Mimi O’Neill, internationally recognized classical and contemporary singer, pianist, and teacher originates from Altadena, CA. Having trained first as a pianist, she went on to study in Europe with coloratura soprano, Kammersängerin Elinor Junker-Giesen in Stuttgart, Germany for several years. After returning to the US she furthered her vocal studies with Spanish soprano, Montserrat Alavedra, at the University of Washington and repertoire coach, Suzanne Szekely, at the Seattle Institute of Allied Arts, both in Seattle, WA. Mimi O'Neill completed her vocal studies with soprano Pollyanne Baxter at Cal State, Los Angeles. During this time she was the featured coloratura soprano in several U.S. opera premiers, including Cendrillon (Cinderella) by Pauline Veradot, and Il Crociatto in Egitto (The Crusader in Egypt) by Giacomo Meyerbeer, presented by the Malibron Society in Los Angeles, CA.
In subsequent years, Mimi O’Neill developed her concertizing in Europe and the US, sharing her classical, sacred world music, and contemporary music in many countries, including Germany, Netherlands, France, England, Belgium, Austria, Switzerland, and Poland. She also developed two training and transformational vocal workshops — Music For Health, and Soulsong: Empowering Voice and Self through Sound, which she presented widely in these same countries, developing her main work in Bremen, Germany, where she created an ongoing eight-year Soulsong vocal training program. She was also a frequent contributor at The Zenith Institute, an international summer meditation and music camp in the Alps at Chateau Queyras, France, and Olivone, Switzerland.
After founding the Mimi O’Neill Studio of Voice in Albany, NY, Mimi O’Neill was the featured soprano with violinist Yosef Yankelev and pianist Lincoln Mayorga in the premier of Max Lifchitz’s Of Bondage and Freedom, a chamber piece honoring the victims of the Holocaust, presented at the State University of New York at Albany. In addition, Mimi O’Neill performed frequently with Ukrainian pianist, Adelina Krivosheina and her husband, Ukrainian operatic bass, Nicoli Shopsha in the Capital District. Over the years, she also enjoyed further collaboration with pianist Lincoln Mayorga, performing numerous concerts of classical, American, and contemporary music in the greater Capital Region.
Over the years, Mimi O’Neill invited talented singers from her studio to join her in concerts in Germany and Poland, performing together as the Albany Ensemble. A highlight and honor for the Ensemble was performing at the Jewish Museum in Warsaw, Poland, in 2006, as the first international group to perform there since 1939. For several years the Albany Ensemble also performed concerts of operatic duets and ensembles throughout the New York State Capital Region, including at the Egg in Downtown Albany.
Mimi O’Neill continued to tour and perform in Germany and Poland with tenor John Garafalo in the 2000's, performing in Bremen, Germany and Gdansk, Poland. She also toured with Aria, a smaller group of her talented student soloists, that performed in Gdansk, Poland and in Bremen, Germany. In Albany, Aria offered two gala benefit performances at Albany’s St. Joseph’s Church in 2007 and 2008; The latter, A Festival of America Music, with pianist Lincoln Mayorga and singer-songwriter Sheri Mayorga.
Mimi O’Neill has been teaching voice in Albany, New York for over twenty years. Besides her own touring and performing and before settling in Albany, NY, Mimi O’Neill previously directed vocal studios in Seattle, Washington and in Los Angeles, California.
Besides her musical career, Mimi O’Neill has an extensive background in meditation and is the co-director of the The Awakened Heart School, which she founded in 2006 with her husband, John O’Neill, in Albany, New York.
Listen to Mimi O’Neill’s performances with pianist Lincoln Mayorga, pianist Adelina Krivosheina, jazz with tenor John Garafalo, and the east-west Songs of the Sufis on YouTube at @mimioneillsoprano.
Highlights in Albany, NY, 1990-2012:
Mimi O’Neill relocated to Albany, New York in 1989. In 1992 she sang in the premier of Max Lifchitz’s Of "Of Bondage and Freedom", a chamber piece honoring the victims of the holocaust. This work also featured violinist Yosef Yankelev and pianist Lincoln Mayorga. In Albany she founded the Mimi O’Neill Studio of Voice. She invited talented singers from her studio to join her in the Albany Ensemble, a ten member performing group. For several years the Albany Ensemble performed concerts of operatic duets and ensembles throughout the New York State Capital Region.
Mimi O’Neill toured Germany and Poland with one of these singers, tenor, John Garafalo, in 2001 and 2002, performing in Bremen, Germany and Gdansk, Poland. Later, in 2005, with a smaller Albany Ensemble she toured again to Poland where they performed in Gdansk and in Warsaw at the Jewish Institute and Museum. In 2006, she brought her new vocal ensemble, ARIA, to Bremen, Germany. ARIA offered two gala benefit performances in Albany’s St. Joseph’s Church in 2007 and 2008, the latter a Festival of America Music with pianist Lincoln Mayorga, and singer songwriter Sheri Mayorga.
Mimi O’Neill has been teaching voice in Albany, New York since 1989. Her previous voice studios were in Seattle, WA (1976-1983) and in Los Angeles, CA. (1983-1988).
Besides her musical career, Mimi O’Neill has an extensive background in meditation and spiritual teaching.
Mimi O’Neill founded The Awakened Heart School in 2006 with her husband, John O’Neill, in Albany, New York.
