Lora Bashmakian is an Armenian-American soprano from Los Angeles, California. She is a graduate student at the Eastman School of Music, where she studies under Kiera Duffy. At Eastman, Lora has appeared as the soprano soloist in Bach's Cantata's BWV 82 and BWV 89, Bruckner's Mass in F minor, Mendelssohn’s Lobgesang, and covered Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis with Eastman Philharmonia and Eastman-Rochester Chorus. Additionally, she has sung Nanetta from Falstaff in Eastman Opera Theater’s scenes.

She is a two-time Encouragement Award Winner from The Metropolitan Opera’s Laffont Competition. She has also worked professionally with Lyric Opera of Orange County singing the Flower Duet in concert, and with the Ted Atkatz Percussion Seminar, performing in Music for 18 Musicians by Steve Reich. She is a recent Encourgement Award receptient from the Camille Coloratura Awards. 

She graduated from the Bob Cole Conservatory of Music at California State University, Long Beach, where she received her degrees in BM Vocal Performance, and BM Choral/Vocal Education studying with Alexander Hahn. In 2023 she was named the BCCM Concerto Competition winner, and performed Gliere's Concerto for Coloratura Soprano with the Bob Cole Symphony Orchestra. During her summers, she has studied at programs such as SongFest, and Romantic Lied in Germany.