Carla Wesby is a professional soloist, cantor, and choral singer in New York City.

Carla grew up surrounded by music, as both of her parents are professional musicians as well. She started singing at a young age, and played the cello from 4th grade until she graduated from college. She sang in children’s choruses with Mary Goetze at Indiana University, and with her parents Roger and Barbara Wesby in Lexington Children’s Chorus, which they founded.

When Carla was in high school, she attended Lutheran Summer Music 3 summers in a row. The month-long music program included intensively studying voice, cello, theory, ear-training, singing in choir, and playing in orchestra and string quartet. It was LSM that led Carla to attend Valparaiso University for her undergraduate studies.

While at Valparaiso University, Carla sang in the Chorale, was principal cellist in the Symphony, and played in a string quartet called Chiaroscuro. She also studied voice and cello. Highlights included singing Pilate’s Wife in Bach’s St. Matthew Passion under the baton of Helmuth Rilling, and attending Brevard Music Center with Chiaroscuro String Quartet, one of two string quartets to be chosen that summer. Though Carla received her Bachelor’s degree in Music Education, she realized that singing was her passion, and was encouraged to move to New York City and pursue a Master’s degree in vocal performance.

She then attended Manhattan School of Music. While at MSM, she co-founded the One Act Opera Company with several fellow singers, and they performed Milton Granger’s The Proposal to great acclaim and attention. She also sang in the Baroque Aria Ensemble, and studied art song with Ken Merrill.

Since receiving her Masters degree, she has been freelancing in New York. She has been a soloist with American Symphony Orchestra, New York Philharmonic, New York City Ballet, National Chorale, Canterbury Choral Society, Brooklyn Contemporary Chorus, Big Apple Baroque, Staten Island Symphony, and Westchester Chorale. She has sung in the chorus at the Metropolitan Opera, New York City Opera, Opera Orchestra of New York, and Bard Summerscape among many others. Favorite NYC performances include ensemble/servant in My Fair Lady with NY Philharmonic (with Kelsey Grammar and Kelli O'Hara in the leading roles), Pilate's Wife and ensemble in BAM's staged, memorized production of Bach's St. Matthew Passion, singing backup with Chinese pop star Song Zuying at Radio City Music Hall, collaborating with Paul McCartney on his oratorio Ecce cor meum., and singing with Mark Morris Dance Group in Dido and Aeneas on tour and at BAM. In summer of 2022, she also had the pleasure of singing with Joe Hisaishi at Radio City Music Hall, performing music from his many film collaborations with Studio Gibli/Hayao Miyazaki.

Carla’s recent seasons have included singing the soprano solos in Vivaldi’s Magnificat and Schubert’s Mass in C with Philomusica, covering the soprano solos in Dvorak’s Requiem with American Symphony Orchestra, and traveling to Shanghai with the NY Philharmonic Chorus to record and perform the world premiere of Aaron Zingman’s Émigré. Émigré was also performed in NYC, and was featured on PBS Great Performances. Carla has also been led back to Lutheran Summer Music in the last few years, where she performed the soprano solo in Mahler’s Symphony No. 4, and presented a masterclass called “How to Use a Music Degree in Real Life”.

Prior to the pandemic, Carla created and performed a cabaret called The Almost, Not Quite, In-Between Girl, which features stories and songs about her years of dating in NYC until she met her husband. She performed it at The Duplex, Don’t Tell Mama’s, and The Townhouse.

Carla co-founded Woodside Arts Collective in the fall of 2021, and received a grant from City Artists Corp to sing in and produce Peter Rabbit, an opera for kids created by New Camerata Opera. The 25 minute long opera takes excerpts from Donizetti’s The Elixir of Love and sets it to the famous children’s story Peter Rabbit. Woodside Arts Collective is now in their 4th season. Carla is also a founding member of Opera Collective, a group devoted to making opera more accessible, partly by performing in the Music Under New York program. Opera Collective was featured on NHK’s Documentary Series “New York Streets”. Both of her parents are composers, and she has premiered various works of theirs over the last few decades.  She can be heard on Alice Parker’s recordings of The Family Reunion, Listen, Lord, and Singers Glen. Additional discography includes Les Huguenots with Bard Summerscape, and Émigré with Shanghai Symphony Orchestra.

Carla was a cantor, soloist, and choir member at St. Patrick’s Cathedral for 18 years. She sang for thousands of people at their masses, concerts, and on their live stream and YouTube channel. She also sang for Pope Benedict XVI and Pope Francis during their respective visits to New York.

In fall of 2024, Carla joined MidAmerica Productions as a Program Development Associate and Assistant in Concert Production. She is excited to continue to work in music and the arts, particularly on the production side at Carnegie Hall.

Carla resides in Queens with her husband and son. She is so grateful for all the love and support from family and friends that has kept her auditioning and pursuing singing.