Amanda Simms, soprano, is considered as “an extraordinary performer with much promise.” She currently attending Peabody Institute for her Graduate Performance Diploma where she was awarded the Artistic Excellence Scholarship. Amanda boasts a wide repertoire from baroque to the 21st century. Most recently, Amanda has performed Rhoda (Rhoda and the Fossil Hunt) with the Peabody Institute in collaboration with the Maryland Science Center. She joined Opera North in 2021 as a resident artist for the roles of Belinda (Dido and Aeneas), Cleopatra (Giulio Cesare), and Amore (Orfeo ed Euridice). She has performed the role of Lucia (Rape of Lucretia) and Asteria (Tamerlano), with Montclair State University. Amanda placed 2nd in the 2021 Charleston International Music Competition and the NATS Eastern Region competition. In 2020 Amanda planned to debut Pamina (Die Zauberflöte) at the Trentino Music Festival (covid-19). Also in 2020, Amanda was a finalist in the Vienna Summer Music Festival, semi-finalist in the Orpheus Competition, and won 2nd place in the Advanced College Division of the National Association for Teachers of Singing New York City Chapter. Amanda graduated from Montclair State University in 2019 with a Master of Music in Vocal Performance, where she served as graduate assistant for the choral department, and teaching assistant for the music history department with full scholarship. She has performed as soprano soloist in numerous oratorio works including Mozart’s Mass in C Minor with the Kean Conservatory and New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, and Handel’s Messiah with Montclair State.