Dr. Amalia “Maya” Osuga enjoys a wide range of opportunities as soloist and ensemble singer, conductor, and voice teacher. A soprano consistently praised for her thrilling coloratura and the “unrelenting authenticity” of her musical interpretations, she can be heard in roles ranging from Mozart’s Queen of the Night to Argento’s haunting Miss Havisham. Solo appearances have included: Mozart’s Requiem, Haydn’s Lord Nelson Mass, Orff’s Carmina Burana, Fauré’s Requiem, Mackey’s Songs for the End of the World, and Mendelssohn’s A Mid-Summer Night’s Dream at Lincoln Center’s Rose Hall.
As Assistant Professor of Voice at The University of Alabama in Huntsville, Osuga enjoys teaching courses in applied voice, lyric diction, group voice, and opera theater workshop. A frequent soloist in oratorio and a sought after collaborator for contemporary chamber music, she recently gave the world premiere of Blue Means Water, a work for soprano and chamber ensemble by award winning composer, Joshua Burel with text by Dionisia Morales.
As an artist with a particular interest in art song, Osuga has appeared in recital throughout the United States, and Great Britain, where she premiered works by composers Gregers Brinch and Francis Rainey. Osuga’s research focuses on highlighting the voices of women composers, poets, and the stories of women in art song. Her doctoral thesis “Women In Schubert’s Lieder: Exploring The Female Voice Through His Songs” looks at Franz Schubert’s connection to female poets and the expression of the woman’s voice in his songs.
A life-long lover of choral music, Osuga enjoyed early opportunities as ensemble singer and conductor under Francisco Núñez at the Young People’s Chorus of New York City (YPC). She has served as conductor of the Emerson College Choir, the University of Montana Women’s Choir, and the University of Oregon Repertoire Singers. Her voice teachers include Milagro Vargas, David Cody, Alma Caesari, and Julian Rodescu. She has studied conducting under Sharon Paul, Gary Funk, and James Freeman.
