POLLY BUTLER CORNELIUS, soprano, is an international performer of opera, oratorio and song recitals. She has created a niche for herself by premiering contemporary American songs written by living composers. Most recently she performed recitals of American music in the San Dominico Auditorium in Foligno, Italy (2010) and the Universitá per Stranieri in Perugia, Italy (2008, 2010). Polly has received awards and recognition from the Metropolitan Opera Auditions, The Fort Worth Opera Company, Shreveport Opera and the National Association of Teachers of Singing (Artist Award). She has performed leading roles with the Greensboro Opera Company, Piedmont Opera Theatre, The Opera Company of North Carolina, Opera Carolina and the Brevard Music Festival. She has been a soloist in many churches including the Duke Chapel and Foundry Methodist Church in Washington, DC. She has been a featured soloist with the North Carolina Symphony, Eastern Music Festival, Greensboro Symphony Orchestra, the Elon University Chamber Orchestra and the American Institute of Musical Studies orchestra in Graz, Austria. She has been invited to sing for many American dignitaries including President and Mrs. Bill Clinton in 2000 and Alaskan Governor Sarah Palin in 2009.

Polly has studied voice and coached with Doris Yarick-Cross, Elizabeth Colson, Arlene Shrut, Warren Jones and Nico Castel in New York, and has performed under the baton of distinguished conductors including Evan Rogister, Joseph Colaneri, Benton Hess, Valery Ryvkin and the late Norman Johnson. She holds performance degrees from Converse College (BM) and The University of North Carolina at Greensboro (MM), and is presently a candidate for the Doctor of Musical Arts degree at UNCG where she studies voice with Dr. Robert Bracey. Also a dedicated and sought-out teacher, she is a voice professor at Elon University where she teaches voice and vocal pedagogy to music and music theatre students. Her current and former students are performing leading roles on Broadway, on National Broadway tours and in regional opera theaters throughout the US.

Polly's Resume/Curriculum Vitae in PDF format.