Soprano Elissa Edwards is a distinguished interpreter of Early Music, praised for her “pliant, seductive, free-ranging voice” (Gramophone) and her “glistening tone” (Early Music America). As a specialist in sacred music, she has been a featured soloist in numerous oratorio and cantata performances across the U.S. and U.K. Recent engagements include appearances with the Washington Bach Consort, Washington National Cathedral, Harmonium Stellarum, Gotham Early Music Series, Bach in Baltimore, the Barbara Strozzi Symposium at Princeton University, the Amherst Early Music Festival, Yorkshire Baroque Soloists, and The National Centre for Early Music in the U.K.
As Artistic Director of the Empressa Ensemble, Ms. Edwards crafts performances that integrate music, literature, and history, offering immersive and engaging experiences. The ensemble regularly performs at historic venues, including the Hammond-Harwood House Museum, where she is artist-in-residence, and the Carol House Museum in Baltimore, while also touring internationally to bring dynamic historical programming to new audiences.
Ms. Edwards is a sought-after educator, particularly dedicated to cultivating the next generation of singers. She regularly conducts workshops and coaching sessions for choristers in sacred music, while also offering master classes at conservatories and universities across the country, focusing on early music interpretation and historically informed performance techniques. Having served on the voice faculties of Washington National Cathedral and The Johns Hopkins Peabody Preparatory, she also offers exclusive instruction through her private voice studio, where she imparts her expertise and artistry to promising vocalists.
Elissa Edwards has won numerous awards and grants for her creative contributions to the field including the Maryland State Individual Artist’s Award, the National Endowment of the Arts, the National Endowment for the Humanities and Winterthur Museum & Library for her scholarly presentations of music. Her training includes studies at Houston Grand Opera and the Royal College of Music, London and performance degrees from Boston University (BM) and University of York, UK (MA). Her critically acclaimed album, Vago Desio, features cantatas and arias from Barbara Strozzi’s Opus 8 (Acis APL90277) is available online.
INTERPRETATION
Elissa Edwards has a passion to expose modern audiences to classical music in a new light. Her greatest pleasure is presenting concerts that draw together music, literature and historical significance, often in historic locations, in which she brings the audience into the spirit of the musical and social world of past eras. Her programs highlight underperformed, yet stunning works from the 17th & 18th centuries. Through her expressive vocal interpretations, spontaneous ornamentation and intelligent regard for communicating poetic text, she captures the hearts and sparks curiosity with her audiences.
Ms. Edwards utilizes the most historically accurate scores available—whether facsimile or urtext—in both rehearsal and performance. This approach is essential, as it allows her to closely align with the composer’s intentions while granting greater freedom in interpretation. Singers in the 17th and 18th centuries were expected to ornament their performances ‘tastefully,’ with each country developing its own distinctive style. Drawing on baroque-era treatises, she masterfully ornaments her performances with rich stylistic nuance, staying true to the performance practices of each era.
“My goal as a performer is to free classical music from the museum-like atmosphere it sometimes inhabits. Instead, I strive to channel the spirit of singers from past eras and bring the music to life again. When planning and preparing a new program, I immerse myself in the era and context of the music—delving into the literature, art, fashion, and social culture of the time. I am fascinated by the process of weaving together time, place, and ideals, and incorporating these creative visions into my performances. This historically informed yet emotionally unrestrained style of performing is my calling as an artist, and I am honored to share it with you. ”