Cheri Montgomery

Cheri Montgomery is an Adjunct Professor at the Blair School of Music, Vanderbilt University, specializing in lyric diction and vocal pedagogy. She holds a B.M. and M.M. from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, where she also earned scholarships and accolades. Her research focuses on phonetics, inclusive teaching (e.g., braille literacy for singers), and multilingual singing techniques. She has authored influential textbooks like the Lyric Diction Workbook Series and IPA Handbook for Singers.

Her presentations span topics such as vowel formation, braille phonetics, and online diction instruction, delivered at conferences like the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) and the International Congress of Voice Teachers. She co-authored Exploring English Lyrics (2024) and pioneered IPA Braille to enhance accessibility for visually impaired singers.

• Awards: Grace Moore Scholarship, Phi Mu Alpha, NATS First-Place Audition Winner
• Performance Credits: Operatic roles (Gilda in Rigoletto), Messiah soloist with Nashville Symphony
• Publications: Over 5 journal articles in Journal of Singing, multiple textbooks with Oxford, Bloomsbury, and independent publishers.

Montgomery’s work bridges vocal technique and language, with recent projects including A Picture Workbook of English Spellings and Phonetics for ELL learners and braille literacy resources adopted by the National Federation of the Blind.