About the Artist
Elissa Edwards, soprano, specializes in music primarily of the 17th and l8th centuries, and her performances bring to light underperformed yet stunning works from these periods.
She began her training at Houston Grand Opera and obtained her performance degrees from University of York, England (MA) and Boston University (BA), where she studied under Martin Pearlman of Boston Baroque and Peter Seymour of Yorkshire Baroque Soloists.
Ms. Edwards is the creative director of the Elan Ensemble - Historic Music Annapolis, in collaboration with Dr. Anastasia Pike, harp. They recently founded the Elan Concert & Lecture Series in residence at the Hammond-Harwood House Museum. Ms. Edwards is also a member of the New York City early music ensemble, Anglica Antiqua, that specializes in pertorming British music from the 17th century through sung recitation of poetry.
As a soloist, Ms. Edwards is known for performing themed concerts in historic locations which bring the audience into the spirit of the musical and social world of past eras through programs that form a harmonious whole. Her use of facsimile editions, studies of historic singing treatises, ornamentation practices and use of baroque gesture allow her to channel the spirit of singers from past eras, enlivening the music.
Her past concerts include: Jane Austen's Songbook - songs & arias from Miss Austen's personal collection; An English Christmas - traditional carols from Great Britain with harp & voice; Diporti di Dolore - the Pleasures of Sorrow: Italian laments of the 17th century; and Légendes Anciennes - French baroque cantatas retelling myths from classical antiquity.
ln addition to chamber music performances, she is a sacred music specialist and has been the featured soloist in many oratorio and cantata performances in the U.S. and U.K. She appears on several sacred choral recordings with Yorkshire Baroque Soloists and the Aquinas Ensemble in Houston. Jane Austen's Songbook is her debut solo album for commercial release this year, followed by An English Christmas.
Ms. Edwards was born in Houston, TX and now resides in Annapolis, MD. She currently studies with Dr. Julianne Baird, soprano
