Biography

American tenor Jason Rylander has been praised by the Washington Post for his “strong, clear tenor” and for performances that “coupled sonorous warmth and emotional depth.” 

Notable 2012-13 solo engagements include Bach’s Christmas Oratorio with the New Dominion Chorale, Handel’s Messiah with the Choir and Orchestra of the Church of the AscensiAmerican tenor on and St. Agnes, Haydn’s Mass in Time of War with the Harford Choral Society, a recital of French and German songs at the Amherst Chamber Music Series, a concert of English lute songs with noted lutenist Howard Bass, and works of Bach, Carissimi, and Monteverdi at the Winchester Bach Festival.

 

Highlights of the 2011-2012 season included solo appearances in Bach's Cantata 167 with the Washington Bach Consort, Handel's Messiah with the Choir and Orchestra of the Church of the Ascension and St. Agnes in Washington, D.C., Monteverdi's Vespers of 1640 with the Green Mountain Project in New York and Boston, and Bach's Cantatas 182, 130, and 149 with the Baltimore Bach Concert Series.  He also joined the chorus of Handel's L'Allegro, il Penseroso, ed il Moderato with the Mark Morris Dance Group at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts under the direction of Jane Glover.  

Previous solo engagements have included the Mozart and Salieri Requiems with Bach Sinfonia (review), Bach Cantatas 162, 182, and 31 with the Washington Bach Consort, Bach Cantata 106 with the Norfolk Chamber Consort, Bach's Third Cantata for Christmas with the Baltimore Bach Concert Series, and Monteverdi Vespers of 1610 with the Countertop Ensemble and the Orchestra of the 17th Century.  Jason has also appeared with the New Dominion Chorale, Washington Summer Sings, National Men’s Chorus, Virginia Glee Club, Friday Morning Music Club and numerous D.C. area chorales in such works as the Bach Magnificat, Britten's Rejoice in the Lamb, and Haydn’s Creation and St. Cecilia Mass.

On the opera stage, Jason appeared as Pitho in the 2012 Amherst Early Music Festival's production of Der Geduldige Socrates and as Giove and Vecchia in the Queens College Baroque Opera Project's staging of Luigi Rossi's Orfeo.  He has also performed with Opera Lafayette, The In Series, Opera Belcantanti, Summer Opera Theatre Company, the Washington Savoyards, Crittenden Opera Studio, and The Arlington Players. Past roles include: Kaspar in Amahl and the Night Visitors, 1st Armed Man/2nd Priest in The Magic Flute, Don Fernando de Gomez in La Perichole, and Ralph Rackstraw in H.M.S. Pinafore. 

An accomplished ensemble singer, Jason performs regularly with the Bach Sinfonia, Washington Bach Consort, Cathedra, the Washington National Cathedral Choir of Men and Boys, and the Pro Core of the Cathedral Choral Society.  He has appeared with the Woodley Ensemble and the Countertop Ensemble.  With the Bach Sinfonia, he has recorded the Bach Motets (Dorian 2010) and works of Carissimi (Jeptha), Biber, and Rossi (Dorian 2009).

He has studied and performed at the Queens College Baroque Opera Workshop (2012), the International Baroque Institute at Longy (2011), the Amherst Early Music Winter Workshop (2011 and 2012), and the Tafelmusik Baroque Summer Institute (2010).  Jason resides in Arlington, Virginia. To contact him click here

2012-2013 Season

Kings and Commoners
Bach, Blow, Boyce, Handel, Gibbons
Washington Bach Consort
J. Reilly Lewis, conducting
September 23, 2012 3:00 p.m.
National Presbyterian Church
Washington, DC

Haydn: Creation 
National Cathedral Choir
Michael McCarthy, conducting
September 29, 2012 5:00 p.m.
Washington National Cathedral
Washington, DC 

Winchester Bach/Handel Festival
Music of Bach, Carissimi, Monteverdi, & Purcell
with Third Practice (one-on-part ensemble)
October 19-20, 2012
Shenandoah Conservatory
Winchester, VA

Great Glad Tidings
Advent, Christmas and New Years' Eve Cantatas
Washington Bach Consort
J. Reilly Lewis, conducting
December 1, 2012 5:00 p.m.
National Presbyterian Church
Washington, DC

Bach: Cantata BWV 62
Washington Bach Consort
J. Reilly Lewis, conducting
December 4, 2012 12:10 p.m.
Church of the Epiphany
Washington, DC

A Palestrina Christmas
Chantry
David Taylor, conducting
December 8, 2012 8:00 p.m.
St. Mary Mother of God Catholic Church
Washington, DC

Bach: Christmas Oratorio (in English)
New Dominion Chorale
Thomas Beveridge, conducting
December 9, 2012 4:00 p.m.
Rachel M. Schlesinger Concert Hall and Arts Center
Alexandria, VA
Jason Rylander, tenor soloist

A Palestrina Christmas
Chantry
David Taylor, conducting
December 15, 2012 8:00 p.m.
St. Bernadette's Catholic Church
Silver Spring, MD

Félicien David: Lalla Roukh
Opera Lafayette
January 26, 2013 8:00 p.m.
John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
Washington, DC

Félicien David: Lalla Roukh
Opera Lafayette
January 31, 2013 7:30 p.m.
Rose Theater, Lincoln Center
New York, NY

Miserere (Allegri, Josquin, Monte, Savonarola, and Schein)
Chantry
David Taylor, conducting
February 9, 2012 8:00 p.m.
St. Mary Mother of God Catholic Church
Washington, DC

Miserere (Allegri, Josquin, Monte, Savonarola, and Schein)
Chantry
David Taylor, conducting
February 10, 2012 8:00 p.m.
St. Bernadette's Catholic Church
Washington, DC

Miserere (Allegri, Josquin, Monte, Savonarola, and Schein)
Chantry
David Taylor, conducting
February 16, 2012 8:00 p.m.
Grace and St. Peter's Church
Baltimore, MD
 
Bach for All Seasons
Great Chorales, BWV 651-668
Washington Bach Consort
J. Reilly Lewis, conducting
February 17, 2013 3:00 p.m.
National Presbyterian Church
Washington, DC

Honor and Remembrance
Bach: Der Gerchte kommte um
Schutz: Musikalishes Exequiem
Washington Bach Consort
J. Reilly Lewis, conducting
March 10, 2013 3:00 p.m.
National Presbyterian Church
Washington, DC

Bach: St. John Passion
National Cathedral Choir
Michael McCarthy, conducting
March 24, 2013 4:00 p.m.
Washington National Cathedral
Washington, DC

Bach: Cantata BWV 6
Washington Bach Consort
J. Reilly Lewis, conducting
April 2, 2013 12:10 p.m.
Church of the Epiphany
Washington, DC

Recital - German and French Song (TBD)
April 13, 2013
Middleburg, VA

Recital - German and French Song (TBD)
Amherst County Chamber Music Series
St. Mark's Episcopal Church,
April 14, 2013 4:00 p.m.
Amherst, VA

Bach: B-Minor Mass
Washington Bach Consort
J. Reilly Lewis, conducting
April 28, 2013 3:00 p.m.
National Presbyterian Church
Washington, DC

Bach: Cantata BWV 37
Washington Bach Consort
J. Reilly Lewis, conducting
May 7, 2013 12:10 p.m.
Church of the Epiphany
Washington, DC

Haydn: Pauken Messe
Harford Choral Society
T. Herb Dimmock, conducting
May 11, 2013
St. Matthew Lutheran Church
Bel Air, MD

Byrd and Josquin for Corpus Christi
Chantry
David Taylor, conducting
May 18, 2012 8:00 p.m.
TBA
Washington, DC

Byrd and Josquin for Corpus Christi
Chantry
David Taylor, conducting
May 30, 2012 8:00 p.m.
St. Bernadette's Catholic Church
Silver Spring, MD

2011-2012 Performances

Brahms: Requiem
Cathedra and the Marine Chamber Orchestra
Michael McCarthy, conducting
Sept. 9, 2011 7:30 p.m.
Washington National Cathedral
Washington, DC

Concert for Hope
Cathedra
Michael McCarthy, conducting
Sept. 11, 2011 8:00 p.m.
Washington National Cathedral
Washington, DC
featuring President Barack Obama, Denyce Graves, Patti LaBelle and Alan Jackson

Bach: Cantata 167
Washington Bach Consort
J. Reilly Lewis, conducting
Oct. 4, 2011 12:10 p.m.
Church of the Epiphany
Washington, DC
Jason Rylander, tenor soloist

Bach: Cantata 76
Washington Bach Consort
J. Reilly Lewis, conducting
Nov. 1, 2011 12:10 p.m.
Church of the Epiphany
Washington, DC

East Meets West 
Rachmaninoff and Stravinsky
Cathedra
Michael McCarthy, conducting
Nov. 19, 2011 5:00 p.m.
Washington National Cathedral
Washington, DC

Christmas in Leipzig
Washington Bach Consort
J. Reilly Lewis, conducting
Dec. 4, 2011 3:00 p.m.
National Presbyterian Church
Washington, DC

Bach: Cantata 40
Washington Bach Consort
J. Reilly Lewis, conducting
Dec. 6, 2011 12:10 p.m.
Church of the Epiphany
Washington, DC

Handel: Messiah
Choir of Ascension and St. Agnes with Baroque Orchestra
J. Owen Burdick, conducting
Dec. 18, 2011 4:00 p.m.
Church of Ascension and St. Agnes
Washington, DC
Jason Rylander, tenor soloist

Monteverdi: Vespers 1640

TENET: Green Mountain Project

Scott Metcalfe, conducting

Jan. 3, 2012 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 4, 2012 7:30 p.m.

Church of St. Jean Baptiste

Lexington Ave. at 76th St.

New York, NY

Monteverdi: Vespers 1640

TENET: Green Mountain Project

Scott Metcalfe, conducting

Jan. 7, 2012 7:00 p.m.

St. Paul's Church

Cambridge, MA

Handel: L'Allegro, il Penseroso, ed il Moderato

Mark Morris Dance Group

Washington Bach Consort

Jane Glover, conducting

January 26-28, 2012 7:30 p.m.

John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts

Washington, DC

Bach: Cantata 182
Bach in Baltimore Concert Series
T. Herbert Dimmock, conducting
February 5, 2012 4:00 p.m.
Christ Lutheran Church
701 S. Charles Street
Baltimore, MD
Jason Rylander, tenor 

Bach: Cantata 23
Washington Bach Consort
J. Reilly Lewis, conducting
March 6, 2012 12:10 p.m.
Church of the Epiphany
Washington, DC

Mozart: Requiem
Cathedra
Michael McCarthy, conducting
March 10, 2012 5:00 p.m.
Washington National Cathedral
Washington, DC

Mountainside Baroque
Shakespeare/Tudor Concert
April 15, 2012, 2012 5:00 p.m.
Emmanuel Parish
Cumberland, MD

Heaven on Earth 
Washington Bach Consort
J. Reilly Lewis, conducting
April 29, 2012 3:00 p.m.
National Presbyterian Church
Washington, DC

Bach: Cantata 147
Washington Bach Consort
J. Reilly Lewis, conducting
May 1, 2012 12:10 p.m.
Church of the Epiphany
Washington, DC

Bach: Cantatas 130 and 149 
Bach in Baltimore Concert Series
T. Herbert Dimmock, conducting
June 3, 2012 4:00 p.m.
Christ Lutheran Church
701 S. Charles Street
Baltimore, MD
Jennifer Lynn Waters, soprano
Leneida Crawford, alto
Jason Rylander, tenor
Jason Thoms, bass 

Luigi Rossi's Orfeo (scenes)
Institute for 17th Century Music at Queens College 
Baroque Opera Workshop
Christa Paton and David Ronis, directors
Ellen Hargis, baroque vocal specialist
June 17-23, 2012
Queens College, Flushing, NY
*playing the roles of Vecchia and Giove 

G. Ph. Telemann’s Der Geduldige Socrates (1721) 
Amherst Early Music Festival
Drew Minter, Director
Avi Stein, Music Director 
July 8-15, 2012
Connecticut College, New London, CT
*playing the comic role of Pitho