Position:
Professor, VoicePronouns:
He, him, hisLocation:
Ruebush Hall, Room 142Phone:
(540) 665-4599Email: bjones@sxtcyb.com
Employed Since:
1998Applied Area(s):
Voice, Opera
Conservatory Professional Highlights:
Byron Jones is well-known to audiences in the Washington, D.C., area, having performed regularly for more than two decades in opera, concert, recital and intimate cabaret settings, in such venues as the Kennedy Center Concert Hall, Opera House and Millennium Stage; Lisner Auditorium; the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception and numerous regional theatres. His repertoire ranges from important works of the high Renaissance and Baroque through the twenty-first century. He has a special love of French cabaret songs, especially those of Jacques Brel, which he has performed to critical acclaim. His recordings of vintage songs from the early days of aviation are still on display as part of an interactive exhibit at the National Air and Space Museum of the Smithsonian Institution. A versatile artist, he continually seeks out new challenges. Jones has received critical praise for his warmth of tone, expressivity and clear diction. He has performed with the Washington Opera, Baltimore Opera, Opera Vivente and Florentine Opera. He remains active as a singer and stage director. Directing credits include Riders to the Sea, Gianni Schicchi, HMS Pinafore, Amahl and the Night Visitors, Il matrimonio segreto, The Old Maid and the Thief/The Secret of Suzanne, and Scene and Aria, or Mozart’s Impresario, reimagined, and Side by Side by Sondheim.
Jones is Professor of Music (voice) at Shenandoah Conservatory of Shenandoah University in Winchester, Virginia, where his activities include directing and teaching. A specialist in languages, especially French, he has given master classes for the Washington National Opera Institute for Young Singers and the American Singers Opera Project.
During the summer, he travels to Schroon Lake in New York to join the voice faculty at Seagle Music Colony, one of top training programs in the United States for aspiring young opera singers. There, he works with young singers on vocal technique and artistry.
He has also given masterclasses at Carnegie-Mellon University, The Hartt School and Boston Conservatory.
He holds degrees in French language and literature from the Universities of North Carolina-Chapel Hill and Massachusetts-Amherst degrees in vocal performance from the University of Maryland-College Park (Maryland Opera Studio) and Shenandoah University.
Educational History:
B.A., University of North Carolina; M.A., University of Massachusetts; M.M., University of Maryland; D.M.A., Shenandoah University
Personal Quote:Shenandoah Conservatory, with its size and faculty/student ratio, allows me to work closely with my students and participate in their success. There is no greater joy than watching one of my students excel in performance!
Personal Highlights:
I work very hard to ensure that our students have wonderful experiences as they grow as performers. Working with students and faculty to achieve our shared goals is incredibly inspiring!