Gerard Sundberg

Baritone

Gerard Sundberg’s compelling baritone voice is celebrated internationally for its beauty and clarity.  For the past eight seasons, he has captivated audiences with his performances of Handel’s Messiah with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Chorus.  Following another Messiah performance, a critic declares, “His recitatives and arias remained focused and filled with energy….he demonstrated excellent range, control and diction”, The Republic (Columbus, IN). “He sings with passion and conviction, giving thoughtful and heartfelt expression to the text”, Rodney Wynkoop (Duke University) 

Mr. Sundberg has distinguished himself as a concert artist with his mastery of bass/baritone repertoire. Recent performances include the St. John Passion conducted by John Nelson in Paris at the Notre Dame Cathedral.  Maestro Nelson lauds Mr. Sundberg for his “command of  diction and remarkable involvement in the text”.  He has appeared as soloist with the Robert Shaw Festival Singers, and with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Robert Shaw.  He maintains an impressive presence in the Chicago area, frequently appearing as soloist with the West Suburban Choral Union, recently for a performance of Vaughan Williams’ A Sea Symphony.  He also has sung extensively with the Oregon Bach Festival under the artistic leadership of Helmuth Rilling.  Rilling praises Mr. Sundberg for his “exceptionally stunning high range” and “perfect command of the German language and high musicality”. 

Performances  in past few  seasons included: Bruckner Mass in F Minor with the West Suburban Choral Union (IL) and the Wheaton Conservatory Choruses and Orchestra; Messiah with Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Chamber Chorus; Telemann Lobet dem Herrn with Southwest Florida Symphony; Beethoven Mass in C with Elmhurst Choral Union; Beethoven Ninth Symphony with Illinois Symphony; Hoiby I Have a Dream (for Baritone and Orchestra) and Beethoven Ninth Symphony with Fox Valley Symphony (WI); Mendelssohn St. Paul with College Church of Wheaton, IL; Bach St. John Passion with Peoria Bach Festival; and Vaughan Williams Five Mystical Songs with Kiev Symphony Orchestra (Ukraine); Duruflé Requiem in “Music for Remembrance Day”, Wellington, New Zealand; Bach Weihnachts-Oratorium (part II), and Handel Messiah with Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Chamber Chorus; Bach St. Matthew Passion with Chicago Chorale; Richard Strauss op. 10 songs, and songs of Gustav Nordqvist,Wheaton Conservatory Faculty Recital; and Haydn’s Lord Nelson Mass with Bel Canto of Milwaukee.  Performances for the 2008-09 season included Messiah with Bel Canto Singers of Milwaukee and Atlanta SO; Haydn Lord Nelson Mass with the Southwest Florida Symphony; several Bach cantatas with Peoria (IL) Bach Festival; Finzi Requiem da Camera with Milwaukee Bel Canto; and  Haydn Paukenmesse and Vaughan Williams Dona Nobis Pacem with Duke University at the International Haydn Festival in Vienna.
          The 2009-10 season includes Mendelssohn Elijah with Bradley University; Bach Weihnachts-Oratorium and Messiah with Atlanta Symphony; Brahms Ein Deutsches Requiem with Southwest Florida Symphony; Mahler Lieder Eines Fahrenden Gesellen with Wheaton Conservatory Symphony Orchestra; Mozart Requiem with First Congregational Church, Crystal Lake, IL; and Bach Matthäus-Passion with Peoria Bach Festival, also   Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony and  Mendelssohn’s Elijah with  Rockford Symphony.

Dr. Sundberg is a graduate of Bethel College (St. Paul, MN), and holds both Master of Fine Arts and Doctor of Musical Arts degrees from the University of Minnesota where he studied voice with Clifton Ware and Roy Schuessler.  He is presently Professor of Voice at Wheaton Conservatory of Music (Wheaton, IL).  His two recordings are “Singer on a Journey”, including four sacred song cycles by Brahms, Beethoven, Vaughan Williams and Carlisle Floyd, and “Songs for the Journey” including arrangements by Edwin Childs of 16 Hymns and Gospel songs.