Marjorie Sheiman, mezzo-soprano

Click here for Marjorie’s Resume

Marjorie Sheiman is a mezzo-soprano from Portland, Oregon who’s passionate about excellence in all aspects of her life, including musically, academically, and professionally. She was honored to receive the University of Oregon’s 2020 Outstanding Undergraduate Voice Performer, and was also named their 2019 Presser Scholar. Marjorie sang in the UO Chamber Choir for two years under the direction of Dr. Sharon Paul and toured with them in Sweden when they won the 2019 Grand Prix of Nations in the Chamber Choir/Vocal Ensembles. She also competed extensively in the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) circuit and receive 2nd place in the Advanced Treble category at the 2025 National Student Auditions, as well as placed 2nd in the Northwest Region’s Artist Awards in 2021. During her time at Peabody, she received 2nd place in the Graduate Division of the 2022 Art Song Competition, and was awarded the 2024 George Woodhead Prize in Voice upon her graduation.

Marjorie adores the big stage and has been performing in musical theater and opera for most of her life. Her first role was as Kate in Willowbrook Arts Camp’s production of Annie, after her mom, an avid theater lover, finally convinced stubborn 9-year-old Marjorie to audition after years of refusing to do so. The production ended up being a great experience! She made a lifelong friend and it launched her love of performance. Since then, she’s appeared in numerous shows, including singing full roles with LAH-SOW Opera Workshop, University of Oregon Opera Ensemble, and Broadway Rose Teen Summer Program. Most recently, she starred as Maurya in Riders to the Sea with Peabody Opera Theatre.

Beyond a love for solo performance, Marjorie also has great affection for and a sizable background in choral music. One of her first choral experiences was singing in the Pacific Youth Choir under the direction of Mia Hall-Miller. During her time with them, she performed regularly at the Portland Tree Lighting, sang in Mendelssohn’s Midsummer’s Night Dream with Oregon Ballet Theatre, and was an alto in the chorus of Pink Martini’s 2016 album Je dis oui! More recently, Marjorie sang with In Medio for their ‘21-’22 season and was a soloist in their holiday concert. She sang under Dr. Beth Willer in the Peabody NEXT Ensemble from 2023-25, during which she performed as the Alto Soloist in Mozart’s Requiem and Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms. Marjorie sang in the Oregon Bach Festival for their 2018 and 2019 seasons, where she performed diverse works, including Mendolssohn’s Elijah, Berlioz’s Romeo et Juliette, and the world premiere of Danielpour’s The Passion of Yeshua. She returned for their 2023 season and sang in Penderecki’s Credo and Vaughan Williams’ Sea Symphony. Marjorie was an Emerging Artist for the 2024-25 season with Bach in Baltimore. Marjorie has also sung with numerous other groups and festivals, including the Portland Chamber Orchestra, the Eugene Symphony, Opera in the Park PDX, All-Classical Portland, the Washington National Cathedral, National Public Radio (NPR), and the Oregon Symphony.

To launch her 2025-26 season, Marjorie joins the National Symphony Orchestra as an Alto Choral Scholar in their performance of Carmina Burana at the Filene Center at Wolf Trap. In addition to that, she will be a featured soloist with Music at St. Peter’s and the Newark Symphony Orchestra. More information on her upcoming performances can be found here.

Beyond performance, Marjorie is deeply invested in addressing the problems facing the classical music industry and is especially interested in breaking down barriers and stigmas surrounding audience members and their attendance through a formal role in arts administration. Marjorie worked for two years as the Social Media & Public Relations Head of PERIOD, a nonprofit organization that promotes reproductive justice and works to destigmatize menstruation around the globe through youth-led service, advocacy, and education. She uses that experience already in her day-to-day life, but hopes to expand upon it by one day working as a Director of Education and Outreach for an opera company. In 2024, Marjorie graduated with an M.A. in Nonprofit Management through Johns Hopkins University’s Krieger School of Arts & Sciences. Her capstone, “Silenced Majority: The Need for Treble-Heavy Programming in Classical Vocal Music,” focused on addressing gender-based inequity in the field of opera.

Marjorie graduated with an M.M. in Voice Performance (2024) from the Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins, where she studied under William Sharp. She graduated from the University of Oregon with a B.M. in Voice Performance (2020), Summa Cum Laude, during which she studied under Milagro Vargas.

In 2024, Marjorie also co-founded The Cecilia Collective, a vocal ensemble in the Washington, DC metro area that works to provide educational and performance opportunities for treble voices, with friend and colleague Sophie Clarke. They will be offering a free recital in August 2025 at BalletNova Center for Dance in Falls Church, VA.

When not in the practice room or on stage, Marjorie enjoys playing board games with her friends and family. She one day hopes to own a turtle!