All About Julian Baldwin

As a young child in Weehawken, NJ, Julian had a knack for music. Throughout his life, they performed in summer camps, school productions, and colleges, and in 2015, they started workshopping original educational shows with A Place to Be, a music therapy practice in Middleburg, VA. They have since received a Bachelor of Music degree in Voice Performance from Shenandoah University in Winchester, VA. While there, they gained experience in music education, opera performance, libretto writing, directing, and music directing.

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At Shenandoah University, Julian gained valuable experience in tackling challenging vocal repertoire in Baroque, Modern, and Contemporary music. He performed the Ralph Vaughan-Williams song cycle "On Wenlock Edge"during the COVID-19 pandemic by recording instrumental tracks with a string quartet and pianist in the school's recording studio. Julian joined and oversaw the premieres of several operatic and choral works. For these reasons, they received the Cecilia Award for Vocal Excellence.

 

They also explored behind the scenes work and turned his hand to directing as the artistic director of Opera Extra. His first production was a Gilbert and Sullivan scenes program entitled, Joy Unbounded. They cast an ensemble of incredibly talented and diverse singers through the comedic sensibilities of beloved G&S classics such as Pirates of Penzance, The Mikado, and a new staging of the one-act opera, Trial by Jury. They also wrote and directed the world premiere of the chamber opera, Le bistro poulet, composed by their longtime friend and collaborator, Edward Shilts. Then, for the student performance festival, Julian directed the American premiere of English Touring Opera's Back into the World, an opera about the anxiety of reentering civilization after staying in isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic. Throughout all of these performance projects and premieres, Julian provided ample performance opportunities for chamber musicians and singers at the Conservatory, making sure to commit fully to the principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion in the arts. For this, they received the Undergraduate Dean's Award.

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At present, Julian lives in New York where he is currently pursuing a Master of Music degree in Voice Performance at Brooklyn College. He sings with the Empire City Men's Chorus and St. Michael's Episcopal Church on the Upper West Side.