JoAnn Kulesza
Opera Music Director, Interim Chair
B.M., Western Michigan University; M.M., Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. Professional experience: Lyric Opera of Chicago, Western Opera Theatre, Pittsburgh Opera Center, New York Chamber Ensemble, Washington Opera, Baltimore Opera, Utah Festival Opera, and Wolf Trap Opera. Former academic positions: University of Connecticut, Storrs; Hochschule Mozarteum, Salzburg, Austria. Guest residencies: Auburn University, Birmingham Southern College, Ohio University, The College of New Jersey, SUNY Fredonia, Marywood College, Western Michigan University, University of Alabama-Tuscaloosa. Panelist: National Conference on Piano Pedagogy, National Opera Association (on singer training). Conductor: PEABODY CHAMBER OPERA: Die Weisse Rose , Mahagonny Songspiel, Three Penny Opera, The Reunion, Transformations; OPERA VIVENTE: Werther, L'Italiana in Algieri, Turn of the Screw, Amahl and The Night Visitors , Albert Herring; PEABODY OPERA THEATRE: Turn of the Screw, Cosi fan Tutte. World Premieres: Clara (Robert Convery; University of Maryland, College Park) The Alien Corn (Thomas Benjamin; Peabody Opera Theatre), The Yellow Wallpaper (Peabody Chamber Opera). Engaged on short notice to conduct the sitzproben for Lorin Maazel's Turn of the Screw production; ass't conductor, Rape of Lucretia, Chateauville Chamber Opera Project (Maazel) Coach, Compania Lirica Nacional, San Jose, Costa Rica, 2006; Staff, Fairbanks (Alaska) Summer Arts Festival, '06-'09 Lieder Coach, American Institute of Music Studies (AIMS, Graz, Austria, Summer '09); Conductor, Arundel Vocal Arts Society (AVAS); Le Tragedie de Carmen (American Opera Theatre, Fall '08); Honors: 2004 Johns Hopkins University Alumni Association Excellence in Teaching Award.
