Lisa Moscatiello

Lisa Moscatiello, a folk singer, has earned acclaim across various platforms, notably through positive reviews in Dirty Linen magazine and support from prominent folk music DJs. Particularly notable is the recognition from the Washington Area Music Awards, which have presented her with nearly twenty WAMMIES throughout her career, one of which was for Contemporary Folk Album of the Year awarded to her first album, Innocent When You Dream. Additionally, the Maryland State Arts Council provided her with a grant focused on vocal performance. Growing up in Arlington, Virginia, Moscatiello benefited from parents whose musical tastes spanned widely, introducing her equally to folk artists like Joan Baez and Peter, Paul, & Mary, the operatic compositions of Puccini, and the singing styles of Frank Sinatra along with Sarah Vaughan.

Her musical path began at age sixteen under the influence of the Irish Tradition, as she took on lead vocal duties with Ceoltoiri, collaborating with Karen Ashbrook and Sue Richards to deliver traditional Irish material from 1982 onward. She attended Yale starting in 1984, majoring in history while training vocally under Jill Soltero, and participated in the a cappella group Red Hot & Blue, which blended jazz with classic pop tunes. Following her 1988 graduation from Yale, Moscatiello became part of the British folk-rock ensemble New St. George in 1989; the group issued High Tea in 1994 prior to its dissolution the subsequent year. As a solo performer, she emerged in 1996 via Innocent When You Dream and issued the follow-up Second Avenue in 2000. Moscatiello also contributes vocals to both the techno project Arthur Loves Plastic and the Celtic fusion group Whirligig. Her festival performances have encompassed the Philadelphia Folk Festival, the Newport Folk Festival, and the Winnipeg Folk Festival.