Joan La Barbara (born June 8, 1947 in Philadelphia, PA) is an American vocalist and composer known for her explorations of non-conventional or “extended” vocal techniques. Considered to be a vocal virtuoso in the field of contemporary music, she is credited with advancing a new vocabulary of vocal sounds including trills, whispers, cries, sighs, inhaled tones, and multiphonics (singing two or more pitches simultaneously).
Avant-garde vocalist and composer who studied under legendary soprano Helen Boatwright. She has collaborated with her husband, electronic composer Morton Subotnick, and also such noted talent as John Cage, Phillip Glass, and Peter Gordon.