Shederick Whipple

Shederick Whipple, tenor, has performed throughout the United States, Spain, Italy, The Czech Republic, Russia and Ecuador. In opera, Dr. Whipple was most recently seen as Tony in Terrence McNally’s Master Class with Catalyst Repertory Theatre. His other operatic roles include Tamino in Mozart’s The Magic Flute, Whipple was most recently seen (2011) as Tamino in Mozart’s The Magic Flute with the Taylor University Opera Theatre. His other operatic roles include Frederic in The Pirates of Penzance and Edwin in Trial by Jury (both Gilbert and Sullivan). He has performed as Ferrando in Così fan Tutte (Mozart) with the Opera Theatre and Music Festival of Lucca (Lucca, Italy), Rinuccio in Gianni Schicchi (Puccini), Edwin in Trial by Jury (Gilbert and Sullivan) and Bill in A Hand of Bridge (Barber), Mr. Splinters in The Tender Land (Copeland), Don Curzio in Le Nozze di Figaro (Mozart), and others. In oratorio, Dr. Whipple recently performed as soloist in Messiah (Handel) with Huntington University Orchestra. In oratorio, Dr. Whipple has performed as soloist in the Requiem (Mozart), Lord Nelson Mass (Haydn), Te Deum (Bizet), Messiah (Handel), Kaffeekantate (Bach), and other works. In orchestra performances, he has recently been heard in Gabriel Fauré’s Shylock under the direction of Maestro Alexander Platt. He also sang Benjamin Britten’s Les Illuminations with the Orkestra Project under the direction of Maestro José Valencia. Some performing venues that Dr. Whipple has performed as soloist include: Library of Fine Arts (in Moscow, Russia), Russian American Christian University, Teatro Sucre (in Cuenca, Ecuador), Verbo Church (in Cuenca Ecuador) Bratislava Orchestra (in the Czech Republic), Library of Fine Arts (in Moscow, Russia), Russian American Christian University (Moscow, Russia), Iglesia Santa Maria de Maó (in Palma de Menorca, Spain) Da Corneto Opera, Capitol Opera, College of the Mainland Community Theatre, Marion Philharmonic Orchestra, Huntington University Orchestra, Orkestra Project, Lexington Opera Theatre, Theatre Macon, Chagrin Falls Chamber Orchestra, the Cleveland Art Museum, Macon Civic Chorale, Musica in Situ, Macon Chamber of Commerce, Lexington Chamber Chorale, Opera of Central Kentucky, Transylvania University, the Taylor University Opera Theatre, the Middle Georgia Opera Guild, Mercer University Orchestra, the University of Akron, the University of Central Florida, and the University of Louisville. Dr. Whipple’s honors include: 2011 recipient of the Who’s Who in Academia Award, 2010 Art and Soul Award and Sponsorship with the Indianapolis Arts Council, Winner of the Georgia National Association of Teachers of Singing Competition (GNATS) in the Senior Men Category (1998), other awards by NATS, Italian Art Song Award from The Cleveland Institute of Music (2005), Finalist in the Akron Symphony John MacDonald Competition (2005), the Excellence in Performance Award from Mercer University (1998 and 1999), and a Finalist in the Tennessee-Kentucky Regional NATS Competition (2000). Other honors include the Lymon T. Johnson Scholarship at the University of Kentucky, and the Best Talent Award presented by the Iota Sigma chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Dr. Whipple’s past teaching appointments include Cuyahoga Community College, Fairmont School of Music, Mercer University Preparatory Program, and Vocal Coach for the Cleveland Municipal Schools All-City Musical. Dr. Whipple can be heard on recordings such as The Tender Land by Albany Productions, Merry Christmas from the Lexington Chamber Chorale, and What Sweeter Music presented by Mercer University. During the 2011-12 season, Dr. Whipple was President of the Marion Philharmonic Orchestra Board. In addition, he is an arts columnist for the Marion Chronicle Tribune. Dr. Whipple has the degrees of Bachelor of Science in Biology (Minor in Chemistry) and Bachelor of Arts in Music from Mercer University (Macon, GA), cum laude, Master of Music from the University of Kentucky, and Doctor Musical Arts from the Cleveland Institute of Music.