Praised for his "voluminous sound" and “imposing, ringing baritone," Canadian baritone and composer Joel Balzun is establishing himself as an intelligent and creative musical force both on and off the stage. He was recently an award-winner in the Wagner Society of New York Singers Competition, following his win of the Fulham Opera Robert Presley Memorial Verdi Prize, solidifying his growing presence in the dramatic repertoire. Upcoming engagements include a world premiere by Kurt Erickson, Don Marco Bomba (Don Bucefalo) with Pacific Opera Project and an important debut as the bass soloist in Verdi’s Messa da Requiem with San Luis Obispo Master Chorale. Recent performance highlights include exciting debuts at Los Angeles Opera (Il barbiere di Siviglia) and Opera Las Vegas (Schaunard - La bohème). His recent role and house debut as Escamillo in Union Avenue Opera’s Carmen was heralded as “swaggering, supremely self-confident” and sung with a “thunderous” and “booming” voice. Other recent performance highlights include Marcello (La bohème) with Pacific Opera Project, Giorgio Germont (La traviata) with Opera Santa Barbara, works of Mozart and Ralph Vaughan Williams with San Luis Obispo Master Chorale and numerous recitals featuring the premiere performances of Black Dog by Tom Cipullo throughout the USA, including at the Ravinia Music Festival and Cincinnati Song Initiative.

From Carnegie Hall to the Kennedy Center, Mr. Balzun’s past appearances include the title roles in Don Giovanni, Gianni Schicchi, Dead Man Walking and Don Quichotte at Camacho’s Wedding (Telemann), the Four Villains in Les contes d'Hoffmann, Prince Yeletskiy and Count Tomskiy (Pikovaya Dama), Albert (Werther), Belcore (L'elisir d'amore), Dr. Malatesta (Don Pasquale) and Valentin (Faust). Other past role assignments include such diverse characters as Riolobo (Florencia en al Amazonas), Golaud (Pelléas et Mélisande), Hunter (Rusalka), Dr. Carrasco/Knight of the Mirrors/Duke (Man of La Mancha), Sid (Albert Herring), John Brooke (Little Women) and Marquis de la Force (Dialogues of the Carmelites). Especially passionate about the works of Richard Strauß, he has excelled in the roles of Mandryka (Arabella) and Jupiter (Die Liebe der Danae). On the concert stage, Mr. Balzun’s broad vocal range has allowed him to be a featured soloist in Copland's Old American Songs, Dvořák’s Te Deum, Fauré's Requiem, Haydn's The Creation, Mahler's Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen, Mozart’s Mass in c minor and Per bella questa mano, Vaughan Williams’ Dona nobis pacem and Five Mystical Songs and numerous cantatas of Johann Sebastian Bach. His acclaimed performance of Bach's Johannes-Passion with the Rochester Bach Festival was recently broadcast multiple times across the United States.

In the competition circuit, Mr. Balzun has been a prize-winner in numerous competitions. Highlights include prizes from from Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition (Los Angeles District and Western Region), Pasadena Vocal Competition, Lyndon Woodside Oratorio-Solo Competition, Houston Saengerbund Vocal Competition, Gwendolyn Roberts Young Artist Auditions, Orpheus National Vocal Competition, Houston Saengerbund Vocal Competition, NATS Artist Awards and the Rio Hondo Symphony Young Artist Competition. He has also been a finalist for Rochester International Voice Competition, Orchestre symphonique de Montréal Concours, Premiere Opera Foundation International Vocal Competition and Vincerò World Singing Competition.

An avid proponent of the music of living and contemporary composers, Mr. Balzun won critical acclaim for his portrayal of the titular Joseph de Rocher in the South Florida premiere of Jake Heggie's Dead Man Walking with Miami Music Festival. He worked with the composer on this work, as well as the role of Charlie in excerpts from Three Decembers. He recently created the role of Ivan Brisilov in the world premiere of Stephanie Fleischmann and Peter Knell’s Arkhipov with Jacaranda Music, conducted by Daniela Candillari. On the concert stage, he has championed rarely-performed works such as George Rochberg's String Quartet No. 7, as well as Peter Maxwell Davies's virtuosic Eight Songs for a Mad King. His professional debut in 2011 was in the world premiere of Peter Michael von der Nahmer's award winning opera, El canguro with California International Theatre Festival. In 2021, Mr. Balzun launched Black Dog Commission, a new commissioning series for art song repertoire which openly discusses life with mental illness. Through this, Mr. Balzun has premiered a new work by Tom Cipullo and looks forward to premiering a new work by Dale Trumbore.

Also an accomplished composer, Mr. Balzun's “haunting and beautiful” music has received international recognition, garnering prizes from the SOCAN Foundation Awards for Young Composers, the Dallas Winds’ annual “Call for Fanfares” and the Classical Marimba League International Composition Competition. He was also a finalist for the prestigious ASCAP Morton Gould Young Composers Awards. In 2010, Mr. Balzun was also a prize-winner in the National Broadcast Orchestra’s Galaxie Rising Star Composers’ Competition, winning both the Young Composers Prize and the Grand Prize. He has appeared as a guest presenter and composer at the CBDNA National Conference and CFAMC National Conference, where he was also a featured soloist.

Praised as “a musical standout”, Mr. Balzun’s has been performed in Canada, the United States, Costa Rica, Denmark, Taiwan and the United Kingdom, by ensembles such as Alberta Winds, Calgary Civic Symphony, Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra, CCM Wind Orchestra, Dallas Winds, the National Broadcast Orchestra of Canada, La Orquestra Vientos de Costa Rica, White Snake Projects and Windago. Additional performances include those by Cadillac Moon Ensemble, Standing Wave Ensemble, and such luminary soloists as Corey Hamm and Megan Moore. His music has been broadcast on CBC Radio 2 and Espace Musique. A selection of Mr. Balzun’s music is currently published by C. Alan Publications, Lovebird Music and NewMusicShelf. He is an active member of ASCAP and SOCAN.

Mr. Balzun is a proud alum of Eastman School of Music, where he earned his Master's degree in Vocal Performance and Literature under the tutelage of Jan Opalach and Benton Hess. He was an apprentice artist at Santa Fe Opera and Opera Saratoga and a former fellowship recipient at the Ravinia Steans Music Institute and the Tanglewood Music Center. He is grateful to have studied the art of singing with Reid Bruton, Jane Eaglen, William Lock (in memoriam), Anthony Manoli, Michelle Minke, Judith Natalucci and Sanford Sylvan (in memoriam).