Biography
Tenor John Wesley Wright is known for his artistic and soulful interpretations of music from baroque to Broadway. He has performed a nationally televised concert for the Belgian Royal Family and toured as a soloist and in professional ensembles throughout the United States, Europe, and Japan.
With a host of opera and oratorio roles, art songs, spirituals and cabaret music in his repertoire, Wright is a member of the acclaimed American Spiritual Ensemble and is highlighted in the recent PBS documentary “The Spirituals: Featuring the American Spiritual Ensemble”, released nationally in 2007. In addition to recording and touring with the American Spiritual Ensemble, Wright was invited to Osaka and Tokyo, Japan in December to perform Bach’s CHRISTMAS ORATORIO and Handel’s MESSIAH – benefit concerts that support the amnesty efforts of the Japan International Volunteer Center. Wright also made guest appearances with the Spiritual Renaissance Singers of Greensboro (NC) and the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra (DPO) during the 2007-2008 Season, and will return to sing the title role in Bach’s ST. JOHN PASSION with the DPO in 2009.
A distinguished competitor, Mr. Wright is gold medalist and $10,000 top prizewinner of the Savannah Music Festival American Traditions Vocal Competition 2000 and has claimed top prizes from the National Federation of Music Clubs, Metropolitan Opera National Council, Bel Canto Regional Artists, Ohio’s Vocal Resource Network Art Song Competition and the International Schubert Competition in Vienna, Austria.
John Wesley Wright joined the Salisbury University music faculty in the fall of
2006. Holding degrees from Maryville College and the University of Cincinnati
College-Conservatory of Music, John is an active clinician, vocal consultant and
leader of workshops on "Singing in the African American Tradition". He recently
co-directed Salisbury University’s first opera production, Purcell’s DIDO AND
AENEAS, and produced a series of concerts entitled “Honoring the African
American Spiritual” – both projects featuring the award-winning voice majors of
the Salisbury University Music Department.
A native of Rome, Georgia, John also served as Artist-in-Residence at the University of Dayton for eight years and has spent summers as a guest artist and teacher at the North Carolina School of the Arts, the Kentucky Governor’s School and most recently, the Maryland Summer Center for the Arts held at Salisbury University.