Holly McCarren, alto,
is a native of Atlanta. She enjoyed her studies
of early music while at Clayton College & State
University where she completed her Bachelors Degree
of Vocal Performance in 1997. Under the tutelage
of Early Music Specialist Lyle Nordstrom, she participated
in Master Classes with Emma Kirkby & Anthony
Rooley, Paul Hilliard and the Theatre of Voices,
and Elizabeth Mannion. She went on to pursue graduate
studies with a graduate teaching fellowship at The
University of Oregon where she studied Early Music
performance practices with Baroque Cellist Marc
Vanscheeuwijck. Ms. McCarren was a participant in
a master class with the well-known early music group
Tapestry. While in Oregon, she was a soloist at
Central Lutheran Church with organist Andrew ElRay
Stewart-Cook. Her love for music encompasses not
only early music, but also musical theatre and opera.
She played Ruth in The Pirates of Penzance and Buttercup
in HMS Pinafore with the Atlanta Lyric Theatre under
the direction of J. Lynn Thompson. She has worked
with Cartersville Opera, The Oregon Lyric Opera,
and The Oregon Opera Ensemble. Ms. McCarren can
be found on a soon-to-be-released CD of Gace Brule
music with The Goliard Ensemble under the direction
of John Hillenbrand. Her solo concert engagements
include singing with the Carroll Symphony Orchestra,
The Atlanta Baroque Orchestra, The Etowah Chamber
Orchestra, and New Trinity Baroque. Ms. McCarren
is currently an adjunct teacher of voice at Clayton
College & State University and a soloist at
All Saints' Church under the direction of well-known
organists Raymond & Elizabeth Chenault. She
can be found on the Towerhill recordings of Promised
Land and A Christmas Alleluia by the Choirs of All
Saints'.