01/07/2016
Introducing DeAndre Simmons , Bass
DeAndre will be joining us as King Marke, at an upcoming performance!
American bass DeAndre Simmons is quickly gaining recognition for his velvety voice, incisive musicianship, and captivating stage presence. He has already performed successfully with several companies and symphony orchestras including The Philadelphia Orchestra, Opera Company of Philadelphia, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Columbia Pro Cantare, Curtis Opera Theatre, Collegiate Chorale of New York, Opera Panama, Bohème Opera of New Jersey, The Kansas City Symphony, Santa Barbara Symphony, Castleton Festival
under Maestro Lorin Maazel and others. DeAndre has toured Europe as a recitalist and performed with several orchestras including the Bruckner Orchestra Linz, Vienna Chamber Orchestra, Orchestra Philharmonique de Liege, Orchestra National de France, Berliner Symphoniker and the Orchestra Sinfonica Nazionale della RAI.
DeAndre has sung in the premiers of several pieces including the West Coast premier of A Wedding by William Bolcom, the Canadian premier of Regina by Marc Blitzstein - also recorded for broadcast all across Canada and the East Coast premier of Margaret Garner by Richard Danielpour with a libretto by Toni Morrison.
A lover of song, DeAndre often presents recitals locally and abroad of composers ranging from Vivaldi to Stephen Sondheim. Having been a member of Actor’s Equity since he was six years old, he often performs the music of musical theatre. His recent cabaret of songs by Stephen Sondheim titled ‘Just me and Stephen – Songs by Sondheim’ was highly regarded and now in popular demand across the country. Recently he performed in recital at the Musée Jacquemart-André in Paris as part of a collaboration between Carnegie Hall and the Rothschilds Foundation. In New York he was featured again at Carnegie Hall as part of the gala recital for the culmination of a week long celebration for The Marilyn Horne Legacy – The Song Continues, honoring legendary opera singer Marilyn Horne for her 81st birthday. The New York Times said that “Mr. Simmons used his elegant voice to fine effect in dramatically charged interpretations of Brahms,’Vier Ernste Gesänge’.” He also performed a recitals in Bradford, Penns. and Santa Barbara, Ca. to high acclaim.
Upcoming events include the Lord Nelson Mass with the London Chamber Orchestra and recitals in NYC, Paris and California. DeAndre is a three-time fellow of the Music Academy of the West in Santa Barbara, CA. and an alumnus of The Curtis Institute of Music. He is pupil of Fred Carama in NYC.
