Julia Cooke was named Artistic and General Director of Baltimore Concert Opera in 2019, after serving originally as a founding board member and then as Executive Director. In her current role, Julia leads artistic programming and casting, fundraising, long-term and strategic planning and business management. Under her leadership, BCO has grown consistently year after year: attendance typically reaches 96% of annual capacity, total annual contributed revenue increased by 200% over the last ten years, and the board established an endowment fund early in the organization's young life. In 2022, the company expanded exponentially by adding fully staged opera productions to its already successful concert operas to serve the Greater Baltimore community on a larger and more inclusive scale. Additionally, Julia has led the creation and launch of BCO’s successful programming beyond the traditional opera stage, innovating in the areas of new audience development, civic practice work, and vibrant education programs for all ages. All of this has been accomplished with balanced budgets and frequent surpluses. Before her career as an arts executive, Julia maintained an active dual career in performing and teaching. Her professional singing career took her throughout the U.S. and overseas in leading operatic roles and as a concert soloist. As a passionate educator, she spent 25 years teaching in many capacities, including as a professor of classical voice at Morgan State University, Towson University, and the American Musical and Dramatic Academy, conductor for the Chicago Children’s Choir and Maryland State Boychoir, and private voice teacher to dozens of rising singers. She is also a sought-after guest judge at voice competitions, as well as a guest lecturer and master class facilitator. Julia holds a Master of Music degree in opera performance from Indiana University, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in music and psychology from the University of Rochester.