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Jubilant Sykes

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Jubilant Sykes
Head shot of Sykes
Sykes in 2023
Born
Jubilant Roberto Sykes

September 17, 1954
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Died(2025-12-08)December 8, 2025 (aged 71)
Santa Monica, California, U.S.
OccupationBaritone
Children3

Jubilant Roberto Sykes (September 17, 1954 – December 8, 2025) was an American baritone singer. He was active internationally on the opera stage, in concert and in musicals, and performed contemporary worship music, African-American spirituals, gospel, funk and pop. A 2008 recording of Leonard Bernstein's Mass, in which Sykes performed the part of the Celebrant, was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Classical Album.

Early life

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Jubilant Roberto Sykes was born in Los Angeles[1] on September 17, 1954[2] to Robert and Eloise Sykes. He later said that his mother named him Jubilant because she wanted him to become jubilant.[3] Growing up in Los Angeles, he sang soprano as a child[1][4] and took piano lessons.[1] He lost interest in music when his voice changed, until a teacher nurtured his interest in classical music.[4][5] Sykes attended California State University, Fullerton, studying voice and graduating in 1979.[5]

Career

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From 1978, he worked for the music section of Grace Community Church.[5] During his time at Fullerton, a philanthropist noted his musical dedication and donated a European study scholarship. He developed his skills in Austria and Paris.[1] He studied further at the University of Southern California, where he was cast in a production of Gershwin's Porgy and Bess that toured Europe.[5]

Sykes released a first album, Number of the Lord, in 1981. Robert Darden, a music journalist from New York and a gospel music scholar, noticed his voice of a "rich baritone sound, virtuosity, and control". Besides gospel, he performed contemporary sacred music, funk and African American spirituals.[5]

In 1990, Sykes landed his first professional operatic job as Jake in Porgy and Bess with the Houston Grand Opera. This led to concerts with the Minnesota Orchestra. He achieved first place in the regional Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions followed by his debut at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City in 1990, again as Jake.[1] He performed in a jazz club one night and in Beethoven's Ninth Symphony the next day. According to Darden, he "carried on the tradition of black vocalists like Paul Robeson, who helped preserve and elevate African American spirituals". His 1994 album Jubilant Sykes Sings Copland and Spirituals contrasted music by Aaron Copland and arrangements of spirituals such as "Go Down, Moses", with the London Symphony Orchestra. He performed contemporary worship music with Keith and Kristyn Getty.[5]

Sykes performed with guitarist Christopher Parkening and other artists,[3] including Julie Andrews, Josh Groban, Carlos Santana, John Williams, and Brian Wilson.[5] He appeared at such venues as the Deutsche Oper Berlin, Carnegie Hall,[6][7] the Kennedy Center, the Barbican Centre in London, the Apollo Theater, and the Hollywood Bowl.[6] and other major venues around the world.[8] He performed as a soloist with orchestras conducted by Christoph Eschenbach, Raymond Leppard and Lorin Maazel, including Mahler's songs with orchestra.[3] In the 1990s, he signed with IMG.[9] He appeared in the 2001 City Center Encores! performance of Bloomer Girl as Pompey.[10]

In 2009, he was nominated for a Grammy Award for best classical albums for his performance as the Celebrant on a 2008 recording of Leonard Bernstein's 1971 Mass,[1][6] with treble Asher Edward Wulfman, the Morgan State University Choir, Peabody Children's Chorus and the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra conducted by Marin Alsop;[11] he shared the nomination with the conductor and album producer Steven Epstein.[12] A reviewer, comparing him to Alan Titus in the first recording conducted by the composer, noted that his style, changing "from beautifully soft singing to crooning, as the text requires", seemed more dramatic and more interesting.[13] Sykes was an artistic advisor for Orchestra Santa Monica.[14]

Personal life and death

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Sykes and his wife Cecelia had three sons.[1][3] They lived in Santa Monica.[1]

Sykes was found dead at his home on December 8, 2025, aged 71.[1] Police arrived and found him injured,[6] with "critical injuries consistent with stabbing". Paramedics pronounced him dead.[6] The Los Angeles Times reported that according to the police, Sykes had been stabbed by his son, Micah. Sykes' wife, Cecelia, initially reported the incident as an assault, and told investigators that Micah had a history of mental illness, although according to the Times, investigators had not determined at that point whether this played a role in Sykes' killing. Micah was arrested without incident and charged on suspicion of homicide.[1][15][16]

Recordings

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Quinton, Gavin J.; D’Zurilla, Christie (December 9, 2025). "Jubilant Sykes, acclaimed baritone, fatally stabbed by son at home in Santa Monica, police say". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on December 9, 2025. Retrieved December 17, 2025.
  2. ^ Ayanwola, Wasiu (December 15, 2025). "Tragic End for Grammy-Nominated Opera Star Jubilant Sykes: Son Arrested for Murder". Lagos Television. Retrieved December 16, 2025.
  3. ^ a b c d Epstein, Benjamin (December 13, 1996). "Singer's Not Jubilant in Name Alone". Los Angeles Times.
  4. ^ a b c Norris, Michele (December 16, 2002). "A Jubilant Voice: Classically Trained Singer Jubilant Sykes, in the Spotlight". National Public Radio.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Kramer McGinnis, Kelsie (December 16, 2025). "Killed: Acclaimed Gospel Vocalist Jubilant Sykes". Christianity Today. Retrieved December 16, 2025.
  6. ^ a b c d e Cain, Siam (December 10, 2025). "Jubilant Sykes' son arrested after Grammy-nominated opera singer stabbed to death". The Guardian. Retrieved October 13, 2025.
  7. ^ Tommasini, Anthony (October 26, 2008). "Music Review: The Bernstein Mass Project". New York Times.
  8. ^ "Baritone Jubilant Sykes has Died in Fatal Stabbing". Violin Channel. December 12, 2025.
  9. ^ "Parkening cont". Portsmouth Daily Times. pp. A8.
  10. ^ Suskin, Steven (June 28, 2002). Broadway Yearbook 2000-2001: A Relevant and Irreverent Record. Oxford University Press. p. 136. ISBN 978-0-19-534815-6.
  11. ^ Hugill, Robert (February 2010). "Leonard Bernstein (1918 – 1990) / Mass (1971)". musicweb-international.com. Retrieved December 16, 2025.
  12. ^ a b "Bernstein Mass". Naxos Records. 2009. Archived from the original on December 8, 2015. Retrieved June 13, 2011.
  13. ^ Wright, Leslie (December 2009). "Leonard Bernstein (1918 – 1990) / Mass (1971)". musicweb-international.com. Retrieved December 16, 2025.
  14. ^ "Son arrested after Grammy-nominated singer Jubilant Sykes is stabbed to death at California home". Associated Press. December 9, 2025. Retrieved December 10, 2025.
  15. ^ Hylton, Chelsea (December 9, 2025). "Son of Grammy-nominated singer Jubilant Sykes arrested in father's killing at Santa Monica home, police say". MSN . Retrieved December 9, 2025.
  16. ^ Kurzweil, Tony (December 9, 2025). "Grammy-nominated singer stabbed to death in Santa Monica, son arrested". KTLA5. Retrieved December 9, 2025.
  17. ^ a b c d Jubilant Sykes at AllMusic
  18. ^ Black Diaspora. Black Diaspora Communications. 1998. p. 64.
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