Julianne Baird, born December 10, 1952, is an American early music soprano, voice professor, and recitalist. Born in Statesville, North Carolina, she studied at the Eastman School of Music, the Salzburg Mozarteum, and Stanford University, earning a doctorate in musicology. Baird has performed with leading ensembles and orchestras, including the New York Philharmonic, Cleveland Symphony, San Francisco Symphony, and the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra. She is especially acclaimed for her interpretations of works by Johann Sebastian Bach and George Frideric Handel and has appeared on more than 100 recordings, including several premiere recordings of Handel operas. Since 2000, she has been a distinguished professor at Rutgers University–Camden, where she teaches opera history and Renaissance and Baroque music and directs the Madrigal Ensemble.
