Mary Sims began singing at the age of eight with Cantores in Ecclesia, a Portland, Oregon choir specializing in sacred liturgical music. By age 17, she was the featured soprano soloist alongside Richard Zeller, baritone, on that choir’s album, “Fauré Requiem - Messe Basse.”

Mary earned her B.A. in Music with an emphasis in Vocal Performance from Gonzaga University. During this time she was responsible for preparing the University’s Schola Cantorum for the 2001 American Choral Directors Association Convention, after which she studied Gregorian chant and early music performance practice with Dr. Edward Schaefer. She studied choral conducting with Dr. Randel Wagner while obtaining her M.A. at Eastern Washington University. There, she taught undergraduate music courses, including Class Voice, Music Appreciation, Music Theory, and History of Rock ‘n’ Roll. Mary went on to teach World Music, Pop Music, Music Fundamentals and Music Appreciation at North Idaho College, while also directing various community choirs in the eastern Washington/northern Idaho region.

For twelve years, Mary has taught and directed in western Washington, including the Our Lady Star of the Sea Schola (and Children’s Choir), the St. Brendan Schola Cantorum (and Youth Choir), and Ave Renaissance Women’s Choir. She provides workshops and seminars on Gregorian chant, liturgical and early music performance practice and intensive choral workshops, and has been invited as a guest director for groups such as Music Thanatology Association International and Lutheran Church of Honolulu, Hawai’i. She is a guest soprano for a variety of choral ensembles throughout the Pacific Northwest, including her “choir of origin,” Cantores in Ecclesia.

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