Kate Coakley, mezzo soprano, sang under the direction of Simon Carrington from 1996-2000 at the University of Kansas.

At her alma mater, Ms. Coakley performed extensively with the University of Kansas choirs, including the KU Chamber Choir, Collegium Musicum, and Oread Consort. After graduating with a Bachelor of Music Education in 2000, she taught music in the Missouri public schools at both the elementary and secondary levels until 2006.

She sang with the Kansas City Chorale from 2000-2001, performing with the group at the 2001 American Choral Directors Association National Convention in San Antonio. Ms. Coakley was also a member of the vocal ensemble Octarium from its inception in 2002 through the 2004-2005 concert season. She performed with the octet at the 2005 ACDA National Convention in Los Angeles and on Octarium’s self titled debut CD Octarium.

Ms. Coakley’s other performance credits include the part of Saving Susie in the Kansas City Ballet’s production of Frankie and Johnny in 2001 and the second soprano soloist for the Liberty Symphony’s performance of J.S. Bach’s Mass in B Minor in 2002.

In addition to performing, Ms. Coakley has also been a pre-performance lecturer for the University of Kansas Lied Center for the Performing Arts, and has presented original research in choral music education at both the Kansas Music Educators Assocation Convention, and the Missouri Music Educators Association convention.

In 2006, music became Ms. Coakley’s avocation as she returned to school to pursue a new career in healthcare. She was accepted to William Jewell College’s accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing program, and graduated magna cum laude in 2008. She is currently a registered nurse working in Liberty, Missouri.