5/7/2010 – Jeffrey Grayson Gates just received The Steven Dickson Encouragement Award, sponsored and selected by baritone Ron Raines

4/24/2010 – Jeffrey Grayson Gates was just named the Overall Grand Prize Winner at the 2010 Naftzger Young Artist Auditions – the first male vocalist to win the award since 1946

Baritone Jeffrey Grayson Gates is a Texas native who is currently studying with Dr. William Nield Christensen at Oklahoma City University. He will complete his Bachelor of Music degree in Vocal Performance this December. Most recently, Mr. Gates was named the Grand Prize Overall Winner at the 2010 Naftzger Young Artist Auditions in Wichita, Kansas – the first male vocalist to win the award since 1946. Also in 2010, he received The Steven Dickson Encouragement Award, sponsored by baritone Ron Raines. He is a two-time recipient of the Young Artist Encouragement Award at the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions.

In the last few years Mr. Gates has performed several operatic roles with the Oklahoma Opera and Music Theater Company, including: Don Giovanni in Don Giovanni, Count Almaviva in Le Nozze di Figaro, Horace Tabor in The Ballad of Baby Doe, Eisenstein in Die Fledermaus, Rambaldo in La Rondine, Painter in Katarzyna Brochocka’s Happy Garden of Life (World Premiere), Raul Perez in Pasatieri’s Hotel Casablanca (Regional Premiere), and Cajus in Die Lustigen Weiber von Windsor. He made his debut with Tulsa Opera in 2009 in the Chorus of L’Elisir d’Amore. Mr. Gates performed with Light Opera Oklahoma in the summers of 2007 & 2008 doing various roles, including: Samuel in Pirates of Penzance, Counsel and Usher in Trial by Jury, and features in Sweeney Todd, Candide, Naughty Marietta, Oh Coward!, and The Music Man. He 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 and Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof.

In addition to opera and musical theater, Mr. Gates has extensive experience on the concert stage. He 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 Orchestra and Choral Program. He has also performed as soloist in Händel’s Messiah with the Oklahoma City Philharmonic Orchestra and Canterbury Choral Society in 2008.

He is a three-time 1st place winner at Texoma NATS, a semi-finalist in the Crescendo Music Awards, 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.

Jeffrey Gates’ future engagements include performances at the Tanglewood Music Festival with the Boston University Tanglewood Institute Chorus (more information can be found under the “Schedule” tab). He will also be the baritone soloist in Händel’s Messiah with the Oklahoma City Philharmonic Orchestra and Canterbury Choral Society on December 5, 2010 at 8:00pm. For more information, visit www.canterburyokc.com

Jeffrey Grayson Gates, baritone
JGatesBaritone@aol.com
www.JeffreyGatesBaritone.com