The
grandest and most dramatic voice of the evening belonged to tenor Robert Bracey
. . . Bracey sang with authority. The effect of his opening aria, an anguished
soliloquy from the apostle Peter after denying Jesus the third time, was
chilling, even brutal, as he condemned the “wrong-doing evil deed abhorred.”
-The
Toledo Blade
Handel:
Messiah
Detroit
Symphony Orchestra
Bracey,
opened “Every Valley Shall Be Exalted” with a voice as lyrical as it was
powerful.
-The Grand Rapids Press
Robert Bracey,
tenor
Robert Bracey, tenor
Robert Bracey, tenor
Robert
Bracey has performed throughout the United States and made appearances in
Canada, Russia, Europe, India, and Japan. He was awarded first place in the
2002 Oratorio Society of New York’s Annual International Solo Competition at
Carnegie Hall. He returned to Carnegie Hall for performances of Handel: Messiah
later that year. He made his Detroit Symphony debut at Orchestra Hall and his
Kennedy Center debut in Washington, DC with the Choral Arts Society of
Washington.
Recent
engagements include performances with the Symphony Orchestra of India and the
Paranjoti Academy Chorus at the National Centre for the Performing Arts in
Mumbai, India, the Telemann Chamber Orchestra in Tokyo and Osaka, Japan,
Oratorio Society of New York, Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra, Detroit Symphony,
Grand Rapids Symphony, Pacific Symphony, Orlando Philharmonic, Choral Arts
Society of Washington, ProMusica Chamber Orchestra, Dayton Philharmonic,
Syracuse Symphony, Wichita Symphony, Elgin Symphony, Southwest Florida
Symphony, North Carolina Symphony, Duluth-Superior Symphony, Fort Wayne
Philharmonic, Illinois Symphony, Flint Symphony, Midland Symphony, East Texas
Symphony, Duke University Chapel Choir, Boise Philharmonic, Independence
Messiah Festival, Choral Arts Society of Greensboro, Ann Arbor Symphony,
Greater Lansing Symphony, Bach Festival Society of Winter Park, Messiah Choral
Society of Orlando, Choral Society of Durham, Kalamazoo Bach Festival, and the
University Musical Society in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
He
has worked with such well-known conductors as Helmuth Rilling, Simon Preston,
Sir Philip Ledger, Norman Scribner, Carl St. Clair, Jos van Veldhoven, David
Lockington, Hal France, Lyndon Woodside, Gustav Meier, Grant Llewellyn, Robert
Hanson, Enrique Diemecke and Andrew Sewell.
A
Regional Finalist in the New York Metropolitan Opera Auditions, he also won
first place in the National Association of Teachers of Singing Regional
Competition. Other honors include the N.A.T.S. Jessye Norman Award for the most
outstanding soloist at the competition, the Rose Marie Jun Voice Award, the
Betty Brewster Award from the Cranbrook Music Guild, the Joy Whitman Weinberger
Opera Award, a Dean's Award from Bowling Green State University, and winner of
the University of Michigan Concerto Competition.
Centaur
Records released Bracey’s first solo compact disc in 2006. The recording of
English art songs entitled Sweet was the Song also features pianist Andrew
Harley and violist Scott Rawls. It is available in markets worldwide.
He
holds a Bachelor of Music Degree in Music Education from Michigan State
University, a Master of Music and a Doctor of Musical Arts Degree in Voice
Performance from the University of Michigan. He has previously served on the
faculties at Bowling Green State University and Michigan State University. He
also taught on the voice faculty of the Michigan All-State program at the
Interlochen Arts Camp for twelve summers. He is currently Associate Professor
of Voice and Chair of the Department of Vocal Studies at the University of
North Carolina at Greensboro.