Courtney Carey
Founder & Artistic Director
Acclaimed for his “commanding stage presence” and “dramatic fire,” (Raoul Abdul, Amsterdam News) baritone Courtney Carey has established himself as a singer of singular talent. Since his operatic debut as Morales with the Komische Kammer Oper München in Georges Bizet’s Carmen, he has gone on to sing principal roles in Le Nozze di Figaro (Il Conte Almaviva), Cosi fan tutte (Don Alfonso and Guglielmo), Susannah (Elder McClean), Romeo et Juliette (Mercutio), L’elisir d’amore (Belcore), and many others. Under the direction of maestro Joseph Colaneri, Mr. Carey created a stir with his carefully crafted portrayal of the villainous Lantello in the world premiere of Noam Sivan’s Fruits of Folia. Other important career highlights include collaborations with eminent maestri such as David Effron, David Gilbert, Joshua Green, Matthias Kuntzch, Jay Meetze, and Ted Taylor. He has participated in renowned programs for young artists, such as The University of Miami Frost School of Music at Salzburg, Brevard Music Center, Centro Studi Italiani, B.A.S.O.T.I., New York Summer Opera Scenes, and was a resident artist with the Opera Company of Brooklyn. As a noted recitalist, Mr. Carey has performed in many concerts, recitals, and festivals, including the Cleveland Art Song Festival, a week-long festival of intensive recitals and masterclasses featuring distinguished talents such as baritone, Vladimir Chernov, tenor, Anthony Dean Griffey, and pianist, Warren Jones. Recent career highlights include concert performances of Brahms’ German Requiem, and Bach’s Cantata 147, Vaughan Williams’ Mass in G, and the preview of Ricky Ian Gordon’s new opera Intimate Apparel (a co-production between the Metropolitan Opera and Lincoln Center Theater).
A native of Memphis, Tennessee, Mr. Carey earned a B.A. degree in Music from Morehouse College, an M.M. degree in Choral Conducting from the Eastman School of Music, and a Professional Studies Diploma in Voice from Mannes College of Music. While a student at Mannes College of Music, Mr. Carey was approached by the Metropolitan Opera Guild to sign on as one of its teaching artists. He enjoyed a lengthy relationship with both the Metropolitan Opera and Metropolitan Opera Guild until he stepped down in 2018 to pursue non-profit management.
His wide range of experience includes teaching at all levels of public and parochial school music education and conducting church, community, chamber, and collegiate choruses. He has served as guest conductor of the Manhattan School of Music Pan African concerts, Associate Conductor at the Ephesus Seventh-day Adventist Church, Associate Adjunct Professor and Director of Jubilee Singers at Westminster Choir College, and Director of Music Ministries at the First African Methodist Episcopal Church: Bethel, and Director of the Brooklyn Ecumenical Choir. In addition to his work as a singer, lecturer, and conductor, Mr. Carey is an accomplished composer/arranger. His choral arrangements My God is So High, I Ain’t Got Weary Yet, Lord, I Want Two Wings, Calvary, and You Can Tell the World are published by GIA Publications, the Lorenz Corporation, and Carus Verlag respectively.
Music by Courtney Carey (Choral & Solo Vocal)
