The American bass baritone Kevin Deas, a graduate of The Juilliard School in New York, has received international acclaim for his portrayal of GershwinÂs Porgy in concert performances of Porgy and Bess with the Philadelphia and Montreal symphony orchestras, at the Saratoga Festival, andÂall with Bobby McFerrin conductingÂat the Ravinia Festival, with the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, the Buffalo Philharmonic, the San Francisco Symphony, the Utah Symphony, the National Symphony, the New York Philharmonic, and the Israel Philharmonic orchestras. Some of DeasÂs other notable appearances include MozartÂs Requiem with the Atlanta Symphony; SiegmeisterÂs A Tooth for Paul Revere with the Bronx Arts Ensemble; Dave BrubeckÂs Gates of Justice, at Carnegie Hall; and BrubeckÂs mass To Hope!, in Moscow. In 1992 he made his debut with the Chicago Symphony in a concert version of X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X, by Anthony Davis. Deas has also toured the United States and Europe as the lead vocalist with Riverdance and has appeared at the Spoleto Festival (Italy) in a new production of MenottiÂs Amahl and the Night Visitors in honor of the composerÂs eighty-fifth birthday. Deas has sung in concert performances and for the recording of WagnerÂs Die Meistersinger with the Chicago Symphony under the late Sir Georg Solti, and he has recorded VarÚseÂs Ecuatorial with the ASKO Ensemble under Riccardo Chailly, as well as Dave BrubeckÂs To Hope! with the Cathedral Choral Society. Deas is currently