biography

Solo concert engagements include Mahler's Fourth Symphony with Thomas Shoebotham and the Palo Alto Philharmonic, Canteloube's Chant d'Auvergne, also with the Palo Alto Philharmonic, Rossini's Stabat Mater and Mozart's Vesperae Solemnes with Larry Marrietta and the S.F. City Chorus,  the world premiere of William Ludtke's Christmas Suite with JoAnn Falletta and the San Jose Symphony, JoAnn Falletta, the West Coast premiere of Ned Rorem's Homer, The Lord Nelson Mass with the Solano Community Symphony and Choral Society, highlights from both Handel's and Purcell's Ode to St. Cecilia with the Contra Costa Chorale, and Messiah with the Solano Choral Society, as well as Saint Saens' Christmas Oratorio with the Monterey Peninsula Choral Society.

Ms. McGuinness premiered David Garner's In dieser Zeit (written and dedicated for her), William Ludtke's Four Songs (soprano and guitar) and also his song cycles Trees (clarinet, guitar, and soprano) and Li Bai Songs (soprano, flute and string trio), all of which Ludtke wrote for and dedicated to her.   She was soprano soloist for the San Lorenzo Community Church's Sing-it-Yourself Messiah for a number of years, and she also covered the soprano soloists of the 1990-1 season of the Berkeley Symphony (conducted by Kent Nagano), the highlight of which was the West Coast premiere of the Suite from Messiaen's St. Francois d'Assise.

Ms. McGuinness has concertized throughout California and also on the East Coast.  She is a founding member of the chamber ensemble, the ATHENA Trio, the new Baroque chamber group, the Vinaccesi Ensemble, which has just recorded their first CD, of the solo cantatas by their namesake Benedetto Vinaccesi, and the Jewish Music and Poetry Project, an affiliate of the San Francisco Friends of Chamber Music.

Ms. McGuinness began her musical education at the organ, adding piano, musicological, and vocal studies while at Cornell University. She received a MM in voice from Holy Names University and a PhD (specializing in musicology) from U.C. Berkeley. Her principal voice teachers have been Jane Randolph, Elizabeth Mannion, Julia Monroe, Vicky Van Dewark, and Diane Gilfether.

Other competitions include a First Prize at the Martinez Opera Competition and a First Prize at the Santa Clara University Art Song Festival Competition. She maintains a private voice studio in the San Francisco Bay Area, where she is a member of MTAC and NATS.