WIU Professor to Debut with Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in London for Recording at Abbey Road Studios, Wins National Vocal Competition

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Assistant Professor of Music in Voice Penelope Shumate
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WIU Professor to Debut with Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in London for Recording at Abbey Road Studios, Wins National Vocal Competition

April 15, 2019

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MACOMB, IL – Western Illinois University Assistant Professor of Music in Voice Penelope Shumate will debut as the soprano soloist for a recording of "Messiah" with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra at historic Abbey Road Studios in London this summer.

This studio has hosted recording sessions for iconic groups such as The Beatles and Pink Floyd, and has also been the location of film score recordings including "Star Wars," "Raiders of the Lost Ark" and the "Harry Potter" series.

This month, Shumate also won The American Prize in Vocal Performance (Oratorio) 2018-19. For her numerous recent soloist appearances at both Carnegie Hall and David Geffen Hall (formerly Avery Fisher Hall) at Lincoln Center in New York City, her critical acclaim includes being complimented by The New York Times as singing with "bell-like clarity and surpassing sweetness," and by The New York Concert Review for her "her sparkling coloratura perfection" and "beautiful, flexible, dramatic voice."

At WIU, Shumate was honored as the winner of the 2018 Provost's Award for Excellence in Scholarly/Creative/Performance/Professional Activities. For the past two years in a row, she was also the recipient of the College of Fine Arts and Communication Award of Excellence for Creative/Performing Activities (2017 and 2018).

As a 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"), Downers Grove Choral Society ("The Creation, Vesperae solennes de confessore," and "The Coming of Arthur"), 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 ("The Tender Land"/Laurie, "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.

Her WIU voice students' off-campus successes include being selected for international and national voice training programs, winning awards and placing in vocal competitions including the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions and NATS, and being hired for professional performance engagements. At WIU, her students' successes include being selected as winners of the School of Music Aria/Concerto Competition for both 2017 and 2018, performing leading and supporting roles in the Opera Theatre main-stage productions, appearing as soloists with university ensembles, Opera Workshop and Student Showcase Convocation concerts, and being awarded vocal scholarships.

Visit penelopeshumate.com for more information.