Carmen Velma Shepperd (October 30, 1910 – December 6, 1997) was an American singer, pianist, and educator, born in

Jamaica Jamaica is an island country in the Caribbean Sea and the West Indies. At , it is the third-largest island—after Cuba and Hispaniola—of the Greater Antilles and the Caribbean. Jamaica lies about south of Cuba, west of Hispaniola (the is ...

Early life and education

Carmen Velma Shepperd was born in

Kingston, Jamaica Kingston is the Capital (political), capital and largest city of Jamaica, located on the southeastern coast of the island. It faces a natural harbour protected by the Palisadoes, a long spit (landform), sand spit which connects the town of Por ...

, the daughter of David N. Shepperd and Theresa Ann Rodriquez Shepperd. She moved to the United States with her parents, and grew up in New York City. Her mother was a dressmaker. As a young singer, Shepperd earned medals from the New York Music Education League. She graduated from Wadleigh High School and earned two diplomas from the

Juilliard School The Juilliard School ( ) is a Private university, private performing arts music school, conservatory in New York City. Founded by Frank Damrosch as the Institute of Musical Art in 1905, the school later added dance and drama programs and became ...

in 1934. At Juilliard she studied voice with

Lucia Dunham Lucia Dunham (died April 3, 1959, Paramus, New Jersey) was an American voice teacher, classical soprano, and academic writer on singing and diction who is chiefly remembered as a longtime professor of vocal performance at the Juilliard School fro ...

. She earned a bachelor's degree and a master's degree from

Columbia University Columbia University in the City of New York, commonly referred to as Columbia University, is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Churc ...

. She pursued further studies in France, in the class of 1947 at the Fontainebleau School of Music.

Career

Shepperd, a pianist and mezzo soprano singer, gave several recitals at New York's

Town Hall In local government, a city hall, town hall, civic centre (in the UK or Australia), guildhall, or municipal hall (in the Philippines) is the chief administrative building of a city, town, or other municipality. It usually houses the city o ...

Carnegie Hall Carnegie Hall ( ) is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. It is at 881 Seventh Avenue (Manhattan), Seventh Avenue, occupying the east side of Seventh Avenue between 56th Street (Manhattan), 56th and 57th Street (Manhattan), 57t ...

, and other venues. She sang works by Black composer

Harry Burleigh Harry Burleigh (born Henry Thacker Burleigh, December 2, 1866 – September 12, 1949) was an American classical composer, arranger, and professional singer known for his baritone voice. The first black composer who was instrumental in dev ...

as part of "The Three Nightingales", with her Juilliard classmates Ruby Elzy and

Anne Brown Anne Brown (August 9, 1912March 13, 2009) was an American lyric soprano for whom George Gershwin rewrote the part of "Bess" into a leading role in the original production of his opera ''Porgy and Bess'' in 1935. She was also a radio and concert ...

. She sang on radio and in the trio as a young woman. In 1930, Shepperd founded the Carmen Shepperd School of Music. Her students gave annual recitals at Town Hall and Aeolian Hall. Her school was awarded a service medal in 1931 by the New York Music Week Association, at a Carnegie Hall event, and continued into the 1950s and 1960s. Among her music students was bassist Lucille Dixon Robertson. Shepperd was an active member of the New York chapters of the

National Council of Negro Women The National Council of Negro Women, Inc. (NCNW) is a nonprofit organization founded in 1935 with the mission to advance the opportunities and the quality of life for African-American women, their families, and communities. Mary McLeod Bethune, ...

Delta Sigma Theta Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. () is a List of African-American fraternities, historically African American Fraternities and sororities, sorority. The organization was founded by college-educated women dedicated to public service with an emp ...

, the

American Association of University Women The American Association of University Women (AAUW), officially founded in 1881, is a non-profit organization that advances Justice, equity for women and girls through advocacy, education, and research. The organization has a nationwide Social net ...

, the

National Association of Negro Musicians The National Association of Negro Musicians, Inc. is one of the oldest organizations in the United States dedicated to the preservation, encouragement, and advocacy of all genres of the music of African-Americans. NANM had its beginning on May 3 ...

, the American Caribbean Scholarship Fund, and several alumni associations. In 1980, she accompanied

Butterfly McQueen Butterfly McQueen (born Thelma McQueen; January 8, 1911December 22, 1995) was an American actress. Originally a dancer, McQueen first appeared in films as Prissy in ''Gone with the Wind'' (1939). She also appeared in the films '' Cabin in the Sky ...

in a performance in Brooklyn.

References

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Shepperd, Carmen Velma 1910 births 1997 deaths American music educators Singers from Kingston, Jamaica Juilliard School alumni 20th-century African-American women singers 20th-century American women singers 20th-century American singers Jamaican emigrants to the United States