Laurel Irene (M.M.), Los Angeles-based "astounding...downright superhuman" (LA Times) vocal artist and voice researcher, specializes in bringing new compositional works to life with vocal repertoire ranging from Monteverdi to Mozart to the wacky, wild, and extreme sounds of the 21st century. As “major singer...one who seems as if she can do anything” (LA Times), she draws on her research in vocal acoustics to heighten unique timbres, textures, and expressions. In 2019 she performed the role of Countess Almaviva in REDCAT's 12 hour endurance art piece, Bliss, earning Mark Swed's acclaim as "one of the most astonishing performances, vocally and interpretively, I have ever encountered". A champion of new music, she recently premiered the role of Julia in George Lewis’ Pulitzer Prize finalist opera, The Comet/Poppea. Other recent features include performances with The Los Angeles Philharmonic, The Kennedy Center, AMOC: American Modern Opera Company, Long Beach Opera, The LA Phil New Music Group, Musica Angelica Baroque Orchestra, LACMA: Los Angeles County Museum of Art, The Industry, The Getty Museum, Monday Evening Concerts, MOCA: Museum of Contemporary Art, The Golden Thread Concert Series, and The First Congregational Church, L.A. 

An avid voice educator, she currently serves as special Voice Arts faculty at California Institute of the Arts. As co-founder of the educational organizations, VoiceScienceWorks and the N.E.O. Voice Festival, she gives voice workshops at conferences and collegiate settings across the United States and Europe including the Pan-American Vocology Association, American Choral Directors Association, National Association of Teachers of Singing, Acoustical Society of America, Harvard University, York University, College of the Holy Cross, Southern Oregon University, University of California Los Angeles, and Cornish College of the Arts. 

Laurel is an alumna of performance programs at the USC Thornton School of Music, New Music on the Point, Cortona New Music Sessions, Oregon State University, California State University L.A., and the Summer Vocology Institute.