By Jasmine Durst | Photo Credits to Shervin Lainez
John Holiday is a distinctive and versatile artist, praised as “one of the finest countertenors of his generation” (Los Angeles Times) and for his singing that is “arrestingly powerful, secure and dramatically high” (The Wall Street Journal).
Holiday moved fluidly between Baroque repertoire, contemporary opera, and American song with technical assurance, stylistic authority, and remarkable storytelling ability.
He has been described by The Guardian as “a natural stage presence with a gloriously rich and pure sound.”
His unique artistry and personal story have been the subject of major national profiles in The New York Times, The New Yorker, CNN’s Great Big Story, the Los Angeles Times, and NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert series.
This will be Holiday’s first visit to Susquehanna University, and he will be the final artist in the 2025-2026 Artist Series. He will perform on April 7, 2026, from 7:30-9:30 p.m. in Weber Auditorium.
According to Keelie Schock, associate director of the Event Management Office, there is a committee of faculty and student representatives who offer suggestions for future seasons of the Artist Series.
From those suggestions, they consider if artists fit within the mission of the Artist Series; if their performance would educate, benefit, and be enjoyed by our audience; if the performance falls into our primary categories of music, dance, or theater; and if it brings an unfamiliar or underrepresented perspective to any given category.
All presenters selected exhibit a level of high professionalism and artistic merit.
When responding to what a popular favorite piece is, Schock said, “I think people’s preferences in John’s music stem from their own. Some enjoy his jazz covers, others enjoy gospel, and some are fans of his operatic work. He resonates with a variety of audiences.”
Equally at home on the opera and concert stage, Holiday has appeared with many of the world’s leading orchestras, opera companies, and festivals. He has starred on leading international stages, including The Metropolitan Opera, Los Angeles Opera, Komische Oper Berlin and Bayerische Staatsoper, as well as with the world’s top orchestras, including the New York Philharmonic, Los Angeles Philharmonic and San Francisco Symphony, among many others.
A committed advocate for new music, Holiday has been featured in numerous world premieres, including works by Kevin Puts, Caroline Shaw, Luna Pearl Woolf, Matthew Aucoin, and Daniel Bernard Roumain.
In addition to his classical work, he has curated The John Holiday Experience, an eclectic concert program spanning classical, pop, jazz, and R&B, as well as a variety of cross-genre projects at The Apollo Theater.
His debut album, Over My Head, is out on PENTATONE in summer 2026.
Since 2023, he has served as Associate Professor of Voice at the University of Maryland School of Music, and he holds degrees from Southern Methodist University, the University of Cincinnati College–Conservatory of Music, and The Juilliard School.
Holiday described growing up in a musical family as music being “destined to be a mainstay.” He said, “In my life, I’ve been very privileged to have the greatest example of artistry in watching my grandmother, whom I’d lovingly call Bigmama, share her talents in church.”
He explained that, while others may disagree, art “is theater,” from dressing, speaking, singing and interacting with each other. “To that end, I really feel that my grandmother was my greatest inspiration in becoming an artist. In my eyes, she was the quintessential example of what it meant to be an artist – both singing beautifully and playing the piano beautifully.”
According to Holiday, it is important to him to “become one with the music” as performances approach. Some of the pieces have been with him for a long time, while others are new to him, and he tries to meticulously review each intricate note and nuance.
Holiday said, “I try to carve out a journey for each song, and I really love to have a theme for each recital that I do.”
He explained further “As my mom and grandmother say, I’ve been singing since I was two years old. Professionally, I’ve been singing since 2007, with my first paid starring role coming in 2011 – at Portland Opera for Galileo Galilei.”
“I love everything that I’ve performed – and I know that is cliché, but I truly believe that the joy and love is in the doing of the work: the giving of one’s art and ultimately giving of myself.”
Holiday left off with, “This recital is very exciting for Kevin and me, as we are previewing my debut album Over My Head, which is slated for release on July 17, 2026, on the PENTATONE record label. We couldn’t be more honored to share this with you, and we hope you enjoy it.”
Learn more at www.johnholiday.com.