Baritone Jeffrey Grayson Gates is a Texas native who is quickly distinguishing himself as a talented young performer across the United States. Most recently, Mr. Gates was selected as a winner of the Washington D.C. District Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, previously having been a Regional Finalist in the Midwest Region. Also in 2011, Mr. Gates received Third Place in The American Prize in Vocal Performance – Schorr Memorial Award in Art Song.He was also 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. Shortly after, Mr. Gates completed his Bachelor of Music degree as a student of Dr. William Nield Christensen at Oklahoma City University where he received The Steven Dickson Encouragement Award, sponsored by baritone Ron Raines. Mr. Gates is currently studying under Williams Sharp at the Peabody Conservatory where he is pursuing his Graduate Performance Diploma.
Mr. Gates has a widespread repertoire of operatic roles. Most recently, he performed Nick Shadow in The Rake's Progress with the Peabody Opera Theatre.In the last few years Mr. Gates has performed many roles with the Oklahoma Opera and Music Theater Company, including: Don Giovanni in Don Giovanni, Count Almaviva in Le Nozze di Figaro, Giorgio Germont in La Traviata, 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. In 2011, Mr. Gates was an Apprentice Artist with Des Moines Metro Opera, performing in La Boheme and Dialogues of the Carmelites. 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 performing 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.
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 been featured as the baritone soloist in Händel’s Messiah with the Oklahoma City Philharmonic Orchestra and Canterbury Choral Society in 2008 and 2010.
Mr. Gates has twice received the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions Young Artist Encouragement Award in Tulsa Oklahoma. 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 Grayson Gates currently resides in Baltimore, MD with his wife, soprano Courtney Kalbacker. For more information, please visit www.JeffreyGatesBaritone.com.