Gates of Justice Soloists
Lori
Hicks
Soprano
Dr. Lori Celeste Hicks has had a diverse career ranging from classical singer to composer, vocal coach,
professor, public speaker, director, arts administrator, and entrepreneur. She has moved audiences
with her warm voice, magnetic personality, spiritual arrangements and soulful compositions. With over
17 years of experience in Higher Education, Dr. Hicks has held positions such as voice and opera
professor at Claflin University, Chair of Performing Arts at Kentucky State University, and Director of
Opera at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. A native of Detroit, Michigan, Dr. Hicks holds a
Bachelors of Music Education from Kentucky State University, a Masters of Music from Bowling Green
State University, and a Doctorate of Musical Arts from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.
Her training, research, and passion have allowed Dr. Hicks to embark upon numerous projects in the
areas of Black Music and African American Repertoire. Her lecture workshop, “From The Black Church
To The Opera Stage: Transforming Students from the Gospel Belt to The Classical Sound” presented at
the 2018 National Association Of Teachers of Singing (NATS) National Conference. Her recital series,
“Music of My Voice: A Portrayal of the African American Experience through Classical Music: In Stage,
Song, and Spirit” is a multimedia presentation of songs and arias by black composers which continues to
be performed at universities and churches all over.
Dr. Hicks has performed title roles with several opera companies such as Arbor Opera, La Musica Lirica, Asheville Opera, and Opera Theater of Pittsburgh where she debuted as Bess in Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess in 2009. Her debut CD, “Music Of My Voice” released In 2014, is a collection of spirituals and songs all composed, arranged, and performed by Dr. Hicks. 2011 marked a pivotal year for Dr. Hicks, becoming the youngest composer commissioned by the Negro Spiritual Scholarship Foundation (NSSF), and making her much-anticipated Carnegie Hall debut, singing Robert Ray’s Gospel Mass. Since, she has returned to the Carnegie Hall stage with the EXIGENCE vocal ensemble and the SPHINX Virtuosi.
Jason
McKinney
Bass - Baritone
Jason S. McKinney, a bass-baritone from Milwaukee, WI, graduated from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. His musical journey began at Hillel Academy, where he also learned the Albert system clarinet with the Boys and Girls Club, and continued instrumental study at Whitefish Bay High School. With a distinguished career, he has premiered works by various composers worldwide and performed at prestigious venues across the US and Europe, embodying opera roles ranging from the charismatic Don Giovanni to the powerful Porgy.
Renowned for his versatility, McKinney is celebrated as a quick study, often stepping in as a last-minute replacement with aplomb. As a concert soloist, he has been featured with orchestras across continents. Beyond opera, McKinney's repertoire extends to genres from early music to jazz. Currently, he serves as Music Director and Cantorial Soloist for Temple Emanuel in Winston-Salem.
In addition to his work in music, McKinney is a composer, author, and playwright, bringing historical figures to life through original works about Paul Robeson and Frederick Douglass. His commitment to historical storytelling extends to his portrayals of Abraham Lincoln, Daniel Webster, Malcolm X, and Martin Luther King Jr., roles he has performed in theatrical productions as well as in concert settings with orchestra. These performances blend spoken word with symphonic and choral works, creating powerful musical narratives that honor these pivotal figures in American history.
He is also the co-author of the biographical nonfiction children's picture book, *Jason Belongs*, scheduled for release by Kar-Ben Publications in November 2025, co-authored with Audrey Ades.
McKinney takes great pride in his family, whose members work tirelessly for the common good in various fields such as the arts, academia, athletics, sciences, law, politics, journalism, finance, healthcare, and community engagement. His dedication to community service is evident in his appointment to and service as Chair of the Human Relations Commission of Winston-Salem, which actively promotes understanding, fair housing, language access, and cultural excellence.
Benjamin
Greenfield
Tenor
Benjamin Greenfield is the Director of Congregational Music and Cantor at Beth Tikvah-B’nai Jeshurun synagogue in suburban Philadelphia He received his training at the Conservatory of Music at Baldwin Wallace University, the Peabody Institute at Johns Hopkins University, and the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College. His favorite operatic roles include Tamino in The Magic Flute, John Proctor in the Robert Ward operatic adaptation of Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, Don Jose in Carmen and Alfredo in La Traviata. Equally at home in the world oratorio, Benjamin has sung the tenor solo in Schubert Mass No. 6 in E-flat, Bach Magnificat, Haydn Creation, Haydn Seven Last Words, Mendelssohn Elijah and Handel Messiah. He is overjoyed to join the North Carolina Master Chorale this season for this performance of Dave Brubeck.