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The American tenor, Tyrese Byrd, studied at South Carolina Governor's School for the Arts and Humanities (2014-2016). He obtained his Bachelor of Music degree in Vocal Performance from Furman University (2016-2020); and his Master of Music degree in Vocal Performance from University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre & Dance (2020-2022). At Furman University he studied with Dr. Grant Knox, and sang Le Prince Charmant in Massenet’s Cendrillon, Arpad in She Loves Me, and the title role in W.A. Mozart's Bastien und Bastienne. At the University of Michigan, he studied with with Dr. Louise Toppin. There he has performed Miles in Missy Mazzoli’s Proving Up and Herr Vogelsang in W.A. Mozart's Der Schauspieldirektor, and he was a featured soloist in Craig Hella Johnson’s Considering Matthew Shepard and J.S. Bach's Cantatas BWV 131 and BWV 61.
Tyrese Byrd is known for his musicianship and expressive tone. His 2021-2022 season brings several company debuts. He made his debut with Michigan Opera Theatre singing the role of Don Basilio in Ragnar Kjartansson’s Bliss. He served as a studio artist at Madison Opera where he performed Normanno and covered Edgardo in Lucia di Lammermoor. He also covered Georg in She Loves Me and sang Mercury in Orpheus in the Underworld. With Chicago-based organization Hearing in Color, he sang the role of Jesse in the world premiere performance of Undying Love, a one-act opera by Steve Wallace premiered with D-Composed, an all-Black ensemble. He also made his debut with the Toledo Symphony in December as the tenor soloist in George Frideric Handel's Messiah.
His 2022-2023 season includes his debut with Toledo Opera as Police Buddy 1 in Blue by Jeanine Tesori, and a return to Madison Opera as Don Basilio in W.A. Mozart's Le Nozze di Figaro. On the concert stage, Tyrese Byrd will make his debut with Akron Symphony, will perform with S.C. Bach, return to Toledo Symphony for their performance of G.F. Handel's Messiah, and will give several seminar-recitals with the Singing Justice Collaboratory Team with the University of Michigan.
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Tyrese Byrd is an accomplished concert soloist, with repertoire including in J.S. Bach's Weihnachts-Oratorium BWV 248, Magnificat in D major BWV 243, several other sacred and secular cantatas; W.A. Mozart's Requiem, Coronation Mass in C; and Felix Mendelssohn's Elijah. He is also passionate about uplifting the music of Black composers who are often excluded from the Western canon. He is currently working with a research team called Singing Justice with the University of Michigan Humanities Collaboratory, who endeavor to infiltrate higher education and the concert stage using Black Song. He currently lives in ives in Ann Arbor, Michigan. |
