Abigail McKay Cherry, M.M.

Applied Instructor, Voice

Abigail McKay Cherry is a full lyric soprano. A native of Michigan and based in Metro Detroit, she is known for her expressive vocalism and compelling stage presence. Her career spans opera, concert, and liturgical work, marked by a deep commitment to both musical excellence and storytelling and enriched by an expansive background in choral and sacred music.

Abigail holds a Bachelor of Music degree in Voice from Oakland University (2019). In 2025, she completed her Master of Music degree in Voice and a Certificate of Vocology at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. While attending Jacobs School of Music, she served as a Graduate Assistant to the Voice Department and was the proud recipient of the Sarah Joan Tuccelli-Gilbert Memorial Fellowship in Voice.

As a Certified Vocologist, Abigail believes that all students should be offered the tools to build and maintain scientifically informed and health-conscious voice practices. She integrates principles of vocal habilitation and long-term voice sustainability into all facets of her teaching, ensuring that singers develop techniques that support both artistic expression and vocal well-being. Abigail is deeply invested in fostering the mind-body connection in singing, helping students cultivate self-awareness, resilience, and confidence in their vocal abilities. Abigail aims to nurture voices that are not only expressive and versatile, but also sustainable for a lifetime of healthy singing.

Abigail’s operatic highlights include Governess in Britten's The Turn of the Screw and Eva Crowley in Jack Perla’s An American Dream at Indiana University, as well as Lady Billows in Albert Herring. Other role credits include Lady Harriet in Flotow’s Martha and Rose Maurrant in Weill’s Street Scene. Her voice is celebrated for its steely warmth, agility, and dramatic sensitivity, particularly well-suited to both 20th-century and contemporary repertoire.

A dedicated ensemble artist, Abigail has served as a staff singer at the Cathedral Church of Saint Paul in Detroit since 2019 and has held music positions in Presbyterian and Episcopal churches throughout Michigan. She is also a three-season veteran of the Detroit Concert Choir, where she performed a wide range of choral masterworks.