Margaret Lias

Mezzo-soprano, Margaret Lias, has been celebrated for her “warm,” “arresting,” and “rich-toned” singing. Margaret made her Boston Symphony Hall debut in 2011 with Handel and Haydn Society (Handel, Israel in Egypt). In 2017, Margaret received praise for her Cleveland Orchestra solo debut singing Stravinsky’s Threni: Lamentations of Jeremiah. Select solo appearances in 2019 and 2020 include Boston Baroque (Vivaldi, Gloria), Princeton Pro Musica (Duruflé, Requiem), Andover Choral Society (works by Demetrius Spaneas, Gwyneth Walker, Leonard Bernstein, and others), Boston Cecilia (Corigliano, Fern Hill), Salisbury Singers (Mendelssohn, Elijah), and Emmanuel Music (Bach, Mass in B minor). An avid supporter of ensemble work, Margaret was a founding member of The Skylark Vocal Ensemble, is a member of Seraphic Fire, Boston Baroque, Voices of Ascension, Vox Vocal Ensemble, Handel and Haydn Society, and Emmanuel Music.

A passionate supporter of Anglican liturgical music, Margaret has been a sought-after cantor for events such as bishop consecrations, priest ordinations, and Holy Week services in major cathedrals and churches in the US (St. John the Divine, New York, NY, Trinity Church in the City of Boston, MA, and Cathedral of St. Philip, Atlanta, GA) and abroad (Westminster Abbey (The Collegiate Church of St. Peter), London, England, and Coventry Cathedral (St. Michael’s Cathedral), Coventry, England.). Presently, Margaret is a core member of Emmanuel Music, ensemble-in-residence at Emmanuel Church, Boston, MA.Margaret’s versatility as a singer allows her the opportunity to collaborate with other soloists to perform master choral works at a very high level easily transitioning from medieval and baroque music to classical, romantic, and contemporary repertoire. Margaret was a founding member of The Skylark Vocal Ensemble under Matthew Guard. She has performed frequently with Seraphic Fire under Patrick Dupré Quigley, Boston Baroque under Martin Pearlman, Voices of Ascension under Dennis Keene, Sacred Music in a Sacred Space under K. Scott Warren, Emmanuel Music under Ryan Turner, and Musica Sacra New York under Kent Tritle.

Margaret began vocal studies at the age of 13 but had already been a student of the Royal School of Church Music curriculum from age 7. As a teenager, Margaret participated in community education studies at Eastman School of Music and eventually went on to collegiate coursework there as well. Presently, Margaret studies with Rebecca Folsom. Margaret belongs to Beyond Artists, a coalition of artists that donates a percentage of their concert fees to organizations they care about. She supports common cathedral and Episcopal Relief and Development through her performances.