Kristina Backrach and Laura Strickling are two long time alums who keep proving our ‘why’ here at SongFest. Both dedicated recitalists, SongFest is excited to show off how our alumni are out in the world making us proud.
LAURA STRICKLING, soprano
SongFest alumna ‘11, ‘12
KRISTINA BACHRACH, soprano
SongFest alumna ‘10, ‘11, ‘14, ‘16
Laura Strickling was praised by The New York Times for her, “flexible voice, crystalline diction, and warm presence.” Celebrated for her work on the concert and recital stage, she has performed at Carnegie Hall, Avery Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center, the Kennedy Center, National Sawdust, Trinity Church on Wall Street, Washington National Cathedral, Tanglewood Music Festival, Ravinia Music Festival, the Opera America Center, Mexicoliederfest, Liederfest in Suzhou (China), and the Afghanistan National Institute of Music.
A devoted recitalist, she curated The New Music Shelf Anthology of 20 contemporary art songs for soprano, serves on the Brooklyn Art Song Society’s New Music Advisory Board, and the Advisory Boards of the Cincinnati Song Initiative and Calliope’s Call.
She has appeared with the Brooklyn Art Song Society Cincinnati Song Initiative, Chiarina Chamber Players, Lyric Fest of Philadelphia, Joy in Singing, Trinity Concerts at One, the American Liszt Society, Baltimore Lieder Weekend, the Half Moon Music Festival, Concerts on the Slope, Water Island Music Festival, Art Song at the Old Stone House, the Brooklyn New Music Collective, SongFusion, was a featured performer at the 2016 New Music Gathering, and presented a radio broadcast recital of American art songs on “Live from WFMT” in Chicago with pianist Daniel Schlosberg. Laura and pianist Liza Stepanova were Artists in Residence at the Yellow Barn Music Festival, where they presented a program of Granados songs and modern songs in Spanish, including the world premiere of Ciudades del Porvenir by Reinaldo Moya. She has presented guest artist recitals at the University of Georgia, Mercer University, College of William and Mary, New World School of the Arts, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame University of Maryland, Pittsburg State University, McDaniel College, and St. Mary’s College.
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A specialist in new music, she has collaborated with composers Libby Larsen, Tom Cipullo, James Matheson, Juliana Hall, John Musto, Reinaldo Moya, and Glen Roven. Her upcoming commissioning initiative – The 40@40 Project – will bring to life 40 songs by 40 composers.
Laura’s 40@40 Project: The 40@40 Project is the beginning of a personal mission to commission with intentionality and to encourage and help other performing musicians (or music lovers!) to do the same. If we want the future of song to be bright, we need to be a part of making it happen. I want to help people understand what goes into commissioning, demystify recording and publishing processes and personally contribute to the creation of new song literature for the future. So often we think of singing as a solo journey, but it’s really about community and collaboration. As I step into my fifth decade, this is my way of recommitting my dedication to the song community.
Laura’s recording Confessions is available to download on all major platforms and can be purchased on her website.Check out the Anthology of New Music for Soprano that Laura curated for New Music Shelf!
Soprano Kristina Bachrach is an artist confident in an extensive range of styles and languages. Ms. Bachrach recently performed solo recitals through Dame Myra Hess and the Artist Presentation Society of Saint Louis and was set to reprise Shulamit Ran’s Moon Songs with the musicians of Marlboro on their fall tour. In winter of 2020, Ms. Bachrach made her Japanese debut in a series of opera galas and she joined the roster of Chicago Opera Theater covering the role of Mae in the world premiere of Freedom Ride. Ms. Bachrach was slated to return to Marlboro both for their spring tour, singing William Bolcom’s Let Evening Come and for the summer 0f 2020 (COVID19). During the 2019-2020 season, Ms. Bachrach returned to the Brooklyn Art Song Society for concerts of Britten Folk Song Arrangements and Grieg’s 6 Lieder Op. 48 and to the Center for Contemporary Opera for their workshop of Outcast at the Gate and in fall 2018, Ms. Bachrach made her off-Broadway debut with Ensemble for the Romantic Century in their original work Because I Could Not Stop: An Encounter with Emily Dickinson.
Ms. Bachrach holds degrees from Mannes College and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (summa cum laude). She is an award winner with the Artists Presentation Society of St. Louis, Ziering-Conlon Art Song Competition, American Prize Competition, the Philharmonic Society of Arlington’s Young Artist Competition, the Metrowest Opera Competition, and the Schuyler Foundation for Career Bridges.
Kristina was recently featured on a new album of songs by the LYNX Project (a Chicago-based nonprofit organization that amplifies diverse voices through new song commissions, inclusive concerts, and educational programming) as part of their Amplify Series.
SongFest Administrator Victoria Browers with Laura & Kristina after a SongFest concert