Laurissa Backlin

Voice

Carson-Newman University: Associate Professor of Music

DMA (University of North Texas), MM (Temple University), BMus (Wheaton College)

Laurissa Backlin, soprano, is Associate Professor of Music at Carson-Newman University where she teaches Applied Voice, classes for music majors, and conducts the Women Singers.  She received the Doctorate of Musical Arts degree from University of North Texas where she was the recipient of a Master’s/Doctoral Fellowship.  Prior to coming to Carson-Newman, she was Assistant Professor of Music at Delta State University in Cleveland, MS.

As soprano soloist, Dr. Backlin has sung in numerous performances of concert works across the United States and Germany, specializing in Baroque and Classical repertoire.  She has sung in recitals and concerts at University of Arkansas, Mississippi University for Women, Tarleton State University, Southeastern Oklahoma State University, and Tabor College. She was invited as a guest artist to perform and present master classes at Sungkyul University in Anyang, South Korea in May 2019.  She has sung as a professional chorister and soloist with several choirs, including the Philadelphia Singers, Orpheus Chamber Singers in Dallas, TX, Tennessee Chamber Chorus in Cleveland, TN, and with Red Shift Choir in Baton Rouge, LA. 

Dr. Backlin has presented at regional conferences of the College Music Society and American Choral Directors Association.  She has sung in the Members’ Recital at the Southern Region National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) conference, as well as the Music by Women Festival in Columbus, MS.  She is on the music faculty at Csehy Summer School of Music in Langhorne, PA, where she teaches applied voice lessons and theory.  Dr. Backlin was designated a NATS 2018 Emerging Leader for the Southern Region (MS, AR, LA).  She served as the Auditions Chair for the MS NATS Chapter from 2017-2020.  She is currently an active member of the Mid-South Region (TN, KY) of NATS.