Australian born performing artist Jaely Chamberlain has been recognized  by critics as a "pitch-perfect, compelling soprano" (Berkshire Fine Arts) with "emotion that doesn't quit, and a talented voice to match" (Writer's Bloc). Currently based in the Mid-Atlantic Region, she has earned her reputation as an interpreter of a broad range of repertoire, spanning from a special affinity for early and contemporary music to her love of dance and the theatrical arts.

In Covid Times...

At the beginning of the COVID-19 Pandemic, it became very clear that a new way forward was absolutely imperative - for the safety of the community, the inner peace of music-lovers around the world, and the creative drive of artists who had suddenly found themselves out of work for an indefinite amount of time.  Drawing on her experience as a musician and a certified Yoga Instructor, she teamed up with the New Orchestra of Washington to spearhead NOWMaste, a thoughtful and intentional practice combining classical music, movement and meditation to help practitioners find a sense of grounding throughout those turbulent initial months.

As the pandemic progressed, so did our way of making music together.  Feeding her creative spark and need to collaborate with others, Ms. Chamberlain began #Quarantunes, a series of virtual collaborations, digging into her experience as an arranger and creating new imaginations of familiar songs.  She has also enjoyed participating in various virtual performances and recording projects, including an international collaboration with Tehran Symphony Orchestra and INSeries, performing an excerpt from Handel's Serse that was featured on CNN News.  She continues to believe in the importance of the arts for the holistic health of humanity, and will continue to pursue innovative ways to bring the arts to those who most sorely need them.

​

On the Operatic Stage...

​

Ms. Chamberlain made her debut with the Washington National Opera as a soloist and dancer in Francesca Zambello's acclaimed production of Bernstein's Candide in 2018, concluding a season which included debuts as Younger Alyce in a site-specific performance of Tom Cipullo's Glory Denied at the New York Opera Festival,  Musetta in La bohème at the Crested Butte Music Festival, and Zerlina in Don Giovanni with Salt Marsh Opera.    In previous seasons, she has appeared on the operatic stage as Susanna* in Le nozze di Figaro, Despina in Così fan Tutte, Zima* in Les Indes Galantes, Feu/Princesse/Rossignol in L'Enfant et les Sortilèges, Cunégonde in Candide, and Mabel* in The Pirates of Penzance.  Ms. Chamberlain is the recipient of an Encouragement Award from the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, in addition to Artist Grants from the Marion Park Lewis Foundation and Sigma Alpha Iota Philanthropies.  She has held Young Artist residencies with Opera Lafayette, the Crested Butte Music Festival, Ash Lawn Opera (now Charlottesville Opera), and Hubbard Hall Opera.  In the summer of 2019 she made her role debut as Romilda in Handel's Serse with In Series Opera with performances in Washington DC and Baltimore MD, marking the premiere their new early music ensemble, Innovātiō.

​

As a Concert Artist...

​

Recent appearances have included Soprano Soloist in Händel's Israel in Egypt at the Washington National Cathedral, Mozart's Requiem with Cathedra Ensemble, the New Orchestra of Washington, and The Virginia Consort, Schubert's Der Hirt auf dem Felsen with The Gourmet Symphony, and Händel’s Messiah with the orchestra of the Washington Bach Consort- a yearly tradition founded by the late J. Reilly Lewis, and the longest running Messiah sing-a-long in the United States.  She has performed with various ensembles as Soprano Soloist for works such as Bach's Magnificat, Vivaldi's Gloria, and Mozart's Exsultate Jubilate, ​among others.  Ms. Chamberlain sings regularly with the ensembles of the Washington National Opera,  Cathedra, The District Eight, and the Washington Bach Consort and currently holds a weekly cantor and chorister position with the professional vocal octet at St Catherine of Siena Catholic Church in Great Falls, Virginia.

 

In Recital...

​

Ms. Chamberlain has presented programs at the Christuskirche and  Stiftskirche Sankt Peter in Salzburg Austria, the Summer Concert Series at the  Washington National Cathedral, The White House Historical Association, the Tuesday Concert Series at Church of the Epiphany DC, and the Salon Recital series at Shepherd University.  Programs have included Ye Mighty Powers Above,  featuring sacred and secular works from the Baroque era, France in the White House, a program curated by Opera Lafayette featuring French and French-inspired salon music, and Neoantiquity from the British Isles to the Americas, featuring works from the 20th century.  In 2015, she gave a performance of Barber's Hermit Songs with pianist Steven Schwarz, which was televised on Baltimore's CCBC TV Network. 

​

As a Crossover Artist...

​

Ms. Chamberlain has collaborated with SOURCE Theatre, The In Series, Washington Concert Opera and the Crested Butte Music Festival to present programs highlighting favorites from The Great American Songbook and the Golden Age of Musical Theatre.  Drawing from her background in dance and stagecraft, her 'shining' interpretations of the music of Irving Berlin have 'evoked memories of Ginger Rogers' (DC Theatre Scene) and have been praised for 'hitting the emotional highs and lows ranging from poignancy to good humor' (Comm Digital News). As a dancer, she has been featured in Francesca Zambello's production of Candide at Washington National Opera, and  Nicholas Olcott's production of Die Fledermaus at the Maryland Opera Studio,  On the Musical Theatre stage, she has had the delight to portray such roles as Cunégonde in Candide, Sarah Brown and Miss Adelaide in Guys and Dolls, Marian Paroo in The Music Man, Winnifred the Woebegone in Once Upon a Mattress, and Mayzie La Bird in Seussical.  Recently, Ms. Chamberlain has taken an interest in launching new musical theatre works.  In the fall of 2018, she portrayed the role of 1930's movie star Frances Farmer in excerpts from Kristan King's new musical Brilliance at The Kennedy Center in Washington DC, and in the winter of 2019, she debuted a new crossover program titled A French Cabaret, featuring cabaret songs by Poulenc, Debussy, Britten, and Weill.  In the spring of 2021, she will portray the role of Camilla in Angela Knight and Randal Dewey's new musical, Princess Diana: Queen of the People's Hearts.

​

Updated October 4, 2020

*Denotes Cover

​