William McIver Lectureship

The William McIver Lectureship in Vocal Pedagogy presents Leda Scearce on Thursday, February 19, 2008, 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Admission is Free. Ms. Scearce will present "It Takes a Team: Management of Voice Disorders in Singers" and " Talking the Talk: Healthy Speaking Voice for Voice Teachers and Singers."

Ms. Scearce currently serves as Singing Voice Specialist and Coordinator of Performing Voice Services at the Duke Voice Care Center, where she provides rehabilitation therapy to singers, actors and other vocal performers with voice injuries. She has been featured in leading roles with the National Opera Company, Hawaii Opera Theatre, Triangle Opera, the Ohio Light Opera Company and Whitewater Opera Company, and has appeared as concert soloist with orchestras including the North Carolina, Toledo and Honolulu Symphonies.   An active proponent of new music, Ms. Scearce has given world premiere performances of works written for her with the Berkeley Contemporary Chamber Players, Nashville Chamber Orchestra, Orchestra Nashville, Mallarme Chamber Players, the American Chamber Music Festival and Chamber Music Hawaii.  A winner of the Birmingham Opera Vocal Competition, Ms. Scearce has also been a Regional Finalist in the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions.  Ms. Scearce is a graduate of Indiana University with both bachelors and masters degrees in vocal performance. A voice teacher for over 20 years, Ms. Scearce has served on the artist faculties of Bowling Green State University, Meredith College, Brigham Young University of Hawaii and the University of Southern Maine. 

Dr. William McIver was a member of the voice faculty at UNCG for more than 25 years before joining the faculty at the Eastman School of Music in 1999. At the time of his death in September of 2003, he had reached the pinnacle of his professional career, serving as president of the Nation Association of Teachers of Singing. Throughout his career, McIver maintained a passionate interest and involvement in the science of vocal pedagogy and its application in the studio. As an ongoing memorial to Bill, the UNCG voice faculty has donated funding to establish the annual William McIver Lectureship in Vocal Pedagogy.