Dr. O'Neil Jones

A native of Montego Bay, Jamaica, O’Neil Jones remains an active baritone soloist and conductor. Having made his solo debut in 2011, he went on to perform the lead role in Jamaica’s first operetta, 1865, a role he reprised 3 years later in the country’s first full scale opera. An active vocalist, he has been a soloist in several masterworks, most recently the Faure Requiem.  Equally interested in traditional opera, Jones’ credits include lead roles in classics such as Donizetti’s L'elisir D'amore and Edwin Penhorwood’s modern opera, Too Many Sopranos.

 

He is highly interested in Jamaican Choral Theatre and its amalgamation with the recital style of choral production practiced in the Americas. His current research centers on Jamaica’s search for a Post-Colonial Identity as expressed in the development of a uniquely Jamaican style of choral composition and arrangement. In the spring of 2024, he will host the Inaugural Jamaica Choral Music Symposium, which seeks to expand the availability of, and increase accessibility to Jamaican Choral Music.

 

Jones holds a Bachelor of Music degree in Vocal Performance from Alcorn State University and Master of Music degree with double emphases in choral conducting, and vocal performance and pedagogy from the University of Southern Mississippi. He is a DMA Candidate in Choral Conducting and Literature at The University of Colorado, Boulder. When not onstage, Jones can be found enjoying a concert, listening to a wide array of musical genres from Mozart to Marley or simply enjoying a day at the beach.