John Garst

John Garst is enjoying his second year of teaching at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.  In addition to this, he teaches at Hendrix College, and Central Baptist University. His Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Vocal Performance is from the University of North Texas, which included special studies in Vocal Pedagogy. His Masters and Bachelor degrees are from the University of Arkansas.

A wealth of international performance experience includes numerous major operatic roles, including Radames, Don Jose, Cavaradossi,Duke of Mantua, Canio, Tamino, Calaf, Alfredo, Belmonte, Max, Froh, and Camille de Rosillion. He has performed at the Florida Grand Opera, Des Moines Metro Opera, Sarasota Opera, Natchez Opera Festival, Utah Festival Opera, Hungarian State Opera, Darmstadt State Opera, Kaiserslautern Opera, Gelsenkirchen Musik Theater, Eisenach Opera, Anaberg-Bucholz Theater, Bad Hersfelder Festspiel, and Theater Nordhausen, among many others. Mr. Garst sang the World Premier of Lori Laitman’s opera, The Scarlet Letter, where he tackled the challenging role of Reverend Dimmsdale, to rousing critical success in 2008.

While in Germany, Dr. Garst performed for the re-opening of the German Chancellor’s Office in Berlin which aired on major German television channels, and included internationally known artists. Successful concert performances include Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, Verdi’s Requiem, Handel’s Messiah, Bach’s St. Matthew Passion, Ramirez’ Misa Criolla, Mahler’s Das Lied von der Erde, and Martin’s In Terra Pax.

As recitalist his recent performances of Schubert’s immortal song cycle, Die schöne Műllerin were received with great enthusiasm.  He continues to see success with his current performance engagements in the Little Rock and Conway area, which include singing the Evangelist in The St. John Passion by Chilcott this Easter, and musical excerpts in Central Baptist College’s Spring Musical.