Mary Bates George

Biography

Mary Bates George joined the Belmont School of Music Faculty in 2003. She holds the Master of Science and the Bachelor of Science degrees in Vocal Performance, Pedagogy and Studio Teaching from George Peabody College of Vanderbilt University. Ms. George has additional post-graduate work at Peabody Conservatory of Music, University of Minnesota, Scarritt College, Northern Illinois University and Louisiana State University in the areas of voice, diction, jazz and sacred choral literature. She has coached and performed in master classes with Ned Rorem, Martin Katz, Thomas Grubb, Eleanor Steber, Bidu Sayao, Harold Stark, Theodore Uppman, Louis Nicholas and Ann Webster.

Instructor George teaches both Classical and Commercial Voice to Belmont University students and to students in the Belmont Academy. Prior to her appointment to the BU faculty, Ms. George was Assistant Professor at Trevecca Nazarene University where she taught Voice, Diction, Vocal Literature and Pedagogy, Sacred Choral Literature and Pedagogy, Piano, Vocal Studio Musician and Music History. She also directed Opera Workshop, Treble Tones, New Direction (Contemporary Christian Public Relations touring group) and was the founder of the renowned Trevecca Madrigalians. Ms. George was also an Adjunct Vocal Professor at Lipscomb University and Welch College.

Professor George has an extensive performance career in recital, opera, oratorio and in the recording industry. An active church musician, she has served as section leader and soloist in numerous churches in the Nashville area. Ms. George has appeared as soloist multiple times with the Nashville Symphony, having performed often under the baton of Maestro Kenneth Schermerhorn.

With her late collaborative pianist, Bruce Prince-Joseph, Mary George presented two world-premiere recitals, Traveller’s Rest Recital and Elizabeth McGavock Harding’s Song Book, in which the period song books were premiered with the newly-restored pianofortes in each historic mansion. Ms. George and Mr. Prince-Joseph actively concertized in Nashville and surrounding areas and performed live on Live in Studio C for Nashville Public Radio/NPR.

Ms. George has been active in the Nashville Recording industry, spanning five decades of recording numerous Contemporary Christian choral works, BGVs for Christian artists such as Sandy Patty, Steve Green, Lanelle Harris, Scott Wesley Brown, Bill Gaither, Amy Grant, Michael W. Smith, Dino Kartsonakis and Shelia Walsh and BGVs for pop/country artists Garth Brooks, Ronnie Milsap, and Steven Taylor. She can also be heard on jingles, station IDs, demos and Silver-Burdett educational recordings.

Honors and awards for Ms. George includes two-time finalist in the Mid-South Regional Metropolitan Opera auditions, Outstanding Women of America, Who’s Who in Entertainment, and Who’s Who in Education.