Jessica Diana Salley
Soprano
biography
Jessica Diana Salley, soprano, has a variety of musical interests including opera, musical theater, solo recital, and concert engagements. She was awarded the Metropolitan Opera National Council Kansas City District Encouragement Award in 2011, the Midwest Region 3rd Place Award in 2009 and the Tulsa District Winner’s Award in 2008.
Passionate about active composers, Jessica is involved in many regional and world premieres. Most recently, Jessica was a soloist with the Kansas City Symphony for the reading of a new work for soprano and orchestra. She worked closely with Ricky Ian Gordon at the 2007 Hawaii Performing Arts Festival, performing unpublished works by the composer. Jessica also performed the role of Veronique in the regional premiere of Thomas Pasatieri’s opera Hotel Casablanca.
Jessica’s solo concert repertoire has recently grown to include the Monteverdi Vespers of 1610, which she performed with the University of Missouri Conservatory Singers and an ensemble of period instruments, and the Haydn Lord Nelson Mass performed at the Operation Breakthrough benefit concert in Independence, MO. She was invited back as the soprano for the Canterbury Chorale Society Christmas Concert with the Oklahoma City Philharmonic, performing Part one of Handel’s Messiah after a successful concert performance of Mendelssohn’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream with the ensemble in 2008. Jessica’s operatic repertoire includes Zerlina in Don Giovanni, Sœur Constance in Dialogue des Carmelites, Lisette in La Rondine, Papagena in Die Zauberflöte, Kate in Pirates of Penzance, and Fiametta in The Gondoliers. As at home in musical theater as opera, she has performed in A Little Night Music (Anne Egerman, and Mrs. Nordstrom), Jon and Jen (Jen), Oklahoma! (Laurey), and Guys and Dolls (Miss. Adelaide).
Competitively, Jessica has also enjoyed success. She won the Metropolitan Opera National Council Kansas City District Artist Encouragement Award in 2011. Previously, Jessica placed third in the Metropolitan Opera National Council 2009 Midwest Auditions after having won the Tulsa District Competition. She won first place in the Missouri State NATS Graduate Division Auditions in 2010. Additionally, Jessica was selected as the first recipient of the Stephen Dickson Award in Oklahoma City in 2008, was named a finalist in the Naftzger Young Artist 2008 Auditions in Wichita, KS, and has received several awards at the Kansas City District, Texoma Region and Oklahoma Regional NATS competitions since 2004.
Jessica studied with Prof. Florence Birdwell at Oklahoma City University where she holds a Bachelor of Music Degree. She is currently a student of Dr. Raymond Feener. She is a proud member of Sigma Alpha Iota International Women’s Fraternity, Alpha Zeta initiate.