Meredith Cornwell
Fort Mill,USA
Summary
Experienced voice teacher, academic, vocal coach, accompanist, choral director, classroom teacher, and church musician with 30 years of expertise in classical, opera, musical theater, and contemporary commercial music instruction at postsecondary and secondary levels. Demonstrates strong administrative, leadership, and organizational skills while passionately advocating for trauma-informed and somatic practices to bring a more embodied awareness to life and music making. Enthusiastic lover of traditional and contemporary worship with a unique ability to recognize and nurture hidden talents in others.
Overview
32
32
years of professional experience
Work History
Adjunct Voice Faculty
Gardner-Webb University
08.2023 - Current
- Taught Applied Voice, averaging 12 hours per semester
- Taught Diction for Singers, Fall 2024
- Prepared students for senior recitals
- Prepared students for auditions
Sole Proprietor
Dr. Meredith Cornwell Music Studio
07.2022 - Current
- Provided voice and piano lessons to students of various ages and abilities, averaging 30 per week
- Prepared students for auditions (NATS, local productions, college)
- Planned and accompanied unique student performance experiences
- Adjudicated state and regional NATS auditions; students consistently qualified for regional NATS
Voice and Piano Instructor
Charlotte Latin School
08.2022 - 05.2023
- Provided voice and piano lessons to an average of 15 students per week
Director of Private Voice Program & Assistant Choral Director
Clover High School
08.2008 - 07.2022
- Led private voice program and assisted choral director in an award-winning, magnet-style high school choral program
- Hired and mentored private vocal staff and scheduled lessons for 120 students
- Taught 30 students private voice on a weekly basis
- Planned and coordinated program-wide masterclasses and recitals
- Provided piano accompaniment
- Adjudicated solo competitions
- Prepared students for college auditions
- 40 NATS regional qualifiers program-wide, 3 NATS regional finalists, 1 NATS national qualifier (2022); 1 NATS national finalist (2021)
- Led sectional rehearsals (averaging 60 students)
- Team taught 9th grade Women's Ensemble (averaging 40 students)
- Auditioned and cast 2 annual large-scale productions
- Planned and managed annual placement auditions for 300 students
- Provided oversight of hiring and scheduling of free-lance artists and sound engineers for performances
- Communicated with parents and students via email, Canvas, and Remind
- Assessed Sight Reading Factory and Garage Band projects
- Developed honors choral curriculum approved by SC
- Taught Music Appreciation (virtual) and team taught AP Music Theory
- Conducted 40-member Women's Ensemble
Assistant Choral Director
Northwestern High School
09.2007 - 05.2008
- Taught 25 member freshman choir and general music class
- Assisted choral director with elite choir of 50 students
Adjunct Professor of Music
Winthrop University
08.2000 - 08.2007
- Taught vocal lessons for 15-20 undergraduate and graduate level voice students each semester
- Directed Opera Workshop, including co-direction of 2 complete operas, as well as opera scenes performances
- Taught Diction for Singers
- Supervised graduate level Vocal Pedagogy independent study
Vocal Instructor in Community Music School
University Of South Carolina
08.2000 - 05.2002
- Taught an average of 10 students weekly as a graduate assistant in music
Accompanist
Winthrop University
08.1996 - 05.1998
- Accompanied undergraduate voice majors, averaging 5 per semester
- Accompanied junior and senior recitals
Freelance Voice and Piano Instructor
Self-employed
08.1993 - 08.2000
- Taught voice and piano lessons to students of varying ages and abilities
Voice Instructor
Winthrop Academy of the Arts
08.1993 - 05.1999
- Provided vocal lessons to students of various ages and abilities, averaging 30 per semester
- Planned and accompanied annual recitals
Teacher, Kaleidoscope Camp for Gifted and Talented High School Students
Winthrop University
07.2004 - 07.2004
- Taught individual voice lessons
- Coached students for cumulative performance
Director of Music
Covenant Presbyterian Church
06.2022 - Current
- Accompanied and led hymns in a traditional worship setting
- Provided preludes, offertories, and postludes
- Accompanied and sang solos for worship
- Led a small choir
- Planned worship experiences with the pastor
Church musician
Christ the King Lutheran Church
05.2014 - 05.2024
- Accompanied and led hymns in a traditional worship setting
- Led worship in a contemporary worship setting
- Played keyboard in worship band
- Recruited, auditioned singers & instrumentalists for 10 member youth band, selected and coordinated music
- Co-created a program to onboard, coach, and mentor new worship leaders and young musicians
Vocal Music Assistant
Stough Memorial Baptist Church
09.2006 - 04.2007
- Performed solos
- Sang in choir
- Taught voice lessons to worship team and choir members
Choir Director & Pianist
Epworth United Methodist Church
06.2003 - 09.2004
- Provided prelude, offertory, and postlude
- Directed small choir; chose appropriate repertoire
- Provided special music
Education
Doctor of Musical Arts - Vocal Performance
12.2003
- Dissertation requirement: DMA document, 3 doctoral recitals, 3 opera roles
- Influences upon Stravinsky's Unique Style in The Rake's Progress, DMA document, University of South Carolina, 2003
- Outstanding Presentation Award, USC Graduate Student Day (2002), lecture on DMA document research
- Graduate assistantship teaching voice in the community music school
- Alexander Technique with Laury Christie
- Vocal performance with John Keene, Lynne Compass, Laury Christie, Ellen Douglas Schlaeffer, Talmage Fauntleroy
Master of Music - Vocal Performance
05.1999
- Graduate assistantship with choral department chair, Katherine Kinsey
- Two solo recitals
Bachelor of Music - Vocal Performance
12.1993
- Magna cum laude
- Voice with Jerry Helton & piano with Eugene Barban
Skills
- Extensive Vocal Teaching Background
- Attentive Accompanist and Vocal Coach
- University and Secondary Instruction
- Vocal Phonetics Instruction
- Private Music Studio Ownership
- Trauma-Sensitive Approaches
- Somatic Awareness Techniques
- Comprehensive Audition Readiness
- Coaching and Guidance
- Attention to detail
- Proficient in Solfège
- Administrative Management
Certifications And Credentials
- Narrative Focused Trauma Care, Level One, The Allender Center at The Seattle School, 2024
- Contemporary Commercial Music (CCM) Institute, Shenandoah University, 2016
- Advanced Placement (AP) Music Theory Certification, 2016
- Program of Alternative Certification in Education (PACE), 2011Winner of SC National Association of Teachers of Singing Artist Awards (NATSAA), 2006
- Member of National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS)
- Member of National Association for Music Education (NAFME)
Timeline
Adjunct Voice Faculty - Gardner-Webb University
08.2023 - Current
Voice and Piano Instructor - Charlotte Latin School
08.2022 - 05.2023
Sole Proprietor - Dr. Meredith Cornwell Music Studio
07.2022 - Current
Director of Music - Covenant Presbyterian Church
06.2022 - Current
Church musician - Christ the King Lutheran Church
05.2014 - 05.2024
Director of Private Voice Program & Assistant Choral Director - Clover High School
08.2008 - 07.2022
Assistant Choral Director - Northwestern High School
09.2007 - 05.2008
Vocal Music Assistant - Stough Memorial Baptist Church
09.2006 - 04.2007
Teacher, Kaleidoscope Camp for Gifted and Talented High School Students - Winthrop University
07.2004 - 07.2004
Choir Director & Pianist - Epworth United Methodist Church
06.2003 - 09.2004
Vocal Instructor in Community Music School - University Of South Carolina
08.2000 - 05.2002
Adjunct Professor of Music - Winthrop University
08.2000 - 08.2007
Accompanist - Winthrop University
08.1996 - 05.1998
Freelance Voice and Piano Instructor - Self-employed
08.1993 - 08.2000
Voice Instructor - Winthrop Academy of the Arts
08.1993 - 05.1999
University of South Carolina - Doctor of Musical Arts, Vocal Performance
Winthrop University - Master of Music, Vocal Performance
Winthrop University - Bachelor of Music, Vocal Performance
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