KARA MCBAIN, soprano, currently studies at the University of North Texas in the Doctor of Musical Arts program with Dr. Carol Wilson, serving as a Teaching Fellow in the Voice Department. Originally from St. Louis, Missouri, she earned her Bachelor of Music summa cum laude from Missouri State University in 2020, and received her Master of Music in 2022 from the University of North Texas. She was the 2022 winner of the Mary Prudie Brown Award from the National Federation of Music Clubs, won first place in the 2021 Texoma NATS competition, was a finalist in the 2021 Colorado Bach Ensemble Young Artist Competition, and won first prize in the 2021 GCC Series “Best Handel Performance”. Recent roles include Magda (La Rondine) at the University of North Texas, La Contessa (Le nozze di Figaro) at the University of North Texas, Magda (La Rondine) at Opera in the Ozarks, La Musique (Les arts florissants) with the Dallas Bach Society, Marenka (The Bartered Bride) at the University of North Texas. Kara has performed as a soloist across the U.S. and is featured in three commercially recorded albums under the GIA Choralworks label. Recently, she has been featured with the Dallas Bach Society as their soprano soloist for Handel’s Messiah, as well as the soprano soloist for Stravinsky’s Pulcinella with the Lewisville Lake Symphony.