Thaleia Duo was founded at CUNY Hunter College in the fall of 2017 when two graduate students (one a soprano and the other a guitarist) were assigned to be partners for a chamber music project. Upon discovering a wealth of repertoire for soprano and guitar combined with a mutual love of performing it, Joanna Malaszczyk (soprano) and Nora Spielman (guitar) sought to develop a unique performance program that spans a variety of genres. Thaleia Duo is named after the Greek goddess of festivity and banquets.

Joanna Malaszczyk, Soprano

Soprano Joanna Malaszczyk was born and raised in Garden City, New York. She graduated cum laude from Bucknell University in 2015 with a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance. Joanna has performed a variety of opera roles including Papagena (Die Zauberflöte), Marzelline (Fidelio), Despina (Cosi fan tutte), Iolanthe (Iolanthe), Martha Jefferson (The Ghosts of Monticello), Sarah (Company), Pamina (The Magic Flute), and Hansel (Hansel and Gretel). She specializes in contemporary opera, and performed the roles of "The I.T." in "Fireworks: An American Opera Buffa" and Luci Baines Johnson in "Lady Bird " for the NYC premieres of each work. She is a 2018 Winner of Hunter College's Concerto Competition. She most recently sang the role of Winifred for the world premiere of "The Bone Keepers" with Hunter Opera Theater and American Opera Projects. She has pursued additional performance studies at the Atlantic Music Festival, the Druid City Opera Workshop, and the Wesley Balk Opera-Music Theater Institute. She maintains a large voice and piano studio both in New York City and on Long Island, and serves as Soprano Soloist/Section Leader at the First Presbyterian Church of Freeport in Freeport, NY.