Biography
Mr. Jensen was the featured baritone soloist with the Redlands Symphony throughout their 2018–2019 season, performing the role of Bob Cratchit, along with several cameo roles, in a semi-staged production of Bob Christianson's A Christmas Carol: The Concert, and as the bass soloist in the Symphony's performance of Bach's Magnificat. He was the guest baritone soloist of the San Diego Festival Chorus in their presentation of Gounod's St. Cecilia Mass, and of the Pass Chorale in their performance of Fauré's Requiem.
More recently, Mr. Jensen has performed with Opera Carolina, including as part of the inaugural season of their Resident Company program. Mr. Jensen has also performed with the Music Academy of the West, Opera Santa Barbara, Nickel City Opera (Buffalo), Lyric Opera of Orange County, Independent Opera Company (Los Angeles), Redlands Opera Theatre, Intimate Opera Company (Pasadena), Musica Viva (Redlands), Santa Barbara Symphony, Santa Barbara Choral Society, Santa Barbara Master Chorale, and other companies.
Roles in Mr. Jensen's vocabulary range from the comic Guglielmo, Count Almaviva, Gianni Schicchi, and Sulpice; to the tragic Zurga, Escamillo, and Rigoletto; to the diabolical Barnaba. His range extends into operetta, including the Pirate King, Edwin, Ben; and into musical theatre with Lancelot, the Phantom, Raoul, and Rapunzel's Prince.
He has made several appearances with Independent Opera Company, singing roles such as Mercutio and Prince Gremin. For several years, he was a resident artist with Redlands Opera Theatre, where his interpretations of Melchior, Masetto, and many Gilbert and Sullivan characters were received with high praise. Mr. Jensen was a guest soloist at the C.S. Lewis Foundation's 2014 Oxbridge conference in England, during which he performed in historic churches such as King's College Chapel, St. John's Chapel, Magdalen College Chapel, and Ely Catheral. While attending the State University of New York at Buffalo, Mr. Jensen sang with Nickel City Opera.
Mr. Jensen has worked with Stephen Schwartz and students of the Music Academy of the West during a reading of Seance on a Wet Afternoon, an opera commissioned of Mr. Schwartz by Opera Santa Barbara and premiered during their 2009–10 season. He performed in the Academy's 2009 Summer Festival opera production of Thomas' Mignon, and in their 2008 Festival production of Thomas Bolcom's A Wedding.
From 2007 to 2009, Mr. Jensen sang with the Santa Barbara Choral Society, the resident chorus of Santa Barbara's historic Granada Theater, including several appearances of the Society with the Santa Barbara Symphony and the choir's 2008 production of Carl Orff's Carmina Burana with world premiere choreography performed by State Street Ballet. He has also sung with the Santa Barbara Master Chorale.
While attending Westmont College he sang with chamber and choral ensembles, both as a soloist and chorus member. He later returned to sing in various staged performances, such as their production of Stephen Sondheim's Into the Woods and several opera scenes workshops and other recitals.
As a youth, Mr. Jensen played leading roles in numerous community theatrical productions, sang with community choirs, and contributed to the composition and performance of an original piece in Santa Barbara's Lobero Theater. He also acted in MGM's 1996 film House Arrest.
Mr. Jensen holds a Master of Arts in Music Theory from the State University of New York at Buffalo and a Bachelor of Arts in Music from Westmont College, where he also studied ballroom dancing and fencing.
