Julianna Banfe is a 22-year-old soprano, actress, and music director/arranger from Moorestown, New Jersey. She is currently pursuing a B.M. in Vocal Performance at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, where she studied with Deanne Meek and continues her training with Paulina Villarreal. She is a proud recipient of the Susan Cartland-Bode Scholarship and the Marianne Felton Scholarship, as well as a member of the Hutton Honors College. Julianna made her operatic role debut as Celia in Chicago Summer Opera’s production of Handel’s Silla. There, she studied with Hungarian mezzo-soprano Viktoria Vizin and performed in a masterclass for Elizabeth Byrne. Last October, Julianna made her IU Opera Theater debut as Un Pâtre in Ravel’s L'enfant et Les Sortilèges, and in April 2026 will perform with IUOT again as Laurey Williams in Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Oklahoma!. This summer, she will join the Hawai‘i Performing Arts Festival as Carrie Pipperidge in Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Carousel, continuing her work in Golden Age repertoire alongside her operatic training.

Having an extensive background in choral music, Julianna has performed with ensembles ranging from chamber choirs to large symphonic choruses. In 2024, Julianna joined the contemporary vocal ensemble NOTUS, under the direction of Dominick DiOrio. In 2022, she made her Carnegie Hall debut as part of the Music-Fest Rising Talents festival, performing Passereau’s “Il est bel et bon” as part of a vocal quartet. Julianna is also a proud alumna of the Philadelphia Girls Choir, with whom she has performed at venues such as The Academy of Music and The Kimmel Center, as well as in Spain, France, the UK, and Germany.

An advocate for crossover music, Julianna has also found a home in pop singing and arranging. Two months into her first year at college, she co-founded The Bloomingtones, an all-treble a cappella group at Indiana University. Most recently, The Bloomingtones won first runner-up at the ICCA Midwest Quarterfinals, advancing to the next round, as well as the special award for “Outstanding Arrangement.” They also won the “New Organization of the Year” award and performed at IU’s Little 500 race, both in 2024. Julianna currently serves as BT’s co-music director, where she teaches and arranges the group’s repertoire. You can find more of Julianna’s arrangements and “vocal stacks” on her TikTok and Instagram pages, as well as pop and musical theater covers.

Julianna is also pursuing a minor in business through IU’s Kelley School of Business. In the 2025-26 school year, she will be a student manager at the Jacob’s Office of Entrepreneurship and Career Development, providing current students with the resources and support they need to build a sustainable career in the arts. Outside of music, Julianna enjoys crocheting, journaling, and cooking, and spending time with her friends, family, and dogs.