Jason Alexander Holmes is a music educator and performer from Ridgeway, VA and currently serves as the Artistic Director of the Cincinnati Boychoir. Before coming to Cincinnati, he was Director of Educational Programming at the Boston Children’s Chorus. Prior to his time in Boston, Jason taught music at the elementary and secondary levels. He also led the University of Rochester Gospel Choir and the Eastman Young Children’s Chorus.
Choirs under Jason’s direction are consistently praised for their energetic, unified tone and engaging performance. Audience members and colleagues in the choral field notice the expressive ways in which singers use their voices and bodies to communicate. Additionally, Jason is known for innovative programming which celebrates the cultural context in which his choirs operates while encouraging singers and audiences alike to stretch their awareness by living in musical worlds to which they may not be accustomed.
Pedagogically, Jason is committed to implementing culturally responsive practices in music education. He has given workshops and conferences sessions on this topic at professional development seminars, schools, and music education and choral conferences.
As a bass-baritone, Jason has had the pleasure of performing repertoire from contemporary music theatre standouts like Jason Robert Brown’s Parade to Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9. Also in the worlds of musical theatre and opera, Jason has served on the faculty of the Geva Theatre’s Summer Academy (Rochester, NY) and as chorus master and young artist coach and music director for Finger Lakes Opera (Canandaigua, NY).
Jason holds degrees from the Eastman School of Music and Ithaca College, where his mentors and teachers included Drs. Susan Wharton Conkling, William Weinert, Constance Haas, Brad Hougham, and Susan Avery.
At the core of Jason’s teaching and performing is the belief that we are all expressive and musical beings who deserve to witness and participate regularly in moments of truth and beauty.