Joelle Perry, Mezzo Soprano 

 

Mezzo-soprano, Joelle Perry is an active soloist and music educator in the Dayton, Ohio area.  Originally from Bronx, New York, Joelle graduated from Wright State University (Ohio) where she received a Bachelor of Music degree.  While she was obtaining her undergraduate degree, she was also a member of the Dayton Opera Chorus, performing in world famous operas such as Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro, Puccini’s Madama Butterfly, and Donizetti Lucia di Lammermoor.  Joelle would grace the Dayton Opera stage for 9 years under the direction of Maestro Charles Wendelkin-Wilson. She went on to teach private vocal lessons at Stivers School for the Arts, where she later became Director of Choral Studies.  Joelle’s expertise in vocal pedagogy would be the catalyst in which she transformed the choral department into a superior rated department.  Her choirs were often compared to the top collegiate choirs in the Dayton and surrounding areas.  Her vocal students have been accepted into the finest music programs such as the American Musical and Dramatic Academy (AMDA) in New York. 

 

In 2011, Joelle joined the Richard Allen school district as the music teacher and choral director for grades 2nd through 6th.  Upon her arrival zero percent of her students knew how to read music.  This inspired her to take the responsibility of creating a music curriculum for the Richard Allen school district.  By the end of her 3 year term, one hundred percent of her students could read music while playing an instrument. 

 

Currently, Joelle is obtaining her Master’s degree in vocal performance at Wright State University (Ohio).  While attending WSU, Joelle has performed the Third Lady in Mozart’s The Magic Flute, Dorabella in Mozart’s Cosi fan tutte, Micaela in a scene from Bizet’s Carmen and, most recent, Ruth in Gilbert and Sullivan’s The Pirates of Penzance.  She has also directed scenes from Leonard Bernstein’s West Side Story and Aaron Copeland’s The Tender Land.  Joelle has been able to obtain her successes with the support of her husband and their 3 children, ages 10, 8, and 4, as well as her 24 year old step-daughter and 8 month old grandson.