and audience. A versatile singer-actor, he delights in creating authentic characterizations of opera’s many Hispanic and Latino roles, as well as in championing new music, especially that by Latin composers. He has performed more than 30 opera roles, including leading roles at national and regional opera houses such as the Houston Grand Opera, Teatro Mayor Julio Mario Santo Domingo, Opera de Colombia, San Antonio Opera, Fort Worth Opera, Opera in the Heights, Teatro Colsubsidio Roberto Arias Perez, The Florentine Opera, and Teatro Colón de Bogotá. The Houston Chronicle’s front page coverage of the Houston Grand Opera’s special performance for the unhoused community described Dr. Canedo González’s “powerful sound ” that generously “swept through the hall” and “filled the room.”

Over his 16 years of teaching, Dr. Canedo González has used this passion for the arts and extensive performing career to connect with students and help them exercise their creativity to achieve their academic and career goals. His teaching specializations include vocal pedagogy, music appreciation, music business, American and Latin American music, ear training, and music fundamentals. He is passionate about the power of arts education to enrich communication and develop communication, pattern recognition, and critical thinking skills. Deeply engaged in the larger field of music pedagogy, Dr. Canedo González is also a teaching artist with Houston Grand Opera and a published author, developing Spanish translations of opera libretti and contributing book reviews to the Journal of Singing. He is also the founder of the Ibero-American Chapter of the National Association of Teachers of Singing.

Dr. Canedo González has received numerous accolades, including a NISOD Excellence in Teaching, Learning, and Leadership Award, the Houston Grand Opera Merit Award, and official recognition from the Texas House of Representatives for his artistic and teaching achievements in the State of Texas. Dr. Canedo González’s dedication to the transformative power of the arts drives his multifaceted career – as an advocate for music education and innovation, he brings passion and creativity to every endeavor, inspiring students to achieve their goals in the music industry and beyond.