is regarded highly for her work with Baroque and early music.  Noteworthy appearances include performing with The Governor’s Musick in Colonial Williamsburg, as a regular soloist with the Shenandoah Valley Choral Society, and as the mezzo-soprano soloist for Vivaldi’s Gloria in D major (Mary Baldwin University, Dr. Craig Robertson, conductor). 

Other recent solo appearances have featured Ms. Townsend as a soloist with the Baroque Performance Institute (Oberlin, OH), the Baroque Opera Workshop (Queens, NY; with Christa Patton, conductor) Virginia Baroque Academy (with Arthur Haas) and in the role of Susan in Alice Parker’s opera, Singers Glen and in the role of Ottavia in Vivaldi’s The Card Game. Ms. Townsend regularly collaborates with local musicians, including in a Summer Song Series solo voice recital at James Madison University, and a holiday recital of early music at Fort Harrison in Dayton, VA, as well as other performances in the community. In addition to solo engagements, Ms. Townsend performs regularly with Rocktown Choral Artists (Douglas Byler, conductor) and Staunton’s Bach Around the Clock Festival Choir (Paul Weber, conductor), and regularly subs as a soloist at a variety of churches in the greater Washington, D.C. area. Ms. Townsend has also performed with Richmond’s Red Letter Consort (Charles Humphries, conductor) and Madison Baroque (with Dr. Jon Gibson). 

Ms. Townsend is also a sought-after choral educator. A graduate of James Madison University’s School of Music, Ms. Townsend served as a high school choral director for almost a decade. During that time, her choirs routinely received Superior ratings at state Choral Assessment and, her students were regularly selected for regional and state honor choirs. Since leaving the classroom, Ms. Townsend has coached young teachers in and outside the classroom, provided professional development for music teachers and served on staff for the internationally recognized Shenandoah Valley Children’s Choir, where she taught musicianship and provided private voice coachings to choristers.

Private teachers include Molly Netter, Brenda K. Witmer and Dr. Carrie Stevens. Vocal coaches have included Dame Emma Kirkby, James Taylor, Dan Taylor, Julianne Baird and Judith Malafronte. ​​Ms. Townsend resides in the Shenandoah Valley with her husband, Don. She enjoys traveling, attending concerts of all kinds and browsing vintage shops.