Soprano Joan Marie Dauber (she/her) has an equal passion for performing, teaching, and the promotion of new music. Her affinity for art song and chamber music has gained her a reputation as a distinguished interpreter of contemporary music and she has been invited to festivals featuring the music of John Cage, Christian Wolff, Morton Feldman, Kurt Weill, and Aaron Copland. Recently, she presented a virtual art song recital and fundraiser Just Spring with pianist Alexandre Tsomaia, performing the works of Chicago composers Rosśa Crean, Kyong Mee Choi, and Stacy Garrop (donations were given to Asian Americans Advancing Justice Chicago and My Block My Hood My City). In early 2020 Joan Marie, Mr. Tsomaia, and Ms. Choi were selected to compete in songSLAM Chicago (rescheduled to spring 2022). In the fall Joan Marie will start her first season as a regular member of the esteemed Chicago Choral Artists under the baton of Michael Costello.
Joan Marie is a cantor at St. Isaac Jogues Catholic Church in Hinsdale and is a sought-after soloist for many Chicagoland Churches, including St. James the Less Episcopal Church in Northfield and St. Gregory’s Episcopal Church in Deerfield. She spent many holiday seasons as a guest soloist for St. Benedict Parish’s Holiday Concerts with the Ravenswood Symphony Orchestra, performing in Rutter’s Mass of the Children, Vivaldi’s Gloria, Mozart’s Coronation Mass, and Schubert’s Mass in G Major, D167. Before moving to Chicago, she appeared with the Baroque Artists of Champaign-Urbana (BACH), notably as a soprano soloist in their performance of Bach’s Matthäus-Passion BWV 244.
In opera, Joan Marie can be heard on the PARMA Recordings/Navona Records recording of The Great God Pan, a chamber opera by Chicago composer Ross Michael Crean. She also had the honor of singing the role of María Luisa in Daniel Crozier’s With Blood, With Ink at the National Opera Association Convention, where it won first place for the Chamber Opera Competition.
As a teacher she spent nearly twenty years studying with master teacher Diane Sotola, a student of William Miller. She proudly carries on the teachings of Ms. Sotola and Mr. Miller as passed on to her, emphasizing freedom in singing through work on the breath, anatomical and scientific knowledge, and sensory awareness of one’s instrument. She has taught students from the ages of 6 to 86 and worked with beginners, musical theater singers, spoken word artists, rock singers, improv comedians, and classical singers. She currently is teaching exclusively at Lyriq Music School in North Center and continues to expand her vocal education, most recently attending Heidi Moss Erickson’s workshop Singing in the Brain.
Joan Marie has been a finalist multiple years for the American Prize in Voice Performance in the Art Song & Oratorio Professional Division. Her creamy, lyric soprano voice has been described as “soaring, powerful, and rich” in her performances of Baroque and Classical oratorio and bel canto opera. Other honors include being a finalist for the Harold Haugh Light Opera Competition, the Chicago Oratorio Award, and Civic Morning Musical Award.
Prior to her career in Chicago, Joan Marie was active in musical theater and light opera productions in the Cleveland area. She performed roles in Evita, A Little Night Music, Rags, Into The Woods, Godspell, Kiss Me, Kate, and played Squeaky Fromme in the Ohio premier of Assassins.
As an animal lover, Joan Marie also dedicates much of her time to PAWS Chicago, the Midwest’s largest no-kill humane shelter. In addition to singing at special events, she has appeared on television as a media spokesperson and trains dogs and humans alike.
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