Bio

Gregory Brookes combines "...the rich characterization of a Shakespearean actor with the rotund richness of a fine bass-baritone voice." (Opera News) Born and raised in Calgary Alberta Canada, he is currently a candidate for the degree Doctor of Music in Voice with Minors in Music Education and Opera Direction from Indiana University's Jacobs School of Music. After receiving a BMus in clarinet performance from the University of Calgary, he pursued graduate work at the Eastman School of Music where he earned a MM in vocal performance and literature. He has performed with opera companies throughout North America including NUOVA Opera Edmonton, Opera in Concert of Toronto, Eastman Opera Theatre, Brevard Music Festival, Indiana University Opera Theatre, Indiana University Theatre, Ohio Light Opera and Opera Fort Collins. He has earned praise for both his operatic and musical theatre roles some of which include, Leporello in Don Giovanni, Lindorf in Les Contes d'Hoffman, Don Geronio in The Turk in Italy, the title role in Sweeney Todd, Pooh Bah in The Mikado, Simone in Gianni Schicchi, Elviro in Xerxes, Orgon in Tartuffe, the Pirate King in The Pirates of Penzance, Cervantes in Man of LaMancha, Alfred Doolittle in My Fair Lady and Billus in South Pacific. In addition to his lyric theatre performances, he is a frequent collaborator with numerous choral societies having sung the baritone solos for the Brahms's German Requiem, Handel's Messiah, Haydn's The Creation, the Orff Carmina Burana, the Duruflé Requiem and the Mozart Requiem. Gregory was an Associate Instructor of voice at Indiana University for four years and for the past three years, he has been a faculty member of the Queen's University School of Music as a Lecturer of Voice where he taught applied voice and vocal techniques. He is pleased to be joining the faculty of Colorado State University where he will teach Applied Voice, Opera Workshop, Vocal Pedagogy and Song Literature.