Robert Lewis Sims (born in Chicago, Illinois) is a lyric

baritone A baritone is a type of classical male singing voice whose vocal range lies between the bass and the tenor voice-types. The term originates from the Greek (), meaning "heavy sounding". Composers typically write music for this voice in the r ...

who specializes in African-American folk songs and spirituals,known for his rich tone, energetic performances and convincing stage presence. Robert Sims, who was a Gold Medal winner of the American Traditions Competition, gave the first all spiritual and folk song recital at Carnegie Hall’s Zankel Hall in 2005. In March 2009, he was invited by

Jessye Norman Jessye Mae Norman (September 15, 1945 – September 30, 2019) was an American opera singer and recitalist. She was able to perform dramatic soprano roles, but refused to be limited to that voice type. A commanding presence on operatic, concert ...

to participate in ''Honor! A Celebration of the African American Cultural Legacy'' at Carnegie Hall. Sims has performed in recital with folk legend

Odetta Odetta Holmes (December 31, 1930 – December 2, 2008), known as Odetta, was an American singer, actress, guitarist, lyricist, and a civil rights activist, often referred to as "The Voice of the Civil Rights Movement". Her musical repertoire co ...

and renowned opera and concert singers

George Shirley George Irving Shirley (born April 18, 1934) is an American operatic tenor, and was the first African-American tenor to perform a leading role at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City. Early life Shirley was born in Indianapolis, Indiana, and r ...

William Warfield William Caesar Warfield (January 22, 1920 – August 25, 2002) was an American concert bass-baritone singer and actor, known for his appearances in stage productions, Hollywood films, and television programs. A prominent African American artist ...

Simon Estes Simon Estes (born March 2, 1938) is an operatic bass-baritone of African-American descent who had a major international opera career beginning in the 1960s. He has sung at most of the world's major opera houses as well as in front of presiden ...

, Benjamin Matthews, and

Jubilant Sykes Jubilant Sykes (born 1960, Los Angeles, California) is an American baritone.Michele Norris, Norris, MicheleA Jubilant Voice: Classically Trained Singer Jubilant Sykes, in the Spotlight National Public Radio, 16 December 2002 Biography Sykes was ...

. Equally at home with standard operatic literature and classic jazz, Robert has collaborated with the Georgia Guitar Quartet in songs from Bernstein to Bob Dylan. He joined David Baker and Mercedes Ellington for

Duke Ellington Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington (April 29, 1899 – May 24, 1974) was an American jazz pianist, composer, and leader of his eponymous jazz orchestra from 1923 through the rest of his life. Born and raised in Washington, D.C., Ellington was based ...

’s ''The Sacred Concerts'' and ''My People'', and in 1997 toured Japan with the Pacific Music Festival Orchestra performing Leonard Bernstein's ''

Opening Prayer ''Opening Prayer'' is a composition for baritone and orchestra, written for the reopening of Carnegie Hall in 1986. Composer Leonard Bernstein set a Hebrew biblical benediction, which concludes a traditional morning service. He derived the music f ...

''. A favorite at Dr. Robert Schuller’s

Crystal Cathedral Christ Cathedral (Latin: ''Cathedralis Christi''; Spanish: ''Catedral de Cristo''; Vietnamese: ''Nhà Thờ Chính Tòa Chúa Kitô''), formerly and informally known as the Crystal Cathedral, is an American church building of the Diocese of Or ...

in Garden Grove, California, Sims has appeared on several Hour of Power international telecasts. Sims performed with the

Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square, formerly known as the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, is an American choir, acting as part of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). It has performed in the Salt Lake Tabernacle for ov ...

on a special broadcast of the choir's long-running ''

Music and the Spoken Word Music is generally defined as the art of arranging sound to create some combination of form, harmony, melody, rhythm or otherwise expressive content. Exact definitions of music vary considerably around the world, though it is an aspect o ...

'' in January 2011 and January 2019.

Education

Robert Sims is a graduate of

Oberlin Conservatory of Music The Oberlin Conservatory of Music is a private music conservatory in Oberlin College in Oberlin, Ohio. It was founded in 1865 and is the second oldest conservatory and oldest continually operating conservatory in the United States. It is one of ...

, where he studied with Richard Miller,

Binghamton University The State University of New York at Binghamton (Binghamton University or SUNY Binghamton) is a public university, public research university with campuses in Binghamton, New York, Binghamton, Vestal, New York, Vestal, and Johnson City, New Yor ...

Northwestern University Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston, Illinois. Founded in 1851, Northwestern is the oldest chartered university in Illinois and is ranked among the most prestigious academic institutions in the world. Charte ...

, and the

American Conservatory of Music The American Conservatory of Music (ACM) was a major American school of music founded in Chicago in 1886 by John James Hattstaedt (1851–1931). The conservatory was incorporated as an Illinois non-profit corporation. It developed the Conservato ...

. He has also studied at the

Music Academy of the West The Music Academy is a classical music training program in Montecito in Santa Barbara County, California. Overview The academy hosts an annual eight-week summer music festival, highlighted by concerts and workshops directed by famous composer ...

Chautauqua Musical Institute Chautauqua ( ) was an adult education and social movement in the United States, highly popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Chautauqua assemblies expanded and spread throughout rural America until the mid-1920s. The Chautauqua bro ...

, and the Oberlin/Urbania Vocal Institute in Urbania, Italy.

Achievements

Lyric Opera of Chicago Education Award 1982 Friedrich Schorr Opera Award Winner 1993 Founder of Canti Classics Artist Management and Production Company with Everton Swearing and Arthur White 1998 PBS Television Special “He’s Got Spirit” Art Beat Chicago 1998 American Traditions Gold Medal Winner 1999 Founder of Three Generations, (vocal trio) with Benjamin Matthews and William Warfield 1999

References

*www.carnegiehall.org/honor/artists/artistDetail.aspx?art=rsims *www.niu.edu/music/about/bios/rsims.shtml *www.RobertSims.com *www.rilearts.com/detail/5.php?ID=73 *www.singers.com/6569c/Moses-Hogan-Singers/Deep-River/ *www.prleap.com/pr/21228/ *archives.chicagotribune.com/2007/dec/17/news/chi-ovn_1217sacreddec17 *www.berkeleydailyplanet.com/issue/2008-04-04/article/29659?headline=Sims-and-Buchanan-Sing-For-Four-Seasons-Concert-Series {{DEFAULTSORT:Sims, Robert Singers from Chicago 1965 births Living people American baritones Binghamton University alumni