John Hines, bass, known to Russian audiences as “The American Chaliapin” (Oreol-TV, Saint Petersburg, Russia) for his compelling interpretation of beloved Russian romances and operatic arias, has performed to great acclaim in the palaces and concert halls of St. Petersburg, Russia and outlying regions.  In 2009 Hines performed Schubert’s Winterreise in the St. Petersburg State Academic Capella—the first to perform this work in the Capella since Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau 60 years prior.  In May 2010 he returned by invitation, in celebration of the 200th anniversary of the birth of Robert Schumann, to perform as bass soloist in the composer’s rarely performed Requiem Mass with the State Academic Capella Chorus and Orchestra under the direction of Maestro Alexander Chernushenko.  Future Russian tour performances (May/June 2011) promise to include his concert debut in Rachmaninov Hall at the famed Tchaikovsky Conservatory of Music in Moscow. 

In addition to maintaining an active concert schedule, Hines has also performed with opera companies throughout the United States.  His most recent operatic credits include performances of the role of Sarastro in Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte, Bonze in Madame Butterfly and the roles of Hunding and Wotan in excerpts from Richard Wagner’s Die Walküre.
 
Hines is originally from New Washington, Ohio.  He earned his Bachelor of Music degree in music education from Heidelberg College (today, Heidelberg University) in Tiffin, Ohio.  As a student at the American Institute of Musical Studies in Graz, Austria he worked extensively with Bard Suverkrop (Dusseldorf Opera), Andrew White (Cincinnati Conservatory of Music) and Nico Castel (Metropolitan Opera), before entering the graduate program at Indiana University where he studied with Carlos Montané, Dale Moore and the legendary heldentenor, James King.  Hines completed his Master of Music degree at Kent State University and several years later earned his doctoral degree at the Shenandoah University Conservatory of Music in Winchester, Virginia where he was once again reunited with Bard Suverkrop for his vocal studies.

Dr. Hines resides in Cedar Falls, IA with his wife and two children where he is an Associate Professor of Voice and Chair of the Vocal Division at the University of Northern Iowa’s School of Music.