2025 Harvard Arts Medalist Media Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The Office for the Arts at Harvard announces operatic bass-baritone Davóne Tines '09 as the 2025 Harvard Arts Medalist

CAMBRIDGE, MA—The Office for the Arts at Harvard announces acclaimed operatic bass-baritone Davóne Tines '09 as the recipient of the 2025 Harvard Arts Medal, which will be awarded by Harvard University President Alan M. Garber in a special ceremony 4-5:30pm, Sunday, May 4, 2025, at Lowell Lecture Hall. The ceremony is the final event of the Harvard Arts Festival (previously Harvard ARTS FIRST Festival), the annual celebration of Harvard's vibrant arts community, May 1-4, 2025.  

The Harvard Arts Medal, presented by the OFA and the Board of Overseers, honors a distinguished Harvard or Radcliffe graduate or faculty member who has achieved excellence in the arts and made a significant contribution through their work. At 38, Tines is the youngest Arts Medal recipient since the honor was established in 1975.  

During the Arts Medal ceremony, Tines, who earned dual degrees in music and sociology, will be in conversation with Diane Paulus ‘88, Terrie and Bradley Bloom Artistic Director at American Repertory Theater (A.R.T.), and Harvard College Opera students will perform an operatic welcome. Tines and his core collaborators John Bitoy (pianist) and Khari Lucas (electric bass/sound artist) will also perform a selection of music from Tines’ Robeson recording and his Recital No. 1: MASS project.

“Davóne has reshaped the field of opera, expanding representation, diversifying stories, integrating new music genres, framing opera as a tool for community building and developing a new generation of audiences engaging with opera,” said Fiona Coffey, Director of the Office for the Arts. “For these reasons and more, we look forward to welcoming Davóne back to campus to receive the prestigious Harvard Arts Medal.”

Tines grew up in Orlean, Virginia, where he sang in the local Baptist church and played violin. At Harvard, he concentrated in sociology. After graduation, he worked as an intern at American Repertory Theater and spent two years studying voice at the Juilliard School in New York City. Tines earned international attention in 2016 during a production of Kaija Saariaho’s chamber opera Only the Sound Remains, directed by 2001 Harvard Arts Medalist Peter Sellars ’81 for the Dutch National Opera.  

Tines has since emerged as a compelling force in the world of opera, celebrated for his exceptional vocal talent, innovative artistry and dedication to expanding the boundaries of classical music. He has also been a prominent advocate for anti-racism in the performing arts including the multimedia project Everything That Rises Must Converge with violinist Jennifer Koh.  

Since his professional debut, Tines has collaborated with leading opera houses, orchestras, musicians and others, earning accolades for his performances in traditional and contemporary works. His career highlights include critically acclaimed roles such as the title character in The Black Clown which he co-created at A.R.T., and his riveting performance in the opera Crossing, composed by Matthew Aucoin ‘12 and directed by Paulus. He also was in the premieres of Fire Shut Up in My Bones by Terence Blanchard and Girls of the Golden West by 2007 Harvard Arts Medal recipient John Adams ’69.

“Davóne Tines is an extraordinary talent and profound artist who, like the A.R.T., endeavors to expand boundaries with everything he creates,” said Paulus. “When I first worked with Davóne on Crossing, I was struck not only by the power and virtuosity of his musicianship, but the depth of his artistic inquiry. I am thrilled that his accomplishments are being recognized with the awarding of this year's Harvard Arts Medal.”  

Tines’ commitment to innovation in classical music has also led him to create and perform numerous groundbreaking projects that intersect classical music with social justice themes. As a creator and performer, he has expanded the operatic canon by bringing new works to life, including Vigil, created in response to the killing of Breonna Taylor, and the genre-defying Recital No. 1: MASS, which explores identity and spirituality through diverse musical lenses. Tines’ recent work, Robeson, is a semi-biographical, one-man tribute to the great bass-baritone Paul Robeson.

“It is with the deepest gratitude and humility that I receive the Harvard Arts Medal,” said Tines, whose time as an undergraduate included leadership roles with the Harvard-Radcliffe Orchestra, Harvard-Radcliffe Collegium Musicum, Harvard-Radcliffe Dramatic Club, Harvard College Opera, the Signet Society and many other ensembles and projects.

“At Harvard I began to understand all the parts of the machine and, because of this, have been able to form a deeply rewarding career based on collaboration fueled by the ability to speak multiple languages and translate between beautiful and broad world cultural, historical, technical and artistic practices. It is my hope to model that artists can expand their agency through a simple lifelong process of learning the roles and lives of everyone around them. It all begins with the ever-prescient question: ‘How are you?’”

Throughout his career, Tines has received numerous awards and recognitions, including the prestigious Sphinx Medal of Excellence, which honors extraordinary classical musicians of color, and the Lincoln Center Emerging Artist Award. He was named a 2019 Time Next Generation Leader. His dedication to his craft and his passion for using music as a medium for change have solidified his reputation as a transformative artist and leader in the field.

Admission to the Harvard Arts Medal Ceremony 4-5:30pm, Sunday, May 4, 2025 is free, no tickets required. Open to all. Doors open at 3:30pm.

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The Office for the Arts at Harvard supports student engagement in the arts and integrates the arts into university life. Through its programs and services, the OFA teaches and mentors, fosters student art making, connects students to accomplished artists, commissions new work, and partners with local, national and international constituencies. By supporting the development of students as artists and cultural stewards, the OFA works to enrich society and shape communities in which the arts are a vital part of life. The OFA programming team hosts visits with world-class professional artists who interact with students through a range of educational forums, many open to the public.

Contact: Michaela Morse, Communications Coordinator, Office for the Arts at Harvard