Pronouns:

She, Her, Hers

Employed Since:

1995

Educational History:

B.M., Shenandoah University; M.M., University of Houston

Fields of Expertise:

• Musical Theatre Styles Specialist (Pop, Country, Jazz, Legit, R&B and Gospel)
• Classical

Personal Highlights:

Married to Peter Weekly with two children, Edward and JoyAna

Professional Highlights:

“Soprano Edrie Means offered superb work as the maid Despina. She combined superb tonal clarity with vivid characterization.” Houston Chronicle, Charles Ward, COSI FAN TUTTE (Houston Grand Opera)

“Soprano Edrie Means sang brilliantly as Klin, the fruit maker.”Opera News, Opera Magazine, London, Los Angeles Times, William Albright, PLANET 8 (World Premiere, Houston Grand Opera)

“She is the one person I have heard who nicely sings in and out of each style effortlessly!” Richard Miller, International Pedagogue and Operatic Tenor

“What a Beautiful voice and Expressive singing – that’s the way songs need to be sung. Songs need to tell a story and Edrie told the story!” Celeste Holm (Broadway/Film/TV Star)

“Edrie not only has a beautiful voice, but was very expressive and sensitive with the text.” Angela Lansbury (Film/Broadway/TV Star)

“The musical theater revisions developed by Edrie Means Weekly were adopted for use by the Mid-Atlantic Region of NATS, which includes South Carolina. As president of SCNATS, I found that the revisions created heightened interest in singing styles appropriate for musical theater. Lively discussions among our teachers provided the opportunity to educate and inspire. Edrie’s leadership made preparing students and teachers for musical theater auditions both a challenge and a chance for growth.” Sharyn Mapes, President SC NATS

“A truly unique vocal talent, Edrie Means Weekly can capture the essence of just about any style of singing and then teach others how to sing that style with the same healthy ease.” Deborah Thurlow, State Governor MD-DC NATS

“Edrie Means Weekly speaks knowledgeably about vocal technique for both the classical and music theater singer. She is energetic, supportive and constructive as she works with individual students. A wonderfully gifted singer in her own right, she openly shares her expertise, and her beautiful voice to demonstrate healthy use of the voice for all styles of music. She is a must-have clinician for your Musical Theater students.” Maryann Sewell MD-DC NATS

“Edrie Means Weekly has been of immeasurable help to both the Virginia District and the Mid-Atlantic Region of NATS. A performer herself, she is very knowledgeable in both the pedagogy and repertoire of musical theater as well as classical singing, and we have benefited from her generosity of time and expertise as our consultant. Edrie has worked tirelessly to help our region develop recent changes in the music theater category requirements, putting us at the cutting edge of the national organization. We look forward to her leading a music theater pedagogy master class at our Regional Spring Conference at Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina on Friday, April 3, 2009.”  Dr. John Blizzard, governor, Mid-Atlantic Region National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS)

“Edrie Means Weekly is a superb operatic soprano, a powerful music theatre belter , and an experienced and highly skilled voice expert in many other styles. She is an excellent role model for the teachers who come to study vocal techniques for the various styles of Contemporary Commercial Music (music theater, jazz, gospel, rock, pop, Rhythm and Blues, country, folk, and alternative), as she is both a master of the vocal production demands and an experienced singing teacher. She guides others by her example and with detailed information about the musical and performance needs that singers must meet in order to have successful careers in any style.”  Jeannette LoVeti, Singing Voice Specialist

“Edrie Means Weekly is a plethora of knowledge in the musical theatre styles! Her stylistic flexibility was impressive. Her positive reinforcement created a safe environment to experiment. She was able to adjust to various competency levels without skipping a beat.” 2007 CCM Vocal Pedagogy Institute Musical Theatre Styles Class participant

“Talented Edrie Means sang with style such Gershwin numbers as Someone To Watch Over Me, and My Mans Gone Now. Even the verses were attractive. Means spectacular voice, effective acting, and depth of emotion should take her far. Her accompanist, Ruth Tomforhde, provided the perfect setting, making every nuance of Means even more effective.” The Eagle, Thyra Plass, NPR

“And highly impressive in this tuneful cast of more than 40 members was Edrie Means, who sang a hair-raising rendition of Climb Every Mountain as the Mother Abbess.” Washington Post, Leonard Hughes

“Friday night, Edrie Means made the rest of her performance as radiant as her first appearance. Means commanded the stage with her presence, and she led the rest of the cast in a beautifully staged production.” The Beacon Journal, Elaine Guregian, Maria in The Sound of Music Cleveland State Theatre

“Two of the finest performances of the evening belonged to Edrie Means as Carrie Pipperidge, and Marc Embree as Jigger Craigin. Means has a beautiful voice, which hopefully will be heard in future Grand Rapids productions.” The Grand Rapids Press, Julie Ridenour

Recommended Link(s):

The CCM Vocal Pedagogy Institute The official website of the Shenandoah Conservatory’s Contemporary Commercial Music (CCM) Vocal Pedagogy Institute, since 2003.

Follow Professor Weekly on Twitter @Vocal_Styles

Quote:

I believe you never stop learning. Shenandoah University continues to be cutting edge and blazing trails in education. I have always been a mover and shaker, active in research, training and developing courses to further vocal education. Prior work investigating training of commercial voice resulted in the creation and co-founding the Contemporary Commercial Music (CCM) Vocal Pedagogy Institute here at Shenandoah University that significantly influenced pedagogical training in voice instruction curricula in National Accredited Schools of Music programs nationwide. The collaborative atmosphere makes it a pleasure to come to work here.