Believe not strange people,
Believe not peculiar fancies;
Even my actions you shouldn’t interpret,
But look in these eyes!

So begins Warum willst du andre fragen? by Clara Schumann, a work from the upcoming program of soprano Amy Conn and pianist Shannon McGinnis on Thursday, October 14 at 12:15 pm in Fulton Recital Hall. Program also includes Robert Kritz, Enrique Granados, and Six Chansons Françaises by Germaine Tailleferre.  Admission is free.

Amy Conn, soprano (left) is in demand as an intelligent and communicative artist. As a soloist, she has performed with Music of the Baroque, Baroque Band, Northwest Indiana Symphony Orchestra, Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra, Illinois Philharmonic Orchestra, Elgin Choral Union and Symphony, Chorus Angelorum, North Shore Choral Society, Lutheran Choir of Chicago and Bach Chamber Choir. She is a former long time member of Chicago a cappella. Stage appearances include lead roles in Acis and Galatea, The Turn of the Screw, Yeomen of the Guard and The Pirates of Penzance.  In 2010 she made her debut with Chicago Opera Theater singing in the chorus of Mose in Egitto and covering the role of Isifile in Cavalli’s Giasone. Ms. Conn collaborates frequently with Trevor Stephenson, fortepiano and with pianist Shannon McGinnis in recital.

Shannon McGinnis (below) maintains an active schedule as vocal coach and recital partner to singers and instrumentalists in the Chicago area. She serves as adjunct faculty member and vocal coach at the Chicago College of Performing Arts and works frequently with DePaul University Opera Theatre, having recently assisted in preparation and performances of The Mikado, L’Orfeo, and Ned Rorem’s Our Town. McGinnis also recently served as repetiteur and orchestra keyboardist for DuPage Opera Theatre’s productions of L’Elisir d’Amore and Turandot.

McGinnis is a founding partner of Collaborative Works, a vocal coaching and collaborative arts studio based in Chicago. She has held staff and internship positions with Columbus State University Opera, Dorian Opera Theatre, the Opera Company of Philadelphia, and University of Michigan Opera; other recent engagements include a vocal coaching position with the University of Michigan’s “Arts in Florence” program at the Villa Corsi-Salviati (Sesto Fiorentino, Italy) and several summers as official pianist for the “Deutsch für Sänger” program at Middlebury College’s prestigious German Language School. Prior to moving to Chicago in 2006, McGinnis held the position of Assistant Professor of Piano and Coordinator of Accompanying at Truman State University.

McGinnis was awarded the Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Accompanying and Chamber Music from the University of Michigan, as a fellowship student of renowned pianist and vocal coach Martin Katz.