Mark Baker

Adjunct Music Instructor: Voice

Mark Baker holds degrees from Eastern Florida State College (A.A.) and Indiana University (B.M. and M.S.). A singer with an international career, Baker has participated in nearly 250 performances at the Metropolitan Opera alone. He has also sung many times in other major American opera houses including Dallas, San Francisco, and Chicago. He's been cast in major roles in most of the major opera houses in Canada, France, Germany, Chile, and Argentina.

Baker's most recent roles have been Parsifal in Parsifal (Metropolitan Opera, 2006), Samson in Samson et Dalila (North Carolina Opera, 2005), Siegmund in Die Walküre (Chicago Lyric Opera, 2005) and Samson in Samson et Dalila (Opera Hong Kong, 2004).

Baker's recordings include Florestan in Leonore with the Orchester der Beethovenhall in Bonn, the Drum Major in Wozzeck with the Deutsche Staatsoper in Berlin, and Steva in Jenufa at Glyndebourne. He also sang in the American premiere of Handel's Tamerlano (Indiana University), the world premiere of John Harbison's The Great Gatsby (Metropolitan Opera) and the world premiere of Anthony Davis's Amistad (Chicago Lyric Opera).

Of his teaching philosophy, Baker writes, "It is my objective to help students develop their vocal technique to become the best singers they can possibly be. This is accomplished best by concentrating on the proper use of breath, support, relaxation, resonance, and diction. It is my hope that students will discover the joy and comfort of near effortless singing and that they will learn to express themselves in a unique and personal way."