Edrie Means Weekly

Style: Opera; Jazz; Folk; Gospel; Rock; Classical; World; Pop; Musical Theatre

Title: Associate Professor of Voice Pedagogy; CCM Vocal Pedagogy Institute, co-founder

Bio:

EDRIE MEANS WEEKLY Soprano Belter Singer/Actress/Voice Teacher/Clinician/Researcher

Edrie Means, "rock star of vocal crossover”(The Cultural Feed), is an internationally recognized expert in training singers in all vocal styles and an active professional singer. She is the 2021 recipient of the Van Lawrence Fellowship Award. She was a Master Teacher for the NATS Intern Program in 2013 and is Co-Founder of the Contemporary Commercial Music (CCM) Vocal Pedagogy Institute. Edrie has presented numerous papers, countless workshops and master classes at national and international conferences. She regularly presents at the Voice Foundation Symposium, NATS National Conference, Pan-American Vocology Association, the Southeastern Theatre Conference, Mid-Atlantic NATS, Northwestern NATS, and universities throughout the United States. As a leading researcher in functional voice training and healthy vocal production, she has authored research publications in The Journal of Voice regarding the teaching of the Broadway voice. Edrie’s first publication in the The Journal of Voice (2003), led to establishing the Shenandoah University’s CCM Vocal Pedagogy Institute. She is a contributing author for four books; Teaching Singing in the 21st Century, The Vocal Athlete (second edition), The Voice Teacher’s Cookbook: Creative Recipes for Teachers of Singing and Training Contemporary Commercial Singers. Edrie is on the Advisory Boards for the NATS National Musical Theatre Competition and NATS National Student Auditions, the Voice Foundation, the Pan American Vocology Association and the Musical Theatre Educator’s Association. Edrie is the biological daughter of The King of Bluegrass, Jimmy Martin.

Her students can be heard on Grammy Award recordings, on Broadway, Off –Broadway, National and International Tours, Regional Theatre, TV(including The Voice, American Idol, Kidz Star USA), Recordings, Cruise Ships, Theme Parks, Films, NYC and Regional Cabaret Venues, Concert Halls and Opera Houses worldwide. Edrie is in demand as a contemporary music specialist. She has sung lead roles in the world premieres of works by Philip Glass, Dominick Argento, Jacob Druckman, and in Kaballah by Stewart Wallace, in which the role of Binah was written for her and a CD recording made with Koch Records. NPR broadcast Dominick Argento’s The Dream of Valentino, in which she created the role of Jean Aker and PBS broadcast Philip Glass’ The Making of The Representative of Planet 8, in which she created the role of Klin. Nationally and internationally, she has appeared in leading roles with the Houston Grand Opera, Washington Opera, Wolf Trap Opera, Cleveland Opera, Des Moines Metro Opera, Opera Mid-Michigan, Opera Grand Rapids, Pittsburgh Playhouse, and the State Opera of Cairo, Egypt. Her many performances have been broadcast internationally on NPR and PBS. She was last seen nationally and internationally on TV in the role of Suzy in the opera La Rondine directed by Marta Domingo which was released on DVD by Decca.

In addition to her operatic roles she has sung extensively in leading roles of musical and operetta production, including Follies, My Fair Lady, Carousel, The King and I, West Side Story, Show Boat, The Sound of Music, The Merry Widow and Zorba. Recitals in the United States and Canada include a New York City debut in the New York Festival of Songs Series with pianist Michael Barrett and Guest artist with symphony orchestras of Houston, Cleveland, Corpus Christi, Victoria, and the National Symphony. Edrie was standby for Patti LuPone in the title role of Regina at the Kennedy Center and was a member of the Sondheim production of Follies starring Bernadette Peters. She has been standby for Broadway stars Elaine Paige, Linda Lavin and Terry White. she returned to the Kennedy Center in My Fair Lady with Jonathan Pryce and Cloris Leachman. Edrie has performed principle roles with well-known artists such as Placido Domingo, Renee Fleming, Bernadette Peters, Linda Lavin, Elaine Paige, Rosiland Elias,Timothy Noble, Dihann Carroll, Tony Randall, Tommy Tune, Mirella Freni, Karita Mattilla, Suzanne Mentzer, Renato Capecchi, Paige O’Hare and long time friends Eddie Bracken, Marquita Lister and Denyce Graves.

Edrie was invited to sing at the Birthday Party of Academy Award winner film/TV/Broadway star Celeste Holm. Edrie was also invited to sing for award Gala concerts for Film and Stage stars Dame Julie Andrews, Chita Rivera, Ben Vareen and Opera singer Martina Arroyo.

She has been on faculty of Care of the Professional Voice, the ground breaking scientific conference on voice care worldwide for several years. Edrie is an Adjunct Associate Professor of Voice and Voice Pedagogy at Shenandoah Conservatory of Music in Winchester, VA and maintains private studios in NYC and the Washington, D. C. area. She is a member of the Voice Foundation, MENC, MTEA, MTNA, NVMTNA, PAVA, SETC, VMTA, Opera America, AGMA and AEA.

From Reviews and Quotes:

“She is the one person I have heard who nicely sings in and out of each style effortlessly!” Richard Miller, International Pedagogue and Operatic Tenor

"What a Beautiful voice and Expressive singing - that's the way songs need to be sung. Songs need to tell a story and Edrie told the story!" Celeste Holm (Broadway/Film/TV Star)

"Edrie not only has a beautiful voice, but was very expressive and sensitive with the text." Angela Lansbury (Film/Broadway/TV Star) “Soprano Edrie Means sang brilliantly as Klin, the fruit maker.” Opera News, Opera Magazine, London, Los Angeles Times, William Albright, PLANET 8 (World Premiere, Houston Grand Opera)

“Soprano Edrie Means offered superb work as the maid Despina. She combined superb tonal clarity with vivid characterization.” Houston Chronicle, Charles Ward, COSI FAN TUTTE (Houston Grand Opera)

“Talented Edrie Means sang with style such Gershwin numbers as Someone To Watch Over Me, and My Man’s Gone Now. Even the verses were attractive. Means’ spectacular voice, effective acting, and depth of emotion should take her far. The Eagle, Thyra Plass, NPR “Edrie Means Weekly is a superb operatic soprano, a powerful music theatre “belter”, and an experienced and highly skilled voice expert in many other styles. She is an excellent role model for the teachers who come to study vocal techniques for the various styles of Contemporary Commercial Music (music theater, jazz, gospel, rock, pop, Rhythm and Blues, country, folk, and alternative), as she is both a master of the vocal production demands and an experienced singing teacher. She guides others by her example and with detailed information about the musical and performance needs that singers must meet in order to have successful careers in any style.” Jeannette LoVetri, Singing Voice Specialist

"Edrie Means Weekly is a plethora of knowledge in the musical theatre styles! Her stylistic flexibility was impressive. Her positive reinforcement created a safe environment to experiment. She was able to adjust to various competency levels without skipping a beat." 2007 CCM Vocal Pedagogy Institute Musical Theatre Styles Class participant

Voice Type: Soprano

Music Styles Taught: Opera; Jazz; Folk; Gospel; Rock; Classical; World; Pop; Musical Theatre

Availability: I am available as a performer; I have a wait-list for private lessons; I am available as a clinician or presenter; I accept students through a college or university program

Contact Information