Cyndi Bess served as an assistant professor of music education and voice at West Virginia University for many years. Her specialties include elementary general music, voice, vocal pedagogy, and music theatre. From 2011-2017 she served as a Resident Faculty Leader and Live and Learn Community Specialist. Cyndi still continues to be active as a voice teacher, adjudicator, and clinician.
She earned her Doctorate of Musical Arts Degree in Vocal Performance from West Virginia University in 2009. Before coming to WVU she earned degrees from the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music (BM and MM) and Morningside College (BME).
Her performance experience includes leading and supporting roles with: West Virginia Public Theatre, The Act II Theatre, The Covered Bridge Playhouse, WVU Opera Theatre, Alderson Broadus Opera Theatre, Pittsburgh Chamber Opera, Minnesota Opera Apprentice Program, Cincinnati Opera, CCM Opera Theatre, and the New Hampshire Music Festival.
Her teaching experience includes serving as a general and secondary choral music specialist in the public schools of Iowa and West Virginia, West Virginia University, Alderson Broadus College, Davis and Elkins College, The Northern West Virginia Performing Arts Academy, West Virginia Public Theatre Arts Academy, WVU Mountaineer Music Camp, The West Virginia Governor’s School for the Arts, and the Carnegie Teach Smart Institute. She also served as Director for the SITE in the Arts at West Virginia University and Artistic Director for the West Virginia Governor’s School for the Arts. She was cofounder and music director for the Morgantown Children’s Choir. Her most recent musical adventures include teaching Kindermusik and teaching voice for the Main Street Theatre Company in Uniontown, PA.
Cyndi lives in Morgantown, WV with her husband David.
