Jesse has sung major concert works with Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra, American Bach Soloists, Boston Baroque, Carmel Bach Festival, Apollo’s Fire, Oratorio Society of New York, The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, and on Lincoln Center’s American Songbook series. He has been increasingly active on concert stages in Canada for the last several years, appearing with the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra, Symphony Nova Scotia, Early Music Vancouver, Arion Baroque, Grand Philharmonic Choir, and at the Montréal Baroque Festival.
Jesse’s recital highlights include appearances with the New York Festival of Song, Marilyn Horne Foundation, and University Musical Society in Ann Arbor, in addition to teaching and performing residencies at song festivals across the United States. He is very proud to have participated in the world premieres of several acclaimed American operas and song cycles, and works closely with many renowned composers as a member of the Mirror Visions Ensemble.
He has been featured on nearly thirty commercial recordings, including the 2015 Grammy-winning and 2019 Grammy-nominated Charpentier Chamber Operas with Boston Early Music Festival. Jesse’s other albums include Bach cantatas with Montréal Baroque, Winterreise with pianist Martin Katz, Rosenmüller cantatas with ACRONYM, Green Sneakers with the Miami String Quartet, and St. John Passion with Apollo’s Fire, as well as American Bach Soloists’ 2015 film release Handel’s Messiah in Grace Cathedral.
Jesse received undergraduate degrees in History and Music from the University of Michigan and a Master of Music degree from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, before participating in young artist programs at Santa Fe Opera, Glimmerglass Opera, the Ravinia Festival, and Chicago Opera Theater. His early career was buoyed by recognition in several competitions in the U.S. and Europe. In 2007 he took First Prize at the International Hilde Zadek Singing Competition in Vienna, and in 2008 he was awarded Third Prize at the International Robert Schumann Competition in Zwickau, becoming its first American prizewinner in over thirty years.
A passionate advocate for chamber music in its myriad forms, in 2007 Jesse co-founded Five Boroughs Music Festival in New York City and for twelve years served as its Artistic Director. In 2021 and 2022 he stepped into a Visiting Faculty position at The Cleveland Institute of Music, and continues to enjoy private teaching as well as the occasional masterclass and guest coaching engagement. Starting in Fall 2023, Jesse will be based in both Toronto and NYC, enthusiastically making musical connections across North America and beyond.
