Robert Bracey has performed throughout the United States and made appearances in Canada, Russia, Europe, India, and Japan. He was awarded first place in the 2002 Oratorio Society of New York’s Annual International Solo Competition at Carnegie Hall. He returned to Carnegie Hall for performances of Handel: Messiah later that year. He made his Detroit Symphony debut at Orchestra Hall and his Kennedy Center debut in Washington, DC with the Choral Arts Society of Washington.
Recent engagements include performances with the Symphony Orchestra of India and the Paranjoti Academy Chorus at the National Centre for the Performing Arts in Mumbai, India, the Telemann Chamber Orchestra in Tokyo and Osaka, Japan, Oratorio Society of New York, Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra, Detroit Symphony, Grand Rapids Symphony, Pacific Symphony, Orlando Philharmonic, Choral Arts Society of Washington, ProMusica Chamber Orchestra, Dayton Philharmonic, Syracuse Symphony, Wichita Symphony, Elgin Symphony, Southwest Florida Symphony, North Carolina Symphony, Duluth-Superior Symphony, Fort Wayne Philharmonic, Greensboro Symphony, Illinois Symphony, Flint Symphony, Midland Symphony, East Texas Symphony, Duke University Chapel Choir, Boise Philharmonic, Independence Messiah Festival, Choral Arts Society of Greensboro, Ann Arbor Symphony, Greater Lansing Symphony, Bach Festival Society of Winter Park, Messiah Choral Society of Orlando, Choral Society of Durham, Kalamazoo Bach Festival, and the University Musical Society in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
An oratorio specialist, he has worked with such well-known conductors as Helmuth Rilling, Simon Preston, Sir Philip Ledger, Norman Scribner, Carl St. Clair, Jos van Veldhoven, David Lockington, Hal France, Lyndon Woodside, Gustav Meier, Grant Llewellyn, Robert Hanson, Enrique Diemecke and Andrew Sewell.
A Regional Finalist in the New York Metropolitan Opera Auditions, he also won first place in the National Association of Teachers of Singing Regional Competition. Other honors include the N.A.T.S. Jessye Norman Award for the most outstanding soloist at the competition, the Rose Marie Jun Voice Award, the Betty Brewster Award from the Cranbrook Music Guild, the Joy Whitman Weinberger Opera Award, a Dean's Award from Bowling Green State University, and winner of the University of Michigan Concerto Competition.
Centaur Records released Bracey’s first solo compact disc in 2006. The recording of English art songs entitled Sweet was the Song also features pianist Andrew Harley and violist Scott Rawls. It is available in markets worldwide.
He holds a Bachelor of Music Degree in Music Education from Michigan State University, a Master of Music and a Doctor of Musical Arts Degree in Voice Performance from the University of Michigan. He has previously served on the faculties at Bowling Green State University and Michigan State University. He also taught on the voice faculty of the Michigan All-State program at the Interlochen Arts Camp for twelve summers. He is currently Associate Head of the Department of Music Performance and Director of Vocal Studies at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.
