Tenor Robert Petillo specializes in concert and oratorio works of the 17th and 18th centuries. His skill with recitative makes him sought after as the Evangelist (narrator) in musical settings of the Passion of Christ, from those of Schuetz and Theile in the 1500s to the 18th-century masterpieces of J.S. Bach and Telemann. He has soloed frequently along the eastern seaboard for the past 30 years, particularly with Washington’s many choral ensembles, including the Washington Bach Consort, Folger Consort, Master Chorale of Washington, Cathedral Choral Society, Choralis, National Philharmonic Chorale, New Dominion Chorale, Cantate Chamber Singers, Fairfax Choral Society, City Choir of Washington, and Alexandria Choral Society. He also has appeared regularly in Charlottesville and Lexington with the Oratorio Society of Virginia and the Rockbridge Oratorio Society, and performed in 2009 with the Princeton Pro Musica. Robert Petillo was called “one of our most eloquent Handelian tenors” by New Yorker critic Andrew Porter, for his many oratorio roles in the Maryland Handel Festival under the baton of Paul Traver. He has twice been a soloist with Venice’s Accademia di San Rocco orchestra, and been soloist for two tours of Germany with the Washington Bach Consort. His appearance as Jupiter (Handel’s Semele) at the Halle Handelfest received acclaim in the German press. He has been a soloist and clinician for the California State University Bach Festival, and for several "Bach And The Baroque" performances at the University of Pittsburgh, notably for one of the first U.S. performances of the St. Matthew Passion by C.P.E. Bach., and for an American premiere of a St. Matthew Passion setting by Telemann. A co-founder with Dale Voelker of The Washington Kantorei chamber chorus in 1994, he has been a co-editor with Dr. Voelker of many of the Telemann works given their modern premiere by the ensemble, which presents the baroque masters alongside modern composers. Robert Petillo is featured on the Washington Bach Consort’s recording of Bach’s German Masses and on an Arsis recording of Frank Ferko’s Hildegard von Bingen motets. He has made two recordings of 20’s and 30’s popular music with “syncopated piano” virtuoso Alex Hassan, with whom he has concertized here and at England’s Aldeburgh festival. Recent engagements included a recital at the Cosmopolitan Club in Philadelphia, and another at Longwood Gardens. A member of The United States Army Chorus since 1986, Sgt. Major Petillo is their Senior Soloist and Historian. A soloist on numerous recordings produced by The U.S. Army Band, he is featured on the CD "A Hero For Today," and is a soloist on their new recording of arrangements by Joseph Wilcox Jenkins. In his career with The United States Army Band, he has sung for all living and former presidents since Jimmy Carter, for our military leaders, for visiting dignitaries in over 30 languages, and for millions of Americans from coast to coast, both live and on national television. He studied music at Rutgers University and at the University of Maryland, where he completed his doctorate. HOME