Baritone Jeffrey Grayson Gates is a Texas native who is currently studying with Dr. William Nield Christensen at Oklahoma City University. At OCU, he is pursuing his Bachelor of Music degree in Vocal Performance, which he will receive in 2010. Most recently, Mr. Gates received the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions Young Artist Encouragement Award for the second time.
In the last few years he has performed the operatic roles of Count Almaviva in Le Nozze di Figaro, Horace Tabor in The Ballad of Baby Doe, Herr von Eisenstein in Strauss’ Die Fledermaus, Rambaldo in Puccini’s La Rondine, Painter in the world premiere of Happy Garden of Life by Katarzyna Brochocka, Raul Perez in Pasatieri’s Hotel Casablanca (Regional Premiere), Herr Fluth and Cajus in Die Lustigen Weiber von Windsor, Samuel in Pirates of Penzance, and most recently the title role in Mozart’s Don Giovanni. He made his debut with Tulsa Opera in the Chorus of L’Elisir D’Amore in 2009. Mr. Gates has also performed the role of Silvio in I Pagliacci with Oklahoma City University’s Opera Scenes program. Other favorite roles include Pirate King in Pirates of Penzance, Counsel and Usher in Trial by Jury, Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof, and features in Sweeney Todd and Candide.
Equally at home on the concert stage, Mr. Gates has performed as the baritone soloist in Brahms’ Ein deutsches Requiem, Orff’s Carmina Burana, and excerpts of Vaughan Williams’ Hodie with the Oklahoma City University Symphony and Choral Program. He has also performed as soloist in Händel’s Messiah with the Oklahoma City Philharmonic Orchestra and Canterbury Choral Society.
He is a three-time 1st place winner at Texoma NATS, a semi-finalist in the Lois Alba Aria Competition, a three-time recipient of the Texas State Solo & Ensemble Outstanding Performer Award, and also a three-time recipient of the Texas Music Merit Scholar Award.
Mr. Gates performed with Light Opera Oklahoma in the Summers of 2007 & 2008 doing various roles in Sweeney Todd, Candide, Pirates of Penzance, Trial by Jury, Naughty Marietta, Oh Coward!, and The Music Man.
Jeffrey Gates’ future engagements include the premiere of The Nut and the Nun: Romance and Other Diseases by Katarzyna Brochocka (TBD). In this new opera, he will be debuting the character of Valpurg (The Nut), a role created specifically for him.
Jeffrey Grayson Gates, baritone
JGatesBaritone@aol.com
www.JeffreyGatesBaritone.com
