Tenor Richard Heard is swiftly taking his place in the top ranks among the new, young generation of concert singers. A regional finalist of the Metropolitan Opera Auditions, he was a 1998 finalist in the American Traditions Competition, and received the 1997 Niecamp Award for Excellence in Singing at the Institute for Advance Vocal Studies in Paris, France.

A graduate of Southern Methodist University and the University of California, Mr. Heard made his operatic debut at the Aspen Music Festival and has since won praise for his characterizations of leading tenor roles in Italian bel canto opera. His performance of Nemorino in Donizetti's L'Elisir d'amore was pronounced "...clear, strong, and effortless. He drew the most sustained applause of the evening when he unleashed his full power..." (Press Citizen, Iowa City).

As a concert singer, Mr. Heard has been engaged by orchestras across the western, mid-western, and southern regions of the United States, specializing in the works of Bach, Handel, Haydn, and Mozart. His orchestral performances include Handel's Messiah with the Lake Charles Symphony, Mozart's Requiem with the Winston-Salem Piedmont Triad Symphony, and Beethoven's Ninth Symphony with the Dallas Symphony and Wake Forest University's Beethoven Festival. Mr. Heard's recital appearances include Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Southern Methodist University, Winston-Salem State University, Bennett College, Southwest Missouri State University and North Carolina A&T University.

Mr. Heard made his European debut in 1994 performing concerts in Merzig, Emden and Berlin. In the summer of 1996 he made his debut with Orquesta Sinfonica Nacional in Costa Rica performing the role of Remus in Scott Joplin's Treemonisha. This season Richard Heard will appear with Salisbury Symphony, Piedmont Chamber Singers, Charlotte Repertory Orchestra, and Grinnell College Artist Series. Mr. Heard is currently Assistant Professor of Music at Wake Forest University.