American Tenor Edward Crader, born in Fairfield Connecticut, began his formal Music education as a pianist at age 5. He studied with Jeanette Visokay privately for 13 years. He received a full scholarship to Shenandoah Conservatory, Winchester, Va., and then transferred to Chicago Conservatory as an applied double major in piano and voice.

At age 16 he was offered the lead in the “Off Broadway” production of Godspell, from which followed Matt in The Fantastics and 1^st alternate  Joseph  in the Broadway and touring productions of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat , Tony, in West Side Story, and Jesus, in Jesus Christ Superstar.

He performed as Tenor Soloist for the Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera for 2 seasons and in Oratorio with the Connecticut Chamber Orchestra and the New Haven Symphony.

He received a private full scholarship to the American Institute of Musical Studies in Graz, Austria, where he studied voice with Prof. Ena Thiessen of Munich. Returning to Graz as a student and movement instructor he continued to work with Prof. Thiessen in Germany for 7 years pedagogy in the Lamperti Bel Canto Technique.

Edward made his Operatic debut as Count Danillo in The Merry Widow, by Franz Lehar in Vienna, and toured Germany, Austria and Denmark. While living in Germany he performed the Operatic roles of Ottavio in Don Giovanni, Tamino in Magic Flute, Arturo in Lucia DiLamermoor, and Alfredo in La Traviata. He performed the roles of Jacob, Simeon, and Potiphar in Joseph and the Amazing Technocolor Dreamcoat in Essen, Germany, for 2 years.

While performing, he established a voice studio in Hamburg and taught voice for the German productions of Les Miserables, Phantom of the Opera and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. He also served as private voice teacher for Stella Studios in Hamburg, and The Hamburg Stage School. In addition to his private studio in the USA, he is presently teaching voice for the Marcia P. Hoffman Performing Arts Institute at Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater and  Hillsborough Community College, Ybor Campus, Tampa and is organist and choir director for St. Albans Episcopal church, St. Petersburg Beach.

Edward has performed leading roles around the globe in such musicals as: Godspell, Joseph & the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, West Side Story, Jesus Christ Superstar, The Boyfriend, Pippin, Guys & Dolls, My Fair Lady, Fanny, Showboat, Hello Dolly, Oklahoma, The Fantastics, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, and numerous revues

Edward has trained with:

Acting:  Ute Hagen

Dance:  Joe Vilane, Richard Andres, Helen Buttleroff

Piano:  Jeanette Visokay, Edith Weidenhammer,Eugena Evans,Mikolos Ivanich

Voice:  Prof.Ena Thiessen,Jackson Sheats, Pasquale Papano, Rita Patane,Joyce Erickson,  and Allan Jones

Conductors:  André Previn, James Sinclair, Thomas Crawford, Anton Coppola, Tony Kent, Phillip Tillotson, Michael Reed

Coaches:  Anthony Papano, Janet Bookspan, Norma Verilli, Bodo Igez, Deborah Polaski, Rosalia Maresca, Robert Winslow, Patricia Sage, Barbara Conrad, Georgio Tozzi.