Soprano Jennifer Owen-Blackmon is known for her purity of tone and sensitive interpretations of Renaissance and Baroque music. She has performed with numerous Bay Area ensembles including Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra, AVE, Chalice Consort, San Francisco Choral Artists, Pacific Collegium, California Bach Society, Eya!, San Francisco Renaissance Voices and the Harvest of Song project. For five years she served as soprano section leader for St. Dominic’s Catholic Church in San Francisco, and was a featured soloist on their last European tour. She currently freelances with a variety of churches and other ensembles in the Bay Area.

Jenni’s last appearance at the Berkeley Festival was on the main stage in 2008, when she was honored to sing in the North American premiere of Alessandro Striggio’s epic Missa sopra “Ecco sì beato giorno” in cinque corri divisa. She’s excited to return to this year’s festival, performing some of her favorite florid Italian repertoire with Charites.

Jenni holds a Masters degree in Vocal Performance from Indiana University’s Early Music Institute, and a second Masters in Arts Administration from Indiana University-Bloomington. She completed her Bachelor of Arts in Music and Biology at Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania, where she studied voice, flute, dance and much more. She works by day (and lots of nights) as a marketing director and advertising account manager for arts organizations and healthcare and tech companies, large and small.

Though not a Wellesley College alumna like Brooke and Cecilia, she does claim a connection to the college too – it was her first employer. Jenni was born and raised in Wellesley, MA and enjoys walks on the campus whenever she’s back in town.