Shannon Cochran is a native of small-town Fairfield, Iowa, where she was immersed in music, acting and dancing at a very early age. This love of music led her to pursue vocal performance in undergrad, and has furthered her to continue her studies in graduate school. Currently, she is studying at the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music for her M.M. in vocal performance, and is studying voice under Dr. Gwendolyn Detwiler. This fall she will be portraying the role of Cunegonde in Bernstein’s Candide. Most recently, she was seen making her debut with the Memphis Repertory Orchestra this past July as the featured soprano soloist. In her first year at CCM, she played a Modista in Cendrillon, as well as, performed scenes as Pamina in Die Zaubeflöte and Vitellia in La Clemenza di Tito.  In March, she competed in the 3 Arts Scholarship Competition, placing in the Women’s Graduate Voice division. In May 2016, she graduated from Northern Arizona University where she received her B.M.  in Vocal Performance. While studying at NAU she trained under Deborah Raymond and Christine Graham. She performed various roles at NAU including, Susanna in Le Nozze di Figaro, Lilli/Kate in Kiss Me, Kate, Leonora in The Long Christmas Dinner, Velma in scenes from Chicago, and Nerone in L’incoronazione di Poppea. Her professional theatre credits include, Ms. Pemberton in The Orphan Train under the direction of Patricia Birch, Tracy Turnblad in Hairspray and Rapunzel in Into the Woods. In July of 2015, she studied at Cincinnati Conservatory of Music for their summer opera program, where she portrayed Frasquita in their scenes from Carmen. In the summer of 2013, she attended the Flagstaff in Fidenza program where she played Annina in La Traviata.