Jurate Švedaite WallerView profile
Adjunct Professor
Jurate Švedaite Waller serves as an Adjunct Professor of Music at Connecticut College, specializing in vocal instruction and opera performance since joining the institution in 2008. Possessing what has been described as a vocal artistry capable of 'transfixing audiences with moments of opera magic,' she maintains an active presence in both teaching and professional performance. Education: B.A., Lithuanian Music Academy M.A., Lithuanian Music Academy Professor Waller's artistic focus centers on vocal performance across multiple disciplines, with particular expertise in opera, classical repertoire, sacred works, and Baroque music. Her Lithuanian heritage informs her musical perspective, connecting her to the traditions of her grandfather Jonas Švedas, one of Lithuania's most revered composers of traditional music. As a performer, she has appeared throughout Europe and the United States with prestigious ensembles including the Lithuanian National Chamber Orchestra, Connecticut Lyric Opera, and Connecticut Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra, performing in venues ranging from Carnegie Hall to the Lithuanian Philharmonic. Her extensive operatic repertoire includes starring roles in Tosca, La Traviata, La Bohème, Le Nozze di Figaro, Don Giovanni, and Die Zauberflöte, among others. Professor Waller also maintains an active performance schedule in sacred works, with credits including Monteverdi's and Vivaldi's Magnificats, Bach's Mass in B minor and Christmas Oratorio, Mozart's Requiem, and Faure's Requiem. Her early musical development began in Lithuania where she made her recording debut at age twelve and hosted children's programs on national television. Within Connecticut College's all-Steinway campus environment with specialized recording studios and performance spaces, Professor Waller contributes to the department's mission of engaging students as performers, listeners, and scholars regardless of major. Her international performance background supports the college's emphasis on global perspectives in musical education.
