Majel Connery

Majel Connery is a classically trained composer, vocalist, and educator known for her deeply immersive and genre-blending musical work. With a Ph.D. in musicology from the University of Chicago and an A.B. in music from Princeton, she combines technical sophistication with emotional depth in a style described as part Schubert, part Elvis Costello. Her music often intertwines electronic elements with raw vocal power, creating an experience both playful and profound, as noted by The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal. Connery’s notable works include "The Rivers Are Our Brothers," recorded by Grammy-winning choir Chanticleer, and "Elderflora," an oratorio about the life and death of a tree, premiered at the Seattle Symphony.

Before fully pursuing a solo artist career, she co-founded Chicago’s avant-garde opera company Opera Cabal and held academic positions at Stanford, UC Berkeley, Princeton, and other institutions. Currently based between Brooklyn, NY, and Catskill, NY, Connery also hosts two music podcasts and has composed for Radiolab’s “Gonads” series. Her voice and compositions draw on various influences, including British folk, madrigals, and art rock, earning favorable comparisons to Shara Nova and Joanna Newsom. She is a versatile artist who bridges classical, folk, punk, and experimental music worlds with unique vision and warmth.

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