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Jay Carter has a reputation as one of the nation’s finest countertenors. A frequent collaborator with both period and modern ensembles, he is recognized as a leading interpreter of late Baroque repertoire and has been lauded for his luminous tone, stylish interpretations, and clarion delivery. Though a specialist in the earlier repertoire, Carter has premiered modern works by John Tavener, Augusta Read Thomas, Chester Alwes, and Anthony Maglione. As an avid recitalist he presents works from outside the standard countertenor repertory including works by Schumann, Poulenc, Wolf, and Howells. 

I​n recent seasons he has appeared with acclaimed conductors Nicholas McGegan, Ton Koopman, John Butt, John Scott, and Matthew Halls. Highlights include Bach’s Weinachtsoratorium with Maasaki Suzuki and the Bach Collegium Japan on a U.S. tour, Vivaldi arias and Gloria with Nicholas McGegan and the Saint Louis Symphony, and Bach’s Johannespassion with Daniel Hyde and the Choir of Men and Boys at St. Thomas Church, New York City. In addition to concert appearances he serves as a primary soloist annually with the Portland, Maine-based Bach Virtuosi Festival alongside faculty artists from Juilliard, Eastman, and Yale. 

As a scholar and clinician, Carter frequently presents masterclasses and lecture recitals for colleges, universities, and presenting organizations throughout the United States. He has almost two decades of experience in higher education, focusing intently on student-centered and career-centered studio work that is applicable to solo and ensemble work. He holds a Doctor of Musical Arts: Performance degree from the University of Missouri–Kansas City Conservatory of Music and a Master of Music degree from the Yale School of Music and Institute of Sacred Music where he was a pupil of Simon Carrington, Judith Malafronte, and James Taylor. He received his undergraduate degree from William Jewell College (Liberty, MO) where he studied with Arnold Epley. He most recently served on the voice faculty of Westminster Choir College in Lawrenceville, NJ and the UMKC Conservatory in Kansas City, MO. 

He and his wife (and their much-loved goldendoodle) are newly empty nesters and live in Liberty, MO.