Laura C. Atkinson (Mezzo-soprano)

Born: Louisville, Kentucky, USA

The American mezzo-soprano, Laura C. Atkinson, earned her bachelor of music education degree with concentration in voice from Maryville College in east Tennessee (2005). She is a recent graduate of the master of music degree program in vocal performance at Yale University (2009). While a student at the Institute of Sacred Music at Yale, she studied with the American lyric tenor, James Taylor. She has also attended master-classes with Rudolph Piernay, Christian Gerhaher, Steven Fox, Andrew Parrott and Delores Ziegler. Upon graduation from the Institute, she was awarded the inaugural Margot Fassler Award for the Excellence in Performance of Sacred Music.

At Yale, Laura C. Atkinson was a member of Yale Schola Cantorum, a vocal ensemble led by Simon Carrington. Recently, as a soloist in this ensemble, she toured J.S. Bach’s B-Minor Mass (BWV 232) throughout China and Korea. With the Yale Baroque Opera Project, she sang the lead role of Medea in Cavalli’s Il Giasone, for which she received favorable review in The New Yorker. This summer, she holds engagements as a soloist at the Oregon Bach Festival’s Discovery Series under the direction of Helmuth Rilling, and as a resident artist at the festival with the Yale Voxtet, led by James Taylor. She will also sing in the Festival Ensemble at the Internationale Bachakademie in Stuttgart, Germany. During her time at Yale, she worked with such distinguished artists as Helmuth Rilling, Nicholas McGegan, Paul Hillier and Stephen Layton. Recent concert engagements include J.S. Bach’s B-Minor Mass (BWV 232) and Weihnachts-Oratorium (BWV 248), various Bach cantatas and Antonio Vivaldi’s Stabat Mater.

“Laura Atkinson made for a refined, restrained Medea.” - Alex Ross, The New Yorker
“Atkinson's ardent tone and expressivity made her solo "Pie Jesu" a major highlight.” - David L. Baker, New Haven Register (Durufle’s Requiem)

Source: Laura C. Atkinson Website
Contributed by Aryeh Oron (September 2009)

Recordings of Bach Cantatas & Other Vocal Works

Conductor

As

Works

Simon Carrington

Alto

BWV 243

Links to other Sites

Laura C. Atkinson - Mezzo-Soprano (Official Website)