Vocalist DAVID BARRON was born and raised in Texas. The son of an Army man, he began singing in the Baptist church, and his first music lessons were on the accordion. He received his master’s degree in composition from Yale University, where he studied with Elliott Carter. While on the opera and music theory faculty at the University of Illinois, he earned a Doctorate in Music Theory, specializing in experimental music, and was active in performances at the Festivals of Contemporary Arts. He has performed numerous concerts for German radio and was the first vocalist to perform the work of Charles Ives at the Warsaw Autumn Festival of Contemporary Music in Poland. Last winter he was the lead vocalist in the first performance ever of the complete songs of Charles Ives.

Here and in Europe, Barron has performed more than 40 operatic roles in such venues as Glimmerglass, Cleveland, Philadelphia, Omaha, Chautauqua, Santa Fe, Lake George, the Utah Festival, Milwaukee Skylight, and the Opéra Comique in Paris. His performances include premieres of operas by Richard Wargo, the role of Judge Turpin in the Tony-nominated revival of Sweeney Todd, and numerous performances of the John Cage Songbooks. He is currently performing in La fille du régiment with the Virginia Opera.

Barron has performed U. S. Highball with the Kronos Quartet all over the United States and in Europe and feels privileged to be performing this unique piece once again.