is regarded highly for her work with Baroque and early music. Recent appearances include performing as a soloist with the Shenandoah Valley Choral Society and the Arts Chorale of Winchester, with the new duo Larke & Laurel (with classical guitarist Chris Jenkins) and as a soloist for Sacred Mysteries, which included a world premiere of “Magnificat” by composer Douglas Byler.

Other recent solo appearances have featured Ms. Townsend as a soloist with the Baroque Performance Institute at Oberlin College, as a featured performer in Staunton’s Bach Around the Clock Festival, with the Baroque Opera Workshop (with Christa Patton), with the Virginia Baroque Academy (with Arthur Haas) and as the mezzo-soprano soloist for Vivaldi’s Gloria in D major (Dr. Craig Robertson, conductor). Ms. Townsend has also appeared  in the role of Susan in Alice Parker’s opera, Singers Glen and in the role of Ottavia in The Card Game by Caldara. In addition to solo engagements, Ms. Townsend performs regularly with the Rocktown Choral Artists (Douglas Byler, conductor) and Staunton’s Bach Around the Clock Festival Choir (Paul Weber, conductor) and as a solo and choral sub for various churches in the greater Washington, DC area. Ms. Townsend has also appeared with Richmond’s Red Letter Consort (Charles Humphries, conductor), and with Madison Baroque (with Dr. Jon Gibson) and The Governor’s Musick in Colonial Williamsburg.

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. Recently, Ms. Townsend co-founded The Diva Diaries Blog, a space for female professional musicians to share their stories and insights about the joys and challenges of working in the industry.

​Private teachers include Molly Netter and Brenda K. Witmer. 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.   

You can view Ms. Townsend’s full resume here.