History & bio

"From the age of 3, I was leading songs in front of my home church congregation. My mother was my first teacher, showing me stage presence and the teaching me the skill of memorizing music. I took piano and guitar lessons as a kid, and I played violin/cello in grade school. It was when I attended Montgomery College that I discovered the idea of studying music as a major. The college gave me opportunities to solo with the chorus, chamber singers, Latin band, Jazz ensemble, and world ensemble. 

When I transferred to Towson University, I was able to study voice performance and music education. This was my first exposure to opera productions and formal educator training.  During this period, I worked for various church denominations. My voice teacher Dr. Teri Bickham was a true inspiration and mentor during that time. At the University of Denver, I studied voice performance and choral conducting and completed my Master in Music degree by 2022. These programs opened doors for me to work with several local opera companiies, solos for masterworks, and various conducting opportunities. Dr. Catherine Sailer really shaped me with the conducting world." 

Sheila Melendez is a Honduran-American conductor and soloist from Silver Spring, Maryland. She served as the Music Director for the Silver Singers Community Choir at The Ridge Pinehurst, Assistant Director for Vittoria Ensemble, Director of Choirs for Trinity United Methodist Church. Currently, she directs the church choir at Shepherdstown Presbysterian Church and is adjunct voice faculty at Montgomery College.

As a conductor, Ms. Melendez has performed Schubert’s Mass in G,  Rutter’s Gloria, excerpts from Mendelssohn’s Elijah, and Monteverdi's Magnificat. She was a guest conductor for Stratus Orchestra where she conducted Telemann's Trumpet Concerto in C. She also participated in the George Mason Conducting Symposium with excerpts from Beethoven Symphony no.7, Brahms Symphony no. 1, and Menotti's The Old Maid & The Thief. 

Ms. Melendez has been the soprano soloist for Bach’s Magnificat, Mozart's Missa Brevis in F, Haydn's Creation, Handel’s Messiah, Vivaldi’s Gloria, Rutter’s Gloria, and Dan Forrest’s Requiem for the Living to name a few. Her opera roles include Susanna in Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro, Papagena in Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte, and Belinda in Purcell’s Dido & Aeneas. Her music theatre roles include Hope Harcourt in Anything Goes and Maria in West Side Story.

As a diverse performer, she sings for open mics and jazz jams. She teaches voice in any genre that interests the student including rap, R&B, and rock. She used to rap with a local MD group called Operation Change Music. She is currently working on an original album that includes tracks in multiple genres and explores how rhythm creates interest in the music rather than complex harmonies. 

Ms. Melendez graduated from the University of Denver with a Master’s degree in Voice Performance and Choral Conducting. She earned a dual Bachelor’s degree in Voice Performance and Music Education from Towson University. Her mentors include Dr. Catherine Sailer, Dr. David McNeil, Dr. Brian Dukeshier, and Dr. Molly Donnelly.