For Thee We Sing: The Historical Implications of Marian Anderson's 1939 Easter Concert

SONYA G. BAKER is currently a member of the voice faculty at Murray State University in western Kentucky where she teaches diction and applied voice. Along with a Doctor of Music from Florida State University, Sonya holds a Master of Music degree from Indiana University and a Bachelor of Arts degree in American Studies from Yale University. Highlights of Sonya’s operatic appearances include singing Monisha in Joplin’s Treemonisha with Opera Roanoke, Aïda with Amato Opera and the title role in the USA premiere of Mascagni’s Pinotta. She regularly appears in recital and orchestral concerts, having recently been both soloist and chorister on the Yale Alumni Chorus tour to sing at the Kremlin with the Moscow Philharmonic and Dmitri Hvorostovsky. Sonya’s lecture recital on Marian Anderson for this Symposium has been presented at several universities including Syracuse, Ohio Northern, and Virginia Tech. Sonya has served on the boards of the Yale Glee Club Associates and the Virginia Chapter of the National Association of Teachers of Singing. She is a frequent guest artist and teacher, having appeared regularly at the Virginia Governor’s School for music. Her upcoming projects include recording a CD of song literature by American women composers, a recital in Minneapolis, and teaching at the Kentucky Governor’s School for the Arts this summer.