Biography
Soprano Samantha Hornback is a coloratura soprano currently based in Baltimore, Maryland. She has a wide range of experience, from singing and acting Girls 1 and 2 in Errolyn Wallen's ANON in the Peabody Opera Outreach program to singing Titania in Benjamin Britten's A Midsummer Night's Dream at the Hawaii Performing Arts Festival.
Her recent work, with the Peabody Institute, has included a number of Opera Outreach performances. During the 2017-18 season, she played Girl 2 and Actor 1 in Errolyn Wallen's ANON, and opera that sought to raise awareness of human sex trafficking, abuse, and human rights. She then appeared in the 2018-19 season's production of Hansel and Gretel as both the Sandman and the Dew Fairy. In January of 2020, she was seen in Cedar Rapids Opera Company's mainstage production of Madama Butterfly, and in the outreach production of The Enchanted Forest.
On the mainstage, she has appeared most prominently as Sister Constance in Dialogues of the Carmelties (University of Arizona), Beauty in Beauty and the Beast (University of Arizona), Susanna in The Marriage of Figaro (Simpson College), the Child in The Child and the Magic Spells (Simpson College), Julie Jordan in Carousel (Simpson College), and much more.
Samantha has also performed numerous choral works. She performed with the Arizona Choir in their notable presentations of Stravinsky’s Les Noces and Mendelssohn’s Elijah. In her undergraduate training, she had the opportunity to travel not only around the United States, but also to Europe, where she and the Madrigal Singers were able to perform in venues such as St. Mark’s Basilica in Venice, Italy. She currently works as the soprano section leader at Church of the Redeemer in College Park, Maryland.
Samantha not only has a strong background in singing, but has multiple choreographic credits to her name. She was the staff choreographer for Simpson College’s Singing Actor Camp for four years, coordinating and choreographing large group, small group, and solo performances. Her dance background dates back to her childhood--she started classical training in dance at age 3 and competed for over ten years. Her specialties are tap and jazz.
Samantha received her Bachelor of Music degree in Vocal Performance from Simpson College in 2016, where she studied voice with Dr. Kimberly Roberts. Dr. Robert Larsen was an important influence on her while there as well. She then started her Master’s of Music degree at the University of Arizona, under the tutelage of Elizabeth Futral. Samantha then followed Ms. Futral to the Peabody Conservatory, where she completed her Master’s degree in the spring of 2019.
