"One of the most eloquently communicative tenors on the scene today"
-THE BALTIMORE SUN
“…’Reiner Geist, lass doch mein Herz,’ …a beautiful work that shows more than a touch of Italian opera influence. Much less celebratory than the surrounding Bach cantatas, the piece in this performance owed much to Phan, who was a phenomenal soloist. His legato was unshakeable…“. – San Francisco Chronicle
“Nicholas Phan is a fine protagonist, steering this provocative course between cantata and musical theatre. His fervent, crystalline diction fuels the revolution, not that the electrically democratic Palaver Strings are short of ideas. Phan gives Farayi Malek the final word, and it’s a soulful call to action”
“…[Phan] opened the evening with “Comfort ye,” not only comforting but also smiting with his expressiveness. In “Every valley shall be exalted” he gave a virtual a master class in how to sing a melisma…”
Already recognized with three previous Grammy nominations, tenor NICHOLAS PHAN received two more this season…
“…tenor Nicholas Phan, who gave a stunning concert of solo Baroque vocal music with the Bach Collegium San Diego (BCSD) directed by Ruben Valenzuela this past weekend…Phan’s elegant phrasing, pellucid German, and resonant vocal sonority combined with the customary panache of BCSD could not have been more rewarding…”
“This week our Classical Californian will be acclaimed tenor Nicholas Phan, who’s also an educator and musical curator. He’s the Artistic Director and co-founder of Collaborative Art Institutes of Chicago (CAIC), and for the past decade or so has made San Francisco his home…”
Nicholas Phan is nominated for Best Classical Solo Voice Album. This is his 3rd nomination. The work is a composition called "Stranger" and it was written by modern composer Nico Muhly.
CBS News Bay Area interviewed Nicholas at the renowned Skywalker Sound in Marin County…
…The three of us connected over Zoom last month to discuss the genesis and reception of Stranger, the questions around identity and immigration which lie at the heart of the piece…
“…’Reiner Geist, lass doch mein Herz,’ …a beautiful work that shows more than a touch of Italian opera influence. Much less celebratory than the surrounding Bach cantatas, the piece in this performance owed much to Phan, who was a phenomenal soloist. His legato was unshakeable…“. – San Francisco Chronicle
“Nicholas Phan is a fine protagonist, steering this provocative course between cantata and musical theatre. His fervent, crystalline diction fuels the revolution, not that the electrically democratic Palaver Strings are short of ideas. Phan gives Farayi Malek the final word, and it’s a soulful call to action”
“…[Phan] opened the evening with “Comfort ye,” not only comforting but also smiting with his expressiveness. In “Every valley shall be exalted” he gave a virtual a master class in how to sing a melisma…”
“…tenor Nicholas Phan, who gave a stunning concert of solo Baroque vocal music with the Bach Collegium San Diego (BCSD) directed by Ruben Valenzuela this past weekend…Phan’s elegant phrasing, pellucid German, and resonant vocal sonority combined with the customary panache of BCSD could not have been more rewarding…”
"...it was the performers’ artistic approach that truly created the intimacy. Phan can color his voice endlessly, and while there’s power when he wants it, he’s far more likely to lure you in with a thousand degrees of soft singing..."
American tenor Nicholas Phan won the 2025 Grammy® Award for Best Opera Recording for his starring role on the world premiere recording of Kaija Saariaho’s Adriana Mater. This was his fifth Grammy® Award nomination and his first win...