Tenor Jason Vest is a Grammy-nominated artist who enjoys a full life as an active musician and educator. Vest is a versatile performer who enjoys equally the challenges of opera, concert, recital, and professional choral work.  He was featured with the Cincinnati Opera in their 2019 critically acclaimed performances of Richard Strauss' Ariadne auf Naxos. Vest sang the roles of Brighella and the Officer, and Operawire wrote, "Tenor Jason Vest coped with Brighella’s piping top line ably." Vest has also appeared with Amarillo Opera, Stara Zagora and Plovdiv opera houses in Bulgaria, the Billings Symphony Orchestra, Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra, and many others. In concert, he has been the featured soloist in the works of Bach, Beethoven, Handel, and Rachmaninoff. Vest has worked with composers to premiere their works in roles he originated or debuted, such as Douglas Pew’s The Good Shepherd and Bradley Ellingboe’s Star Song.

 

As a recitalist, Vest delights in the opportunity to communicate closely with audiences and has performed for the Mexico Liederfest in Monterrey and the Vocal Artistry Art Song Festival in Albuquerque, as well as in recitals across the United States. Vest’s album of Richard Hundley’s songs, Evening Hours, was released through Roven Records in the fall of 2018.

 

Vest is a member of the Grammy-award winning choral group, Conspirare, under the direction of Craig Hella Johnson. With Conspirare, he has toured throughout the United States, most meaningfully in performances of the Grammy-nominated new oratorio, Considering Matthew Shepard. Vest also sings with the Vocal Arts Ensemble, Collegium Cincinnati, and the Bach Ensemble of St. Thomas.

 

Jason Vest is Associate Provost for Faculty Affairs and a Professor of Voice at Northern Kentucky University. His students have been finalists at district and regional NATS competitions and have been accepted at graduate schools, including USC, the University of Kentucky, and the University of Texas. He completed his Doctor of Musical Arts Degree at the University of Kentucky after earning a Bachelor of Music from Butler University and a Master of Music from Brigham Young University. Jason is a staff writer for Classical Singer magazine and has also published in the Journal of Singing.