Upcoming performance welcomes dynamic singer, experienced faculty pianist to campus.
The Music Department at Mary Baldwin University is delighted to announce the first Sunday Recital of the 2026-2027 Concert Season. On Sunday, September 20 at 3 pm, soprano Penelope Shumate will be joined by pianist Lise Keiter. The performance will take place in Francis Auditorium on the Mary Baldwin University campus.
Soprano Penelope Shumate has been praised for singing with “bell-like clarity and surpassing sweetness” (The New York Times), and “sparkling coloratura perfection” (New York Concert Review). Equally at home in opera, musical theatre, and concert settings, her New York City engagements include twenty soloist appearances at Carnegie Hall as well as performances at David Geffen Hall and Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center. Classical Singer Magazine recently featured her on its cover, with an article detailing her versatility as a singer and teacher of diverse vocal styles, from classical to musical theatre and jazz. Her many recordings include appearing as the soprano soloist on Messiah Refreshed (Signum Records), which was recorded with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra at the historic Abbey Road Studios in London.
Pianist Lise Keiter has performed throughout the U.S. and in Europe, and she is active as a solo recitalist, collaborative artist, and soloist with orchestra. Her recent performance engagements have taken her to New York City, North Carolina, Maryland, Wisconsin, Idaho, West Virginia, Indiana, Illinois, Georgia, South Carolina, and throughout Virginia, including recent performances with the Waynesboro Symphony, the Heifetz Institute, and the Shenandoah Valley Bach Festival. She is Professor of Music at Mary Baldwin University and holds degrees from Indiana University and the Oberlin Conservatory. Dr. Keiter is also Professor of Music at Mary Baldwin University.
On September 20 they will perform their popular “Baroque to Broadway” program, which features a variety of styles, including classical, jazz, and musical theatre selections. This is a family-friendly event that will be fun for all.
This season’s Sunday Recital Series also includes performances by the Greg Moody Jazz Quartet (November 8), pianist Ivo Kaltchev (Jan 31 at 3 pm), and the Piedmont Duo (viola-and-marimba, April 18 at 3 pm).
Audiences will also not want to miss the opening Carl Broman Concert, featuring the exceptional oboe-and-piano duo of Stephen Key, oboe and Ryo Yanagitani, piano. This exciting concert is Monday, October 26 at 7:30 pm in Francis Auditorium.
Tickets for the September 20 Sunday Recital may be purchased online or at the door and are $5 for the General Public and $4 for students and seniors, and free for children 12 and under. (Mary Baldwin students, faculty, and staff also receive free admission.) Questions may be emailed to Music@marybaldwin.edu.