Dominic Townsend, a native of Youngstown, New York, is an emerging baritone and recent graduate of the Fredonia School of Music, where he earned a Bachelor of Music in Performance and received the prestigious Performer’s Certificate. He will continue Masters degree at The Juilliard School as a Kovner Fellow, beginning in fall 2026. Dominic’s recent highlights include his role debut as Count Almaviva in Le nozze di Figaro at the Chautauqua Opera Conservatory, which he later reprised with the Western New York Chamber Orchestra. He returns to Chautauqua in summer 2026 to perform Le Mari in Poulenc’s Les Mamelles de Tirésias. A frequent performer with Fredonia Hillman Opera, Townsend has appeared in three seasons, most recently as John Sorel and the Secret Police Agent in Menotti’s The Consul, Guglielmo in Mozart’s Così fan tutte, and Frank in Strauss’ Die Fledermaus. He has also trained at the American Institute of Musical Studies in Graz. In the 2025–2026 season, Townsend makes his debut with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra as Baron Duphol in Verdi’s La traviata under the baton of JoAnn Falletta. He also appeared as Dr. John Watson in the world premiere of 221B: A Sherlock Holmes Opera with the Western New York Chamber Orchestra and performed the lead role of Inman in scenes from Cold Mountain. Townsend is the first-place winner of the 2026 Opera Grand Rapids VanderLaan Competition, a finalist in the Fredonia Concerto Competition, and has been featured as a soloist with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra’s summer concert series.