BUFFALO, N.Y. — Jay Dref was born and raised right here in Western New York, and now through Dec. 21, you can watch him sing some new and old holiday favorites alongside one of the most recognizable voices in the world, Sarah Brightman.
Like Brightman, Dref is also a classical crossover singer and was invited to join her on national holiday tour "A Christmas Symphony." A graduate of Buffalo Academy of Visual and Performing Arts and The Juilliard School in New York City, Dref tells 2 On Your Side that this tour is truly a dream come true.
"This is huge for me to be singing with her," Dref says. "I'm getting to see parts of the country that I've neve really seen before and working with Sarah, oh my gosh, you know what can I say? She is absolutely incredible. I mean, she is the world's greatest soprano."
The pair, along with an orchestra and choir are traveling to cities all around the United States. Their first stop was the day after Thanksgiving in Bethlehem, Pa., and their last stop is Dec. 21 in New Orleans, La.
"The bus rides are really cool," Dref tells 2 On Your Side. "You get to go from city to city."
But it all started in the Queen City.
"Growing up in Buffalo really taught me how to be humble, how to be hardworking. I'm just so grateful for that. It's that Western New York connection," Dref said.
"I've been part of the music community in Buffalo for as long as I can remember. I started out doing a lot of theater and stuff like that as a kid," Dref added. "It's my Buffalo roots that led me to where I am today."
Despite the challenges of the pandemic, Dref is beyond grateful for this holiday miracle and says, "it's so nice to know that I have that Western New York support."