Boston - based soprano Mara Riley is recognized for her compelling musicality, having a particular affinity for both early music and art song.

In 2023, she was named first prize winner in the Colorado Bach Ensemble Young Artist Competition, as well as being chosen as the soprano fellow for Emmanuel Music’s Bach Institute. She has since been a regular ensemble member and soloist with Emmanuel Music, including their 2024 St. Matthew Passion. She sang Handel’s Samson with the Cambridge Chamber Ensemble (Philistine Woman), and was the soprano soloist for two performances of BWV 10 with the Colorado Bach Ensemble. She was named winner of the 2024 Rhode Island Civic Chorale and Orchestra Collegiate competition, and will be the soprano soloist in their performance of Handel's Messiah this year. In 2023, she appeared as soprano soloist in Handel’s Israel in Egypt with the Back Bay Chorale under the baton of Anthony Trecek-King. She was the soprano soloist in Handel's Messiah with the Boulder Bach Festival, in both 2023 and 2021. She was featured in the Boulder Bach Festival’s virtual concert series during the pandemic. In 2018, she sang with the Colorado Saints Chorale and Orchestra as a soloist (Martha) in Rob Gardner’s oratorio, The Lamb of God, and was invited back the following year to sing the same role. Ms. Riley also finds great fulfillment in ensemble singing, having sung with various professional church choirs across Boston. She sings with the Nightingale Vocal Ensemble. She was selected as one of the Voces8 US Scholars for 2024/2025.

She recently sang the role of Calisto in Cavalli's La Calisto at the New England Conservatory. Other favorite opera roles have included: Mary Bailey in Heggie’s It’s a Wonderful Life, Flora in Britten’s The Turn of the Screw, Belinda in Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas, and Héro in Berlioz’s Béatrice et Bénédict. 

In 2024, her performance of Poulenc's Il vole (Fiançailles pour rire) was awarded the Honorable Mention (Best Performance of a non-contemporary work) in the 2024 Calliope's Call Young Singer Art Song Competition. She has been heavily involved in the art song activities at NEC, including a member of the selective Song Lab, six Liederabends, and too many collaborative piano recitals to count. She was the runner up in the University of Colorado Honors Competition (2020) for her performance of Britten's Les Illuminations.

She is wrapping up a double MM in Flute and Vocal Performance at the New England Conservatory, in the studios of Paula Robison and Lisa Saffer. She holds a double BM at the University of Colorado - Boulder.

When not practicing, Ms. Riley loves to be outside (bonus points if the sun is out) and can often be found hiking in her home state of Colorado. Her goal in life is to meet as many dogs as possible. She also loves to play the Baroque flute and looks forward to playing her first St. Matthew Passion this summer!