Biography
Scottish Soprano Monica McGhee began her musical life as a pianist and trumpet player before studying for her BMus at The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. Whilst there she appeared in numerous opera's and won multiple awards including the Jean Highgate Scholarship Award and second place in the Hugh S Robertson Scots Song competition. Follwing a move to London at the age of 21, she then graduated from the Royal College of Music with a Distinction in the Masters in Vocal Performance programme. Monica spent much of the next few years working at some of the most prestigious houses in the country including English National Opera, Scottish Opera and The Royal Opera house.
Monica was diagnosed with Thyroid cancer in 2017 which looked like it would put a premature end to her career. As she battled the disease and subsequent treatment to repair her voice following emergency surgery, she spent a number of seasons singing extra chorus at The Royal Opera House, with highlights including the ROH tour to Tokyo in 2019.
Having successfully recovered from her illness, she was accepted as the soprano Young Artist at The National Opera Studio for 2020/2021. Whilst there she was the recipient of a Sybill Tutton Award, A Musicians Company Awarad, and a Drake Calleja Scolarship. She was generously supported by The Robertson Trust, The Cross Trust, The Hope Scott Trust, The James Caird Travelling Scholarship and the Scottish International Education Trust. Since leaving the studio Monica has enjoyed tremendous success across the country in a wide range of roles.
Last seasons title roles include Tosca for Opera Bohemia, Beatrice for Mid Wales Opera and Iolanta for IF Opera. Other operatic highlights include cover Leila (Les Pêcheurs des perles) Opera North, cover Blumenmädchen (Parsifal) Opera North, Soprano Soloist (Highlights Tour) Scottish Opera, Donna Anna ( Don Giovanni) Dorset Opera Festival, Mimi (La Bohème) Kensington Symphony Orchestra, Belle Lurette (Belle Lurette) New Sussex Opera, cover Leonora (Oberto Conte di San Boniface) Chelsea Opera Group, Gontrane (Une education Manquée) Pop up opera. In 2022 she made her Opera Rara debut as Francesco in their recording of Offenbach's la Princesse de Trébizonde. On the concert platform, Monica has appeared as a soloist in some of the country's leading venues including The Royal Albert Hall, Birmingham Symphony Hall, Bridgewater Hall, The Barbican, Glasgow City Halls and Liverpool Philharmonic Hall. Monica has been a finalist in numerous international competitions. Most notably in the 2021 Tenor Viñas compeition but due to the national lockdown was unable to fly to the finals. She was a finalist in the Susan Chilcott Award and the Les Azuriales Opera Competition.
Monica is in high demand as a teacher and a coach, having trained as a pianist whilst a junior at the RCS before continuing to play for opera scenes and song classes throughout her time at the RCS and RCM. She also composes with multiple projects in the works for winter 2024 into 2025. When not on stage, Monica is very passionate about music education having run the Royal Parks half marathon for the Prince's Trust Children in the Arts foundation. She combined her passion for this with her composition skills her during national lockdowns of 2020 and 2021 and wrote a musical for young people which she hopes will be brought to the stage in the next year.
