Tenor John Grau has performed oratorio and opera from baroque to 20th century music. He is an accomplished concert soloist, having performed as the tenor soloist in the major works of Bach, the Evangelist in Schütz’s Weihnachtshistorie, the tenor soloist in Mozart’s Requiem, the Monteverdi Vespers of 1610, and as the tenor soloist in numerous Handel oratorios.
John's upcoming performances during the 2016-2017 include frequent appearances with the Bach Festival Society of Winter Park, a performance with the inaugural Duke University Bach Cantata series, an engagement with the Rochester Choral Arts Ensemble performing Handel's Messiah, and repeat performances with the South Dakota Chorale.
John's engagements during the 2014-2015 season included debuts with the Boulder Bach Festival, and the Rochester Choral Arts Ensemble performing Bach's Mass in B-minor; a return performance with Oratory Bach in Minneapolis, Minnesota, an appearance at the Boston Early Music Festival, an engagement with the Seicento Baroque Ensemble, and the Messiah Choral Society in Orlando, Florida. During the 2013-2014 season, John had appearances with The Seicento Baroque Ensemble, The Singers-Minnesota Choral Artists, The South Dakota Chorale, the Montana Early Music Festival , and two projects with the Colorado Bach Ensemble.
In June 2013, John sang the tenor solo in the Rachmaninoff Vespers at the Ravina Music Festival with The Singers under the direction of Dr. Matt Culluoton. Although his career is focused primarily on concert work, John has been praised for his appearances on the operatic stage. He has recently appeared as Flute in Britten’s A Midsummer Nights Dream, Bardolfo in Falstaff, Dr. Blind in Fledermaus, Ferrando in Cosi fan tutte, The Tenor Priest in The Magic Flute, and Henrik in A Little Night Music. John is also a frequent recitalist, and is a regular at early music festivals throughout the country. As a strong advocate for contemporary music, John's recent solo performances include the tenor premier of the ASCAP Mortorn Gould Young Composer Award for Abbie Betinis’s Nattsanger, and Alec Roth’s Songs In Time Of War in Minneapolis, Minnesota. In addition to a thriving solo career, he is also on the active rosters for The South Dakota Chorale, and The Minnesota Beethoven Festival Chorus. John has contributed to professional recordings by The Singers (Mid-Winter Songs, 2010, At the River, 2013) and The South Dakota Chorale (In Paradisum, 2011, Sacred Songs of Life and Love, 2015). He also maintains an active interest in research, education, musical outreach, and technology.
John received his BA in biology and music from St. Olaf College, his Masters in vocal performance from Northern Arizona University, and his Doctor of Musical Arts degree in vocal performance from the University of Minnesota. Dr. Grau currently teaches on the voice faculty at Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida. He has previously taught at The University of Colorado-Boulder, and at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. He has also worked in the opera department at Northern Arizona University. Dr. Grau's scholarly activities contribute to the vocal pedagogy field. He has presented his research on developing tenor voices using excerpts from Handel oratorio arias at the Minnesota Music Educators Association, and at the National Association of Teachers of Singing convention in July of 2014. Dr. Grau is a frequent clinician and maintains a thriving private voice studio around Orlando, Florida. He lives with his wife, two children, and black labrador outside of Orlando, and enjoys running marathons.
John's upcoming performances during the 2016-2017 include frequent appearances with the Bach Festival Society of Winter Park, a performance with the inaugural Duke University Bach Cantata series, an engagement with the Rochester Choral Arts Ensemble performing Handel's Messiah, and repeat performances with the South Dakota Chorale.
John's engagements during the 2014-2015 season included debuts with the Boulder Bach Festival, and the Rochester Choral Arts Ensemble performing Bach's Mass in B-minor; a return performance with Oratory Bach in Minneapolis, Minnesota, an appearance at the Boston Early Music Festival, an engagement with the Seicento Baroque Ensemble, and the Messiah Choral Society in Orlando, Florida. During the 2013-2014 season, John had appearances with The Seicento Baroque Ensemble, The Singers-Minnesota Choral Artists, The South Dakota Chorale, the Montana Early Music Festival , and two projects with the Colorado Bach Ensemble.
In June 2013, John sang the tenor solo in the Rachmaninoff Vespers at the Ravina Music Festival with The Singers under the direction of Dr. Matt Culluoton. Although his career is focused primarily on concert work, John has been praised for his appearances on the operatic stage. He has recently appeared as Flute in Britten’s A Midsummer Nights Dream, Bardolfo in Falstaff, Dr. Blind in Fledermaus, Ferrando in Cosi fan tutte, The Tenor Priest in The Magic Flute, and Henrik in A Little Night Music. John is also a frequent recitalist, and is a regular at early music festivals throughout the country. As a strong advocate for contemporary music, John's recent solo performances include the tenor premier of the ASCAP Mortorn Gould Young Composer Award for Abbie Betinis’s Nattsanger, and Alec Roth’s Songs In Time Of War in Minneapolis, Minnesota. In addition to a thriving solo career, he is also on the active rosters for The South Dakota Chorale, and The Minnesota Beethoven Festival Chorus. John has contributed to professional recordings by The Singers (Mid-Winter Songs, 2010, At the River, 2013) and The South Dakota Chorale (In Paradisum, 2011, Sacred Songs of Life and Love, 2015). He also maintains an active interest in research, education, musical outreach, and technology.
John received his BA in biology and music from St. Olaf College, his Masters in vocal performance from Northern Arizona University, and his Doctor of Musical Arts degree in vocal performance from the University of Minnesota. Dr. Grau currently teaches on the voice faculty at Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida. He has previously taught at The University of Colorado-Boulder, and at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. He has also worked in the opera department at Northern Arizona University. Dr. Grau's scholarly activities contribute to the vocal pedagogy field. He has presented his research on developing tenor voices using excerpts from Handel oratorio arias at the Minnesota Music Educators Association, and at the National Association of Teachers of Singing convention in July of 2014. Dr. Grau is a frequent clinician and maintains a thriving private voice studio around Orlando, Florida. He lives with his wife, two children, and black labrador outside of Orlando, and enjoys running marathons.