Claudia Merrill

Claudia Merrill, American Soprano, teaches voice and piano since 2000. She is the Founder and Artistic Director of the Grace City Opera Theatre. Claudia has performed all over the United States and Europe singing Opera and performing as a Concert Artist. After making her debut at Carnegie singing John Rutter's Requiem with the New England Symphony, She then went on to become the first African American Principal Soprano for the Las Vegas City Opera. Claudia has performed several roles and has performed at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Michigan Opera Theatre, Nevada Opera Theatre, Nevada Grand Opera, Arbor Opera Theatre and Grace City Opera Theatre where she is now the Artistic Director.

In addition to her Opera work, Claudia has performed as a Solo Artist in Handel's Messiah, Faure Requiem, Dubois's Seven Last Words of Christ, John Rutter's Requiem, Mozart's Magnificat, Vivaldi's Gloria, Mendelssohn's Elijah, John Carter's Cantata, Joseph Joubert's Oh Glory and many others. Ms. Merrill is a graduate of Detroit Public Schools, where she was also a soloist in the Varsity Choir, Choral Ensemble and Girls Glee Club, as well as coming in first place three years in a row in the Annual Vocal and Solo Competiton in Michigan. Ms. Merrill went on to higher education at University Of Detroit Mercy and Wayne State University. She continued further Graduate studies in Music and Opera at Marygrove College and University Of Michigan.

Ms. Merrill founded Soprano Expressions in 2015 and The Grace City Opera Theatre in 2016. The Grace City Opera Theatre is a 501c3 Non-Profit organization committed to the preservation, education and performance of the Master Works of African American and African Descent Classical Composers and Artists.

Ms. Merrill is a member of the Voice Foundation, the world's oldest and leading organization dedicated to the care of the voice. National Association of Teachers of Singers, and American Guild of Musical Artists. The 2019 Tribute To Marian Anderson Concert marked the World Premiere of the Opera Witness: Four Mourning Mothers, Libretto and Music by Claudia Merrill. In October 2023, Ms. Merrill made history in the State of Nevada by opening the first ever African American Founded Opera Company and the First African American Opera Company to be led by a woman in the state. As a composer herself, Ms. Merrill continues to compose Prophetic Opera and Social Justice Opera. Along with all that Ms. Merrill does, she also directs a private voice studio, teaching voice to students ages 12 and older. Ms. Merrill has vast experience teaching both Children and Adults not only good technique, but the care and preservation of the voice. Her teaching philosophy focuses on teaching the student at the level the student is at and pacing the lessons so that students get the optimum from their lessons and learn everything about their particular voice and how it works.

Ms. Merrill has gotten rave reviews from parents and adult students alike. More often parents say: "My daughter has learned more from you in month, than with any other teacher and we her parents like that you are so encouraging in your style and approach" Her adult students say "She is Awesome and she tells you everything you need to know about your voice, all the way to the voice anatomy, I am so excited to have her for my teacher"., " I pratice everyday doing everything she teaches and I can feel the improvement in my voice, I actually now can breathe better and stay on pitch"