Robin Griffeath, tenor, serves on the Concordia College faculty as an associate professor of music, where he teaches applied voice lessons, vocal literature, diction, and directs the Concordia College opera program.
Dr. Griffeath has recently performed in recital with clarinetist Dr. Stacey DiPaolo and pianist Dr. Sophie Hung as a member of the chamber ensemble, Trio Voce. Solo recital projects have included a newly commissioned song cycle by Dr. Jonathan Stinson, Uncivil Relief; Ben Moore’s cycle based on letters between Van Gogh and his brother; Benjamin Britten’s Michelangelo Sonnets; and Beethoven’s groundbreaking An die ferne Geliebte. Dr. Griffeath performed the role of the Beast in a 2021 production of Alan Menken’s Beauty and the Beast, and, in 2022, he performed excerpts from Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Phantom of the Opera with the SWOSU Symphony Orchestra.
Dr. Griffeath has been fortunate to study voice with Joanne Bozeman, Dr. Kristin Dauphinais, Dr. Rebecca Sherburn, Rita Patanè, and Mary Kay Schmidt. He has had the opportunity to sing for and coach with Robert Breault, Michael Dauphinais, Ken Bozeman, Karen Leigh-Post, Aiden Soder, Dale Morehouse, Faye Robinson, Grayson Hirst, David Britton, Dale Duesing, Shirley Emmons, Warren Jones, Bonnie Koestner, Leonardo Marzagalia, Patrice Michaels, Jerrold Pope, Andreas Reibenspies, Rico Serbo, Alma Thomas, Benita Valente, and Carol Vaness. In addition to his vocal studies, Dr. Griffeath has studied Alexander Technique with Brian McCullough.
For the 2022-23 academic year, the Concordia College Lyric Opera Studio performed Samuel Barber’s A Hand of Bridge and Dan Shore’s An Embarrassing Position. Griffeath has previously directed full productions of Pauline Viardot’s Cinderella, Handel’s Alcina, David Lang’s the little match girl passion (in collaboration with the Oklahoma City Youth Ballet preprofessional dancers), Puccini’s Suor Angelica, Johann Strauss’s Die Fledermaus, Menotti’s The Old Maid and the Thief, and Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas. Dr. Griffeath has also directed opera scene programs and an Andrews Sisters-themed radio project in collaboration with the SWOSU Jazz Ensemble A. Under Dr. Griffeath, the SWOSU opera workshop program frequently performed outreach productions at area middle schools and high schools.
Dr. Griffeath is a long-time member of the National Association of the Teachers of Singing (NATS) and his students have enjoyed success at the district, regional, and national level. He is also a member of the College Music Society and the National Opera Association.
Dr. Griffeath’s students have been accepted into young artist programs including the Varna International Opera Academy, Accademia Vocale Lorenzo Malfatti, Opera Viva, Aims in Graz, Cornish American Song Institute, TAOS Opera Institute, and the Orfeo Music Festival. Upon graduation, his students have been accepted to selective graduate programs and hired as educators across the country.
Dr. Griffeath previously served as a professor of music at Southwestern Oklahoma State University, where he taught applied voice, a voice class, vocal literature, and introduction to music courses. In addition, he co-directed the SWOSU Opera Workshop program. During his tenure at Southwestern, Dr. Griffeath created the Joyce Adams Curtis Concerto Aria Competition and served as coordinator for 10 years. Dr. Griffeath also initiated and developed SWOSU’s Cantiamo! Solo Voice Camp, a summer program for middle school and high school vocalists.
Dr. Griffeath holds degrees from the University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory of Music and Dance (D.M.A. in vocal performance), the University of Arizona (M.M. in vocal performance), and Lawrence University (B.M. in vocal performance).