Dr. Grier Williams School of Music presents Kimberly James, mezzo-soprano

The University of West Florida Dr. Grier Williams School of Music will present mezzo-soprano Kimberly Gratland James on Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2026, at 7:30 p.m. The concert will be held in Rolfs Music Hall at the Center for Fine and Performing Arts on the UWF Pensacola campus. With a tone described as “rich” and “resonant,” and performances noted for vocal strength, nuance, musicality and convincing dramatic portrayals, James enjoys an active performance career in symphonic and operatic venues. 

Recent and upcoming concert performances include a chamber music concert at the Getty Museum in Los Angeles, Handel’s “Judas Maccabeus” with the Master Chorale of Flagstaff, Mahler’s “Symphony No. 2” and “Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen,” songs with the chamber orchestra by Ethyl Smyth with the Great Falls Symphony, and Beethoven’s “Symphony No. 9” with the Classical Music Festival in Austria. She also recently made her Dallas Symphony début as Wellgunde in “Das Rheingold” and “Götterdämmerung.” 

James is equally at home on the operatic stage, most recently performing the lead role of Cecelia in the comic opera “Behold the Man” with Opera Las Vegas. OperaWire called James the “perfect match” for the character: “…from her very first note and through her last, one might say she channeled the voice of Cecilia.” A frequent interpreter of the masterworks from the Baroque to the present, James has sung Verdi’s “Requiem,” Beethoven’s “Symphony No. 9,” Mozart’s “Requiem,” Duruflé’s “Requiem,” Mahler’s “Symphony No. 2,” Mahler’s “Symphony No 8,” Bach’s “St. Matthew Passion,” Bach’s “Magnificat,” Haydn’s “Paukenmesse” and Jenkins’ “The Armed Man.” 

This event is free and open to the public, but tickets are required. For tickets or more information, visit uwf.edu/cfpa or call the CFPA box office at 850.857.6285.