Merrill S. Shea
My Background
Past President of The McClosky Institute of Voice, a national, non-profit professional organization devoted the development and rehabilitation of voices impaired by vocal abuse and misuse. The Institute is named for one of this country's formost voice therapists and teachers of singing, David Blair McClosky. The Institute conducts summer workshops at various univerisities and runs a two-year summer certification program at Indiana University. It was founded in 1982 by many of his former students, including myself, who were teaching and singing throughout the USA and abroad. I was Blair McClosky's assistant from 1972 until his death in 1988.
Graduate of Boston University.
Member of the Voice Faculty at The Boston Conservatory.
Teacher of singing and speech, and voice therapist since 1972.
Former Staff Voice Therapist at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary.
Former instructor in singing at: Salve Regina University, The National Center of Afro-American Artists.
Students and former voice therapy patients have performed leading roles in Broadway, National, and International touring companies of Ragtime (2009-10 Broadway Revival), A LIttle Night Music (2010 Broadway Revival), Spring Awakening, My Vaudeville Man, 42nd Street, Fiddler, Les Misérables, Nunsense, Forbidden Broadway, Annie, Brigadoon & Most Happy Fella (NYC Opera), Sesame Street, and numerous New England Equity productions. They have had solo performances with the Boston Pops and have recorded for CBS, RCA, Arista, Atlantic, and many smaller labels.
Conducting seminars and workshops in singing, speech, and voice therapy for choruses, school systems, music educator conventions, theater groups, and corporations throughout New England and the Pacific Northwest.
Founder and music director of the Mozart at Newport Music Festival, Newport, RI; conductor of the North Shore Light Opera, the M.I.T. Summer Orchestral Program, the Orpheus Wind Ensemble, the Cambridge Madrigal Singers, numerous university and community theater productions of operetta and muscial theater. Assistant conductor for the Boston Symphony Orchestra Youth Concerts Series, "What is Light Opera"?
