Biographies

Aubrey Adams-McMillan, mezzo-soprano, enjoys an active career singing opera, musical theater, chamber music, art song, and symphonic works. She discovered her love for twentieth century music and collaborating with composers during her work with Claudio Abbado and the New York Philharmonic singing Schoenberg and Debussy.

In her hometown she performs with the prestigious Utah Symphony, Intermezzo, Utah Opera, NOVA Chamber Music, Southwest Symphony, and Cathedral of the Madeleine concert series. She was the recipient of the Marian Anderson scholarship at Westminster Choir College, the Penrose Scholar at Central City Opera, and a two-time district finalist in the Metropolitan Opera competition and received the encouragement award.

As a new Doctorate student at the University of Utah, Aubrey is a graduate teaching assistant with research interests ranging from phonation to vagal tone. In addition to teaching at the University of Utah, she has held a studio at Westminster College as an adjunct professor since fall of 2011.

During her term as the President of the Northern Utah chapter of the National Association of Teachers of Singing, Aubrey regularly participated in clinician work with both master clinicians and cutting-edge researchers whose focus lies on improving the instruction of vocal studies.

Eric McKirdy, organist, first put his hands on an organ console at the age of 14, playing for church as needed. He then went on to major in organ performance at the University of Oregon with Dr. Barbara Baird, much to his family’s dismay. In the many years since college, Eric has performed extensively throughout the United States and Europe, and has maintained a small studio of organ students over the years. While he enjoys solo organ repertoire, his favorite part of the organ is playing for choirs, which he has done weekly for the past 15 years at Albany First United Methodist Church, as well as for community and school choirs when an organ is needed. 

When not seated on an organ bench, Eric has composed an extensive catalog of works for choir and organ, and has often found himself directing church or community choirs. Eric serves as president of the board of directors of the Organ Media Foundation in St Louis, MO, and also serves as president of the board of Mid-Valley Musical Theater in Albany, OR. He is also very active in his local chapter of the American Guild of Organists.