Dr. Sonya Baker

Dr. Sonya Gabrielle Baker, soprano, made her Carnegie Hall debut with conductor Michael Tilson Thomas, singing music of Aaron Copland. Noted for her performances of American music, Baker has been heard in concert both nationally and internationally, including performances in Havana, Cuba with the Yale Alumni Chorus and at the World Equestrian Games opening ceremonies with the American Spiritual Ensemble. Baker has toured regularly as a soloist with the American Spiritual Ensemble, a professional ensemble whose mission is to keep the American Spiritual alive. She appears on their recording entitled The Spirituals and in the PBS documentary by the same name. Baker’s debut solo recording, SHE SAYS, featuring art songs of American Women composers, was released in 2004, a year after she appeared as soloist on the Yale Alumni Chorus tour to Moscow singing at the Kremlin. Baker’s scholarly agenda is focused on crossing boundaries and disciplines, perhaps best exemplified by her solo recording and her lecture recital on Marian Anderson’s 1939 Easter Concert. Baker has presented this lecture recital nationwide and is currently working on a second recording in tribute to Marian Anderson featuring Lieder and spiritual arrangements. Highlights of Baker’s operatic roles include Elisabetta in Verdi’s Don Carlo, Donna Anna in Mozart’s Don Giovanni, Monisha in Joplin’s Treemonisha, and the title role in the U.S. premiere of Mascagni’s Pinotta.

A former fellow with the American Council on Education, Baker has held leadership positions in higher education, serving as Associate Dean at JMU and Murray State University, and with various professional organizations: as board member for the Kentucky Arts Council, Kentucky Governor for the National Association of Teachers of Singing and currently a board member for the Alliance for the Arts in Research Universities (a2ru) and the Yale Alumni Chorus. A graduate of Leadership Kentucky, LEAD Virginia and the Society for College and University Planning Institute, Baker is fully committed to advocating for diverse communities and environments that embrace multiple peoples and perspectives. To this end, she has served on multiple university committees and has been a mentor both formally and informally throughout her career. Baker holds degrees from Yale, Indiana and Florida State Universities.

Michael Hadary

Michael Hadary, MFA, is thrilled to be joining the voice faculty at James Madison University. Previously, he has held teaching positions at The University of Georgia, Valdosta State University, and Lebanon Valley College.

Along with teaching private voice, Michael's academic career includes teaching courses in Group Voice, Song Interpretation, MT Rep, MT History, direction of musicals, cabarets and showcases, and serving as vocal coach/supervisor for main stage musical productions. At UGA in 2024, he inaugurated a summer musical theatre field study program where students were able to learn from Broadway professionals in New York City. He also created a MT Minor at Lebanon Valley College in 2017.

Outside of academia, Michael has taught privately in New York City, Chicago, and Orlando while working with performers from Broadway/National Touring productions including: Les Misérables, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Finian's Rainbow, The King and I, Sister Act, Phantom of the Opera, Mamma Mia, Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, Wicked, Miss Saigon, Chicago, The Producers, Jersey Boys, and Cats. A member of Actor's Equity, he has performed in New York City in Sky Boys, 110 in the Shade, The Golden Apple, Miss Saigon, and several festival shows. He has sung with Grammy winner Chandrika Tandon and Broadway star, Linda Eder. Regionally, Michael has played leading roles in Company, Oklahoma, Songs for a New World, 42nd Street, Mary Poppins, West Side Story, Fiddler on the Roof, and The Spitfire Grill, among others.

With a focus on MT vocal pedagogy, Michael earned an MFA in Theatre at Penn State studying with Mary Saunders-Barton, Norman Spivey, Raymond Sage, and Andrew Belser. He also earned an MM from New York University's Steinhardt School studying with Brian Gill, Bill Wesbrooks, and Michael Ricciardone. At James Madison University, he studied Classical Voice with Sonya Baker and MT with John Bell where he earned his BM.