Shannon Jongema

With her warm, expressive voice, dynamic stage presence, and conscientious attention to each musical detail, soprano Shannon Jongema is a mesmerizing storyteller on opera and concert stages alike.

This season, Shannon is delighted to be performing the role of Mimì in La Bohème at the University of Memphis.

Shannon’s other operatic credits include the roles of Lucy (The Telephone) and Mrs. Gobineau (The Medium) with Musical Traditions, Inc.; scenes from the roles of Gretel (Hänsel und Gretel), Laura (Der Bettelstudent), and Mariza (Gräfin Mariza) with Musiktheater Bavaria; and scenes from the roles of Susanna (Le nozze di Figaro), Mabel (The Pirates of Penzance), Fourth Friend (The Ballad of Baby Doe), and Peep-Bo (The Mikado) at Rollins College. She has also been a member of the ensemble in scenes from Die Fledermaus and Die lustige Witwe with Musiktheater Bavaria.

Shannon is passionate about using her music to advocate for populations that are typically underrepresented in classical music. She was privileged to do just that in 2021, performing a set of songs by Undine Smith Moore on a lecture recital entitled Art Songs and Spirituals of African American Women Composers.

Shannon’s other concert work includes performances of Bach’s Mass in B Minor, and Still’s And They Lynched Him on a Tree with the Bach Festival Society of Winter Park, as well as solos on the organization’s concerts Insights and Sounds: Musical Humor and A Classic Christmas. Shannon has also served as soprano cover for performances of Mozart’s Regina Coeli (K127), Haydn’s The Creation, Orff’s Carmina Burana, and Poulenc’s Gloria.

Shannon is thrilled to start pursuing her Master of Music degree in Vocal Performance at the University of Memphis this fall, studying under Ms. Mary Wilson. She also holds a Bachelor of Arts in Music and Secondary Education from Rollins College where she studied under Dr. Caitlin Mohr and Ms. Amy Gifford.