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WIU Professor to Make 14th Soloist Appearance at Carnegie Hall in New York City

August 24, 2018

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MACOMB, IL -- Western Illinois University Assistant Professor of Music in Voice Penelope Shumate will make her 14th soloist appearance at New York City's Carnegie Hall in November to perform Handel's "Messiah," presented by Distinguished Concerts International New York.

Shumate has performed as a soloist in New York City, at either Carnegie Hall or Lincoln Center, every year since her appointment to the WIU School of Music in 2014. She was also the recipient of the 2018 and the 2017 College of Fine Arts and Communication Award of Excellence for Creative/Performing Activities. Her recent critical acclaim includes being complimented by The New York Times as singing with "bell-like clarity and surpassing sweetness," and The New York Concert Review has complimented "her sparkling coloratura perfection" and "beautiful, flexible, dramatic voice."

Shumate was also selected as the recent winner of the Chicago Oratorio Award. Her upcoming and recent soloist debuts and return engagements include appearances with the Distinguished Concerts International New York ("Messiah," "Requiem"/Verdi and Mozart, "Stabat Mater"/Mealor, "Carmina Burana"), the Heartland Symphony Orchestra, the Rapides Symphony Orchestra, and the Acadiana Symphony Orchestra ("Symphony No. 9" and "Carmina Burana"), the Roanoke Symphony Orchestra and the Morton Community Chorus and Orchestra ("Messiah"), Galesburg Community Chorus and Orchestra ("Paukenmesse" and "Dona nobis pacem"), the Fourth Presbyterian Church Concert Series in Chicago and Drake University ("Of Love and Peace" Vocal Recital), the Muddy River Opera Company ("Carmen"/Micaëla and "The Magic Flute"/Pamina), McDonough County Choral Society ("Requiem"/Rutter and Fauré), Southern Illinois University and the Oklahoma City Philharmonic ("Carmina Burana"), Opera on the James and Lyric Opera of Chicago Northfield Chapter Community (Opera and Musical Theatre concerts), the Peoria Area Civic Chorale ("An American Family Christmas"), the Waynesboro Symphony Orchestra ("Symphony No. 9"), the Virginia Consort ("Requiem"/Rutter), the Lynchburg Symphony Orchestra ("Carols and Candles" Holiday Concert), the Quincy Symphony Orchestra Association ( "Ah! perfido"/Beethoven), the Chicago Bar Association Symphony Orchestra and Chorus ("Ein Deutsches Requiem" and "Benedicite") and the Burlington Chamber Music Concert Series.

Shumate has appeared with opera companies and orchestras across America, including the Opera Company of Philadelphia, Opera Roanoke, Lake George Opera, Des Moines Metro Opera, Utah Festival Opera, Santa Fe Symphony Orchestra, Berkshire Choral Festival, Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia, and the Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra, among others.

She is an award winner with the Gerda Lissner Foundation, Marie E. Crump Vocal Arts Competition, MacAllister Awards, New Jersey Association of Verismo Opera Vocal Competition, Annapolis Opera Vocal Competition, Kennett Symphony Orchestra Vocal Competition and the Altamura/Caruso International Vocal Competition, among others.

For more information, visit penelopeshumate.com.

Posted By: University Communications (U-Communications@wiu.edu)
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