Arnold Rawls

Arnold Rawls (tenor) is a native of West Monroe, Louisiana. Dr. Rawls is a graduate of Oklahoma Baptist University (BM-Sacred Music & BME), Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (MA) and the University of Oklahoma (DMA). He served as minister of at First Baptist Church, Ada Oklahoma and at Spring Creek Baptist Church in Oklahoma City. He has been active as a handbell specialist for the past fifteen years. He has led handbell workshops and vocal/choral clinics in Illinois, Louisiana, Oklahoma, North Carolina, New Mexico, Texas, Colorado, Florida, New York, and Mississippi. His wife, Julie, holds a Ph.D. in Music Education and is Director of Music Ministries at Palos Park Presbyterian Church, Palos Park, IL. Drs. Arnold and Julie Rawls are the proud parents of a son, Graham, and a daughter, Madison.

In addition to his teaching and church music experience, Dr. Rawls has been active as a professional singer. He has been praised for possessing a "powerful voice", "thrilling head tones", and "a fine grasp of technique and musical fluency." Dr. Rawls has delighted audiences with his unique combination of vocal and dramatic skills in performances ranging from art song to opera.
 
Most recently Dr. Rawls has appeared with Opera Omaha as Calaf (Turandot) and with Nashville Opera as Alfred (Die Fledermaus). Summer 2005 was spent with Sante Fe Opera involved in their production of Turandot. Fall 2005 began his debut season with the Lyric Opera of Chicago in their production of Manon Lescaut and he returns next season in their production of Turandot. Following his portrayal of Radames (Aida) with the Arkansas Symphony, Rawls made his international debut in Bregenz, Austria as Manrico (Il Trovatore) in July and August 2006.  He joins Florida Grand Opera in Miami for Radames (Aida) this fall and sings the role of Standing Bear in the world premiere of Anthony Davis' Wakonda's Dream for Opera Omaha in March of 2007.
 
Dr. Rawls has portrayed Dick Johnson in La fanciulla del west (Utah Festival Opera), Bacchus in Ariadne auf Naxos (Arizona Opera), Calaf in Turandot (Opera Omaha, Des Moines Metro Opera, Nevada Opera, Pensacola Opera, Beloit Janesville Symphony, Opera Southwest, Mobile Opera, Arkansas Symphony), Turiddu in Cavalleria Rusticana (Pine Mountain Music Festival), Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly (Opera Southwest, Opera Theatre of Highland Park), Manrico in Il Trovatore (Teatro Lirico, Elmhurst Symphony, Opera Southwest), Alfredo in La Traviata (Natchez Opera Festival), Canio in I Pagliacci (Opera Theatre of Highland Park) and Don José in Carmen (Madison Opera, DuPage Symphony. Dona Ana Lyric Opera).
 
In addition to his operatic appearances, Dr. Rawls has performed Mozart's Requiem, Handel's Messiah, Rossini's Stabat Mater, Schumann's Requiem and Puccini's Messa di Gloria. Recently, he sang the Verdi Requiem with the Lake Charles Symphony and Southwest Missouri State University, as well as the Beethoven Symphony No. 9 in San Ramon, California, St. Charles, Illinois, and West Suburban Symphony-Chicago.
 
Dr. Rawls is a former voice student of the late Metropolitan Opera soprano Margaret Kalil and baritone Sean Daniel.  He currently studies with Gianna Rolandi and Eric Weimer in Chicago. He has enjoyed serving on the executive board of the Oklahoma Choral Directors Association and membership in the American Choral Directors Association, Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, Music Educators National Conference, American Guild of English Handbell Ringers and the Southern Baptist Church Music Conference. He has also served a four-year term as a member of the Board of Trustees at Oklahoma Baptist University, Shawnee, Oklahoma. He is under the artistic management of Mirshak Artists of New York.