Piano, Voice
Dr. Ashton Denzel Jones is a lyric baritone and choral conductor from Tulsa, Oklahoma. His performance career includes engagements with the Lyric Opera of Chicago in Terence Blanchard's Champion, the Cimarron Opera Company, and the Varna Opera in Bulgaria. Jones has performed notable operatic roles such as Dr. Gregg in Douglas Moore's Gallantry, Masetto in Mozart's Don Giovanni, Bluff in Die Schauspieldirektor, and Monsieur Pandolf in Massenet's Cendrillon. He has also appeared as a soloist with the Fox Valley Symphony Orchestra, Tulsa Signature Symphony, Elgin Symphony Orchestra, and the University of Missouri-Kansas City Choral Union, performing works including Handel's Messiah and Ralph Vaughan Williams' Five Mystical Songs. Jones has appeared as a guest conductor for the Houston Ebony Opera Guild African American Music Gala and Houston Grand Opera's Giving Voice. In addition to his operatic, concert, and conducting work, Dr. Jones has worked extensively in church music for over 15 years, serving as a pianist, organist, and director in various states, including Oklahoma, Texas, Missouri, and Connecticut.
Dr. Jones's teaching experience includes three years in the public school system, where he worked as a voice teacher and choral music educator at the middle and high school levels. Students of Dr. Jones's vocal studio are now continuing their studies at institutions such as Carnegie Mellon University, Wichita State University, and the University of Kansas. Previous appointments include Director of Choirs at Brazosport High School and Freeport Intermediate School and Director of Choral Activities/Assistant Professor of Music at Langston University, where he tripled the size of the university concert choir, achieving great success in a short period.
Jones is an active member of several professional organizations, including the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS), the Texas Choral Directors Association (TCDA), the Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA), and the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA). He is also a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.
Dr. Jones holds a Bachelor of Arts in Vocal Performance with a minor in piano from Texas Southern University, a Master of Music in Classical Voice from the Manhattan School of Music, and a Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) in Vocal Performance with a cognate in Choral Conducting, from the University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory for Music and Dance. Dr. Jones currently serves as Director of Traditional Music at First United Methodist Church, Missouri City, TX, and the Director of Choral Activities at Texas Southern University, where he is dedicated to both preserving and advancing the rich legacy of the choral program while fostering a culture of talent, excellence, and artistic growth.