MARCÍA PORTER, Assistant Professor of Voice, holds Bachelors and Masters degrees in voice performance from Northwestern University and a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in voice from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.

Since her apprenticeship at Chautauqua Opera, Dr. Porter has performed with Dayton Opera, Opera Theatre of St. Louis, Chicago Opera Theatre, and Lyric Opera of Chicago. Her credits include a role written for her for Dayton Opera's world premier of Adolphus Hailstork's Paul Laurence Dunbar: Common Ground. Based on the success of her 2000 debut with Opera Theatre of St. Louis, Dr. Porter returned during the company's 2001 season for performances in Argento's Miss Havisham's Fire. A former member of the Lyric Opera of Chicago company, she recently sang the role of Mimi from La Bohème for the company's Opera in the Neighborhoods educational program.

A Rotary International Cultural Ambassadorial Scholar, Dr. Porter has won several awards and honors including: Metropolitan Opera Central Region, Andrea Person Music Scholarship (Univ. of Michigan), Jessye Norman Graduate Fellowship in Voice (Univ. of Michigan), Macallister Awards, Annemarie Gerts Competition, Opera Carolina Young Artist Recital Program Award, and, the Farwell Award. Dr. Porter is an active recitalist having performed at the Ravinia Festival in Chicago and numerous other venues in the mid-west.