Royce Blackburn's versatile baritone voice has been heard on opera, musical theater, and concert stages throughout the United States.  He has received praise for his intelligent musicianship and dynamic stage presence in a wide variety of roles from the traditional repertoire to the Avant Garde.  He includes Papageno in Mozart's The Magic Flute, Grandier in the American premiere of Penderecki’s The Devils of Loudun, Frederic in Stephen Sondheim's A Little Night Music, and the title role in Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi. In keeping with his love for contemporary repertoire he has sung the roles of Beaumarchais in Corigliano's The Ghosts of Versailles, Chou en lai in Adams's Nixon in China, and has given the world premiere of the song cycle, Township 55 North by Michael Wittgraf. As an oratorio soloist he has sung works from the baroque to the contemporary including Bach's Magnificat, Haydn's The Seasons, Brahms's A German Requiem, and Britten's Saint Nicolas Mass. Royce has a been a guest artist with the Lafayette Bach Chorale Singers, the Christ Church Cathedral Choir in Indianapolis, IN, Western Plains Opera, Abilene Opera, the Greater Grand Forks Symphony Orchestra, the Grand Forks Master Chorale, the Ashlawn-Highland Opera Festival, and the Astoria Music Festival in Astoria, Oregon. Dr. Blackburn also has presented his research at national and international symposia such as the The Singing Network in St. John’s, Newfoundland, the National Association of Teachers of Singing national convention, and Regional CMS conventionscovering a wide variety of subjects as the work of Dominick Argento, continuing education for voice teachers, and effective ways to train rural students.

Dr. Blackburn is currently a Visiting Assistant Professor at the University of Iowa where he teaches Applied Voice, Vocal Literature, and Musical Theatre Workshop. His students have sung with professional opera companies across America and have won prizes in regional and national competitions including regional finalists in the Metropolitan Opera Auditions and Music Teachers’ National Association. He served as Chair of the Department of Music for the University of North Dakota and two terms as President of the North Dakota chapter of the National Association of Teachers of Singing. Dr. Blackburn earned his Bachelor’s degree in music education from the University of Texas at Arlington, his Master's degree in Vocal Performance from the University of North Texas and his Doctorate of Music degree in Vocal Performance from the renowned Indiana University School of Music where he studied with Giorgio Tozzi.