Kevin Deas

Kevin Deas is acclaimed for his portrayal of the title role in Porgy and Bess, having performed it with the New York Philharmonic, Philadelphia Orchestra, National Symphony, St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, Pacific Symphony, as well as at Ravinia, Vail and Saratoga festivals. In 2017-18 he sings the role with Duisberg Phiharmoniker and Reading Symphony. He is soloist in Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis with VoxAmaDeus, Beethoven’s 9^th Symphony with Omaha Symphony, Mozart’s Requiem with Boston Baroque, Handel’s Messiah at the National Cathedral, Bach’s St. Matthew Passion at Madison Avenue Presbyterian Church (NYC), and sings in Bernstein’s Wonderful Town with Seattle Symphony. Recent engagements include Messiah with Houston Symphony, Rochester Philharmonic and National Cathedral; Vaughn Williams’ Dona Nobis Pacem with Richmond Symphony, Verdi’s Requiem with Virginia Symphony, Puccini’s Messa di Gloria with Bach Festival Society of Winter Park; Walton’s Belshazzar’s Feast with Buffalo Philharmonic; Elgar’s The Dream of Gerontius with Jacksonville Symphony; Haydn’s Lord Nelson Mass with Baltimore Choral Arts Society; Mozart’s Requiem with VoxAmaDeus; and Rachmaninoff’s The Bells, under JoAnn Falletta. He sang at Italy’s Spoleto Festival in a new production of  Amahl and the Night Visitors in honor of Menotti’s eighty-fifth birthday, performed the world premiere of Derek Bermel’s The Good Life with Pittsburgh Symphony and that of Hannibal Lokumbe’s Dear Mrs. Parks with Detroit Symphony. His twenty-year collaboration with jazz legend Dave Brubeck included performing Brubeck’s Gates of Justice in a gala performance in New York. He recorded Die Meistersinger with Chicago Symphony; Varèse’s Ecuatorial with ASKO Ensemble; Bach’s Mass in B Minor and Handel’s Acis and Galatea; Brubeck’s To Hope! with Cathedral Choral Society; Haydn’s Die Schöpfung with Virginia Symphony; and Dvorák in America, the world premiere recording of Dvorák’s “Hiawatha Melodrama” and the composer’s arrangement of “Goin’ Home”, with PostClassical Ensemble.