Robert P. Baker

Style: Opera; Jazz; Classical; Musical Theatre

Title: Director of Performance Studies

Bio: Robert Baker, Tenor A central figure in the Washington-area classical music scene, The Washington National Opera has featured him in numerous roles totaling more than 250 performances. He has also sung ten roles with the Washington Concert Opera. Recent career highlights include the role of Ishmael in the world premiere of Peter Westergaard’s Moby Dick at Princeton University (recorded for Albany Records), his Metropolitan Opera debut in Prokfiev's War and Peace, which he also recorded during The Spoleto Festival’s production, released on the Chandos label. He also recently sang the Verdi Requiem with the Johannesburg Symphonic Choir, in South Africa. With the National Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Leonard Slatkin, Mr. Baker was soloist on the Grammy Award-Winning recording Of Rage and Rembrance by John Corigliano (BMI: 1996) and sang Triquet in the NSO’s presentation of Eugene Onegin. He was then invited to sing Carmina Burana with Maestro Slatkin at his inaugural concerts with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. Recently Mr. Baker performed the Britten Serenade with the New Orchestra of Washington and the role of the Chaplain in Poulenc’s Dialogues of the Carmelites. In 2015, he was in the premiere of Appomattox by Phillip Glass and sang the Hadyn Lord Nelson Mass with the National Philharmonic. This season he will appear in the DC premiere of Jake Heggie’s Dead Man Walking. Mr. Baker is proud to have sung with all the major choral organizations in Washington, DC, starting with the Paul Hill Chorale in 1981, and continuing with Norman Scribner, Reilly Lewis, Robert Shafer, Donald McCullough, Gisele Becker, Tom Beveridge and Julian Wachner. He has also performed in The Power of the Spiritual program with Eileen Guenther and Millicent Scarlett for the last 5 years. Chair of the Department of Music at The George Washington University, Mr. Baker has been a member of the music faculty since 1992.

Voice Type: Tenor

Music Styles Taught: Opera; Jazz; Classical; Musical Theatre

Availability: I am available as a performer; I am currently accepting private students; I am available as a clinician or presenter; I accept students through a college or university program

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