Reese, James

James Reese

James Reese sings with a voice The Washington Post praises as “bright, agile, and full of heart.” Known for expressive immediacy and connection to text, he brings eloquence and intimacy to repertoire spanning from Bach to the present day. A distinguished interpreter of Baroque and early music, Reese has earned acclaim for performances described as “splendid” (San Francisco Chronicle) and “captivating” (Broad Street Review). He appears regularly with many of North America’s leading period ensembles, including Tafelmusik, American Bach Soloists, The Sebastians, Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra, and the Washington Bach Consort. Reviewing a recent concert with Tafelmusik, Ludwig Van Toronto (Toronto's chief music critic) wrote that Reese possesses “the ideal instrument for the Baroque genre: beauty of tone, purity of sound, surefire agility, and firm technique.”

In 2026, Reese will release a new album of French airs with lutenist Brandon Acker, followed by a U.S. tour of the program. He also looks forward to upcoming engagements with the Grand Rapids Symphony, Tucson Symphony, and Victoria Symphony (Canada), as well as return appearances with Early Music Vancouver, the Seattle Bach Festival, Colorado Bach Ensemble, Bach Collegium San Diego, and Baroque Music Montana. Reese is a graduate of Northwestern University’s Bienen School of Music and holds a Master’s degree from the Yale School of Music. He lives in Philadelphia with his wife Natalie and their sweet and somewhat ill-tempered dog, Ivy. For more information, visit jamesreesetenor.com.

James is also Tenet’s webmaster. For feedback on this site, visit pigsalley.co