A resonant singer with unique evenness in the register, bass-baritone Kerry Wilkerson has been described by the Washington Post as an ‘exuberant’ performer having the “amber tone of a lyric baritone with the imposing weight demanded by Handel’s low-lying writing”. He made his Carnegie Hall debut in June 2017 to rave reviews as a baritone soloist in Vaughan Williams’ Sancta Civitas.
The 2023/2024 season includes return recitals to Lewes DE and with the Washington Chamber Ensemble in addition to his role debut as Der Sprecher in Die Zauberflöte with Loudoun Lyric Opera. He will also return as a featured soloist with the Washington Master Chorale in Rossini’s Petite Messe Solennelle.
The 2022/2023 season was filled with recitals in Lewes DE, Greenville SC, Washington DC and Sarasota FL, as well as featured soloist in the world premiere of Henry Dehlinger’s Requiem with Choralis, a role debut with the Washington Concert Opera as Raleigh in Roberto Devereux, a debut in Handel’s Messiah with the Reston Chorale and also the featured bass-baritone soloist in Gerald Finzi’s In Terra Pax with the Choral Artists of Sarasota and Verdi’s Requiem with the North Carolina Master Chorale.
The 2021/2022 season included his role premiere as Germont in La Traviata with Bel Cantanti Opera, recitals at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Roanoke VA, and Saint Andrews-Covenant Presbyterian Church in Wilmington NC, the Herald in Otello with the Pacific Symphony, Benoit/Alcindoro in La Bohème with the Jacksonville Symphony, featured soloist in two premieres of Henry Dehlinger’s Kohelet on the west coast with the Santa Clara Chorale and the east coast with the Washington Master Chorale, Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis with the National Philharmonic, and Ralph Vaughan Williams’ Dona Nobis Pacem with the Washington Chorus at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC.
Prior to the Great Pause, Mr. Wilkerson performed as a bass-baritone soloist in Opera Roanoke’s gala concert, Handel’s Messiah with the National Symphony Orchestra, National Philharmonic, and La Jolla Symphony, Vaughan Williams’ Five Mystical Songs with American University, Rachmaninoff’s The Bells with Spokane Symphony, Kodály’s Te Deum with Oregon Music Festival, Bach’s Mass in B minor with The City Choir of Washington; Faure’s Requiem with Eugene Concert Choir, Mendelssohn’s Elijah with Choralis, Duruflé’s Requiem and Mozart’s Requiem with The Washington Chorus; as well as Einhorn’s Voices of Light with the National Philharmonic, Dvorak’s Stabat Mater with the North Carolina Master Chorale and Vaughan Williams’ Dona Nobis Pacem with the Air Force Symphony Orchestra at the acclaimed Kennedy Center.