The Grammy Award-winning soprano Karen Slack has been appointed Creative Advisor for Voice and Opera at the Curtis Institute of Music, the institution from which she graduated in 2002.
Praised by The Washington Post as “one of opera’s strongest voices at present—both as a singer and a shaper of its culture,” Slack continues to make a profound impact on the classical music landscape as both performer and advocate for inclusivity and innovation.
Her recent nationwide tour of African Queens has garnered widespread acclaim and will continue into the 2025–26 season, including a new orchestral version with the Naples Philharmonic. Among her upcoming highlights are world premieres by Tamar-kali, Kathryn Bostic, and Brittany J. Green, as well as performances with leading ensembles such as the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, the Orlando Philharmonic, and the American Composers Orchestra.
In 2025, Slack’s recording Beyond the Years: Unpublished Songs of Florence Price with pianist Michelle Cann won the Grammy Award for Best Classical Solo Vocal Album, confirming her artistry as one of the most distinguished voices of her generation.
A passionate educator and mentor, Slack also serves as artistic advisor for Portland Opera, board member of the American Composers Orchestra, and faculty at the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity.
