Dr. Maureen Balke

Professor, Voice, Emerita

E-mail: [email protected]

• D.M., Indiana University, 1991, Vocal Performance and Pedagogy
• M.M., Indiana University, 1981, Vocal Performance
• B.M., Indiana University, 1978, Vocal Performance
• B.A., Marquette University, 1974, German
• Appointed 1988.

Soprano Maureen Balke holds performance credits in recital, opera and oratorio throughout the Midwest  and in national and international forums. Opera and oratorio credits include Artist in Residence at the Skylight Theatre (Milwaukee), Mozart Opera Studies Institute (Kaprun, Austria), and numerous performances in Indiana and Michigan. She has recently performed as soprano soloist in Mahler’s Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen, Vivaldi’s Gloria, Orff’s Carmina Burana, as well as a Cole Porter Review for Albion College Homecoming.

A specialist in art song, Dr. Balke has performed in the Aston Magna Academy on Schubert (NEH Fellowship), the International Festival of Art Song, the Princeton/Westminster Choir College Schubert Lied and Keyboard Festival, and other Lieder festivals, and has earned high marks in master classes with Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, Gerhard Huesch, Dalton Baldwin and Martin Katz. She has recorded, with pianist Narciso Solero, a CD of art songs by Joseph Marx and Albion Emeritus composer Anthony Taffs, titled “Never Seek to Tell Thy Love,” and has recently performed art song recitals with Mr. Solero in the Washington, D.C. area including at Dumbarton United Methodist Church and at the Lyceum in Alexandria.

Dr. Balke has earned degrees in German (Marquette University, 1974) and in voice (Bachelor of Music, Masters, and Doctorate, Indiana University), with major teachers including Martha Lipton and Carol Smith (Zurich Opera). She is former Chair of the Music Department at Albion College and served as Albion’s full-time Professor of Applied Voice from 1988-2021, during which time her students earned over 50 state and regional vocal awards. She was elected Governor and Auditions Chair of the Michigan Chapter of the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) from 1994 through 2000, and was elected NATS Great Lakes Regional Governor and Auditions Chair from 2002-2006. She is certified at Level 3 in Somatic Voicework(sm) – The LoVetri Method, in Contemporary Commercial Music.