Marie Herrington is a soprano, vocal composer, keyboardist and choir director who aims to cultivate and extend the human voice in as many ways as possible through writing choral and vocal music, singing lead vocals in a few bands, and directing choirs/teaching individual singers. Marie’s most notable honors and accomplishments have been singing backing vocals for Susan Boyle on her U.S. tour, singing with film composer John Williams and the Boston POPS, performing with Marin Alsop and the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, soloing with the Fisk Jubilee Singers, winning the 2024 International Federation of Choral Music Mixed Voices Competition for a choral piece of hers and an interview with IFCM for their 2024 annual magazine, winning a publishing competition with North Star Music, getting to study composition directly with Libby Larsen, and getting to perform with Ensemble LPR and the Flux Quartet for one of the most notable annual contemporary classical festivals in New York City: MATA Festival.
Performing in Suor Angelica, Peabody Conservatory, 2019
Marie’s background as a vocalist has led her to comfortably performing new works by living composers, and being able to perform her own music as well. Marie has 15+ years of experience as a trained opera singer, having worked with prestigious vocal masters such as Luciano Pavarotti’s vocal coach, Enza Ferrari, Dr. Elizabeth Linnartz of Duke University, Dr. Steven Rainbolt of Peabody Conservatory, Michael Manganiello of Peabody Conservatory, and Joan Patenaude-Yarnell of the Curtis Institute. Marie has performed the role of Miss Bingley and understudied the lead Elizabeth Bennet for the world premiere of Kirke Mechem’s Pride and Prejudice, as well as La Maestra delle Novizie in Puccini’s Suor Angelica, Hänsel in Hänsel und Gretel, Dunyasha in Rimsky Korsakov’s “Tsar’s Bride,” and Prince Orlafsky in Johann Strauss’ Die Fledermaus. Marie currently performs her own compositions at venues such as National Sawdust in Brooklyn, performs a recital series with pianist Timothy Krippner called Women In Music, sings lead vocals with a few rock bands in the DMV area such as Ru Cru of D.C, and performs works by living composers such as Ben Zervigon, Hannah Cai Sobel, and Laura Nevitt.
Marie has also earned a lot of press as a keyboardist, being a member of the Baltimore Chapter of the American Guild of Organists, and working as an organist and music director in both the Carolinas and the Maryland/DC area for eight years. Some of Marie’s work outside of performing involve having created three recital series and an Artist in Residency Program at Baltimore City church with a vibrant music program, Govans Presbyterian.
To honor the substance of her work, Marie has won many awards in fields such as classical and musical theater singing, such as winning first place in the state-wide National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) competition every year from 2012 all the way up to 2016. Marie is also an alumna of the prestige program YoungArts, as well as being the first place winner of the International MasterPlayers voice competition in 2018. Marie had a young start to the world of projecting her voice over an orchestra with her first ever debut with an orchestra being performing with the Durham Symphony of Durham, North Carolina, at age 14.
As an instructor, Marie used to be the Head of the Music Department at St. Timothy’s School, an all-girls private high school in Stevenson, Maryland, where she led the fantastic choir of singers called Moongates. Marie has also been a guest lecturer, guest panelist, and has given vocal masterclasses at the University of Southern Caribbean in Trinidad and Tobago. Marie has been teaching voice, piano, and composition/songwriting since 2013, and has tutored ear training and music theory at Peabody Conservatory. Since 2013, Marie began directing choirs (see “Conductor” tab of website), and has always worked to expand the knowledge and vocal capabilities of each ensemble she’s directed. Marie’s specialty is contemporary music, and she has provided commission and premiere opportunities for many nationwide and international composers who work with/write for her choirs.
Conducting the choir of Epiphany Lutheran Church, 2022
Conducting Handel's Messiah with bass soloist Colin Johnson
Govans Presbterian Church, 2024
Marie loves utilizing the human voice for what it is: an instrument. She creates soundscapes, textures and non voice-like material, which she demonstrates in her album Laugh Like Birds (released in 2023) for her solo voice and fixed electronics. The album demonstrates a wide spectrum of vocal techniques, temperament changes and microtonal melodies, as well as electronic effects that distort the many layers of vocal tracks you’ll hear on the album. A few songs such as “Imagined Impeachment” and “Laugh Like Birds” challenge choral singing norms such as aligned end consonants and equal temperament with traveling frequencies and intentionally misaligned consonants. Her new release “b l u r” also challenges these choral singing norms especially with ever-changing tuning and microtonal sliding.
Performing with Get Steady at Tin Roof Baltimore, PowerPlant Live, 2022
As an instructor, Marie used to be the Head of the Music Department at St. Timothy’s School, an all-girls private high school in Stevenson, Maryland, where she led the fantastic choir of singers called Moongates. Marie has also been a guest lecturer, guest panelist, and has given vocal masterclasses at the University of Southern Caribbean in Trinidad and Tobago. Marie has been teaching voice, piano, and composition/songwriting since 2013, and has tutored ear training and music theory at Peabody Conservatory. Since 2013, Marie began directing choirs (see “Conductor” tab of website), and has always worked to expand the knowledge and vocal capabilities of each ensemble she’s directed. Marie’s specialty is contemporary music, and she has provided commission and premiere opportunities for many nationwide and international composers who work with/write for her choirs.