Jubilant Sykes


Jubilant Roberto Sykes 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

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

Career

From 1978, he worked for the music section of Grace Community Church. 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. 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.
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.
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. 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.
Sykes performed with guitarist Christopher Parkening and other artists, including Julie Andrews, Josh Groban, Carlos Santana, John Williams, and Brian Wilson. He appeared at such venues as the Deutsche Oper Berlin, Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, the Barbican Centre in London, the Apollo Theater, and the Hollywood Bowl. and other major venues around the world. He performed as a soloist with orchestras conducted by Christoph Eschenbach, Raymond Leppard and Lorin Maazel, including Mahler's Des [Knaben Wunderhorn (Mahler)|songs with orchestra]. In the 1990s, he signed with IMG. He appeared in the 2001 New [York City Center|City Center] Encores! performance of Bloomer Girl as Pompey.
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, with treble Asher Edward Wulfman, the Morgan State University Choir, Peabody Children's Chorus and the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra conducted by Marin Alsop; he shared the nomination with the conductor and album producer Steven Epstein. 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. Sykes was an artistic advisor for Orchestra Santa Monica.

Personal life and death

Sykes and his wife Cecelia had three sons. They lived in Santa Monica.
Sykes was found dead at his home on December 8, 2025, aged 71. Police arrived and found him injured, with "critical injuries consistent with stabbing". Paramedics pronounced him dead. 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.

Recordings