Joan La Barbara (born June 8, 1947 in Philadelphia, PA, United States) is a vocalist and composer associated with contemporary classical music. She is a former student of Helen Boatwright and has worked with her husband Morton Subotnick since 1979, as well with many other contemporary composers such as John Cage, Philip Glass, Larry Austin, the dancer Merce Cunningham, and many others. She has also worked with Kenneth Goldsmith. While she is known primarily for her vocal abilities and extended techniques