A founding member of the Opera San José staff, Larry Hancock was the director of public and media relations in 1983, marketing director in 1985, and artistic administrator in 1989 before becoming the director of marketing and development in 1991. After serving as marketing/development director for fifteen years, Mr. Hancock was appointed General Manager for Opera San José in 2006. Upon General Director Irene Dalis’ retirement in June 2014, the OSJ Board of Directors appointed Mr. Hancock General Director.
As an instructor, he has taught voice, music appreciation, music theory, and conducted chamber voice ensembles. Annually, Mr. Hancock offers a course on opera history for Opera San José and gives preview and pre-performance lectures for Opera San José mainstage productions. He was a choral conductor in the Roman Catholic Diocese of San José for twenty-four years and also served as director of music at Holy Trinity Episcopal Church in Menlo Park and Choir Master at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in Saratoga. He is currently the director of Opera San José’s military Veterans Chorus.
Mr. Hancock is a lecturer on opera for groups such as the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at San José State University, American Association of University Women, The Delphian Study Club, and The San José Opera Guild. For the past seven years he has lectured annually on Metropolitan Opera productions for Fresh Pond Music Tours in New York. Most recently, he was appointed to the Board of Directors of Team San Jose.
Mr. Hancock received his Bachelor of Music Degree from Stetson University, and Master of Arts Degree in Music from San José State University.
