Biography

Wes Hunter is a tenor, but asks that you please not hold that against him. With a career that spans opera, jazz, musical theatre, and southern gospel, he now performs regularly throughout New England while guiding young artists as a teacher, director, and coach. Originally a French horn player, Hunter’s "drama, heart, and shining tone" prove him to be a charismatic interpreter of both standard repertoire and new works. His voice is featured on the Grammy-nominated recording of Norman Dello Joio’s The Trial at Rouen as one of the “Trio of Heavenly Voices” with the Boston Modern Orchestra Project. 

Hunter’s engagements carried him to such esteemed venues as The Kennedy Center with the National Symphony Orchestra, Boston’s Symphony Hall with The Boston Pops, New England Conservatory’s Jordan Hall with Odyssey Opera and the Boston Modern Orchestra Project, The Cathedral of the Holy Cross in Boston, MA, and New York City’s The Green Room with his self-produced cabaret. His recurring solo repertoire includes Mozart’s Requiem and Mass in C minor, Handel’s Messiah, Britten’s Rejoice in the Lamb, and Bach’s B minor Mass. As an interpreter of new works, Hunter has worked with such names as Heather Buck, Nico Muhly, Beth Morrison Projects, Anthony Roth Constanzo, the International Contemporary Ensemble, Hila Plittman, and Michael Maniaci.

Role highlights include the title character in Rossini's Le Comte Ory with Lowell House Opera, Oronte in Handel's Alcina with Opera del West, Gastone in Verdi's La Traviata with Southern Vermont Lyric Theatre, the workshop of Julian Wachner's Rev 23 with Beth Morrison Projects, and Laurie in Adamo's Little Women with MassOpera. Hunter also premiered the role of Eugene in the The Body Politic by New York composer Leo Hurley with Juventas New Music Ensemble.

Since 2016, Hunter has dedicated much time and energy performing with and edifying local arts organizations such as MassOpera, Boston Opera Collaborative, and Opera Untapped (formerly Opera on Tap Boston) to arouse a passion for classical vocal music in new audiences throughout New England. Additional performing credits include covering Don Ramiro in La Cenrentola with Boston Midsummer Opera, Gastone (cover) in La Traviata with Sarasota Opera, Count Almaviva (cover) in Rossini's Il Barbiere di Siviglia with Boston Midsummer Opera, Goro (cover) in Madama Butterfly with Martina Arroyo's Prelude to Performance, and Monostatos in Mozart's Die Zauberflöte with Raylynmor Opera.

Hunter received his B.M. in Vocal Performance and a M.M. in Opera Performance from The University of Maryland, College Park and  The Boston Conservatory, respectively. He currently serves multiple roles as the Music Director at St. Paul’s Universalist Church in Palmer, MA, a voice teacher/coach at both The Hanover Conservatory and Deerfield Academy, and as full-time music instructor at the Berkshire Hills Music Academy, an organization supporting adult musicians living with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Outside of performing, practicing, and teaching, Hunter spends much time staring at — and speaking to — his overwhelming collection of houseplants.