Gylchris Sprauve – Musical citizen of the world

Born in Santurce, Puerto Rico and raised on St. Thomas, Virgin Islands, Gylchris Sprauve enjoys a multi-faceted career as a tenor, pianist, composer, arranger and musicologist. He holds degrees in Vocal Performance from the Universities of Iowa and Maryland, and has also studied at the Mozarteum in Salzburg, Austria. Mr. Sprauve has sung extensively through Brazil, Argentina and the Caribbean. He has also performed in the United Kingdom, Austria, and Italy, and can be seen regularly on the religious TV stations 3ABN and The Hope Channel, singing songs from his CD,  Finish Line.  His love for research led him into musicology. Many of the works unearthed by Mr. Sprauve have been recorded on the Opera Rara label by opera singers such as Jennifer Larmore, Bruce Ford, and others. While residing in the Washington, DC metro area Mr. Sprauve led the Diaspora Concert Series, which was committed to presenting classical singers of African heritage in rare operas from the 19^th-century whose subject matter deals with Black themes. In January 2008, he added one more triumph to his list of dreams come true—the première of his orchestral piece, entitled Even So! by the Puerto Rico Symphony Orchestra. Ever conscious of the struggles of people of African descent in the Americas, Gylchris has dedicated his life to finding ways to reach, inspire and educate young people in these communities, because truly, education is the key to a more fulfilled life. Also a determined student of foreign languages, Mr. Sprauve speaks English, English Creole, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian and French.  In the fall of 2008, he released the Portuguese-language version of Finish Line, entitled No Dia Final. Mr. Sprauve, a proud Virgin Islander (both American and British) is ever seeking ways to positively contribute to the musical heritage of his home, writing and performing music that brings hope, encouragement and the love of God to his listeners.