Jacob Soulliere, baritone, is an award-winning young opera singer with goals to be a full time performer at the Metropolitan Opera. Jacob began his early choral singing as a member of the Phoenix Boys Choir. Since then Jacob has been singing and performing classical music and oratorios as well as understudying operas with well-known people including Vance George, Z. Randall Stroope, Mikael Eliasen, Steven Moeckel, Paul Lee, John Sikora, and Metropolitan Opera star, Vernon Hartman.
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Last Updated 11/23/2019**
Early Life
Soulliere began his early choral singing as a member of the Phoenix Boys Choir under the direction of Georg Stangelberger. Since then Jacob has been singing and performing classical music and oratorios as well as understudying operas. Soulliere has performed at numerous venues around the valley of the Phoenix metropolitan area in Arizona including the Tempe center for the Arts and the Herberger Theater. Being selected to sing at the White House, to singing at Carnegie Hall in New York, Jacob is arguably one of the finest young singers in the southwest. In December of 2016 Jacob was selected to perform with the newly formed Messiah Chorus in the production of Handel's Messiah under the direction of 4- time Grammy winner Vance George formerly director of the San Francisco Symphony Chorus. At this time the young Baritone had the opportunity to coach with the maestro who was very encouraging towards his operatic goals. In March of 2017 Jacob was asked by American composer, conductor, and lecturer, Z. Randall Stroope to sing the written solo in the choral piece. "Soldier Soldier Won't You Marry Me?” under the direction of the Maestro at the renowned stern auditorium at Carnegie Hall, Making Jacob one of the youngest male classical/operatic singers to sing a solo in a choral piece at Carnegie Hall. In October of 2017 Jacob had the privilege to sing parts of Raphael in Haydn's The Creation with the orchestra and concertmaster from the Phoenix Symphony, Steven Moeckel. This oratorio was under the direction of the Saint Barnabas on the Desert Episcopal Church Director of Music Ministries, Paul Lee, who invited Mr. Soulliere to participate as choral singer and soloist of the Concerts on the Desert performance series. In December of 2017 Jacob was invited by former Director of Opera of Music at Kent State University John Sikora to sing a very special interpretation of Handel's Messiah in Ohio, presented by the Galion Community Chorus. While in Ohio Jacob had the privilege to coach with not only Mr. Sikora but also with two decade performer at the Metropolitan Opera, Vernon Hartman. Jacob has also worked with Bob Chilcott, Ludwig Wicki and coached with Dale Dreyfoos and Metropolitan Opera Singer, Julian Fielder.
Current Activities
Soulliere participates as a choir member and as a soloist at Christ the Lord Lutheran Church in Carefree, Arizona. Jacob is a chorister of The Arizona Opera Chorus and much more. Jacob currently studies voice with mezzo soprano, Mary Sue Hyatt, who formerly served as "Professor of voice" at Kent State University for over three decades. In addition to studying voice with Ms. Hyatt, Jacob coaches opera with Henri Venanzi, who serves as the "Chorus Master" for the Arizona Opera and Cincinnati Opera. Jacob is currently understudying the role Masetto from Mozart's Don Giovanni. He will be staging the role with John Sikora and hopes to be performing it soon. Jacob is also preparing for college auditions to some of the best schools in the United States.
Awards
Soulliere has received numerous awards and recognition such as being named "one of Arizona's finest young musicians" from the renowned Music Director of Arizona Musicfest, Robert Moody. Out of the 15 chosen musicians, Jacob was the only vocalist selected to perform at the Musical Instrument Museum in 2016. In 2017 & 2018, Jacob placed 1st two consecutive years in the Cheryl Siebs Memorial Vocal Competition . Jacob received the $500 scholarship and performed as the featured soloist at the Desert Hills Presbyterian Church as a part of the award. Jacob was later asked by the Music Director Margaret Watson, to be a featured soloist in their 2017 and 2018 spring show where the young baritone would perform around the valley of cave creek singing well-known music. Most recently, Jacob received an encouragement award from The Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions (Arizona District). Mr. Soulliere was the youngest singer awarded.
