Jean Marie Whaley is a soprano based in North Carolina's Research Triangle Park. She most recently sang the role of Beth in Mark Adamo's Little Women and Tina in Flight by Jonathan Dove in An Evening of Opera Scenes at Hunter College, under the direction of Gloria Parker of New York. Ms. Whaley traveled to the Amalfi Coast Music Festival and Institute in 2006, where her roles included Musetta from La Boheme, Fiordiligi, and Sarah from The Legend of Baby Doe. She was a featured soloist in Handel's Messiah in her hometown of Wallace, North Carolina in 2007. Ms. Whaley also performed as a soloist and section leader with Princeton Pro Musica for their 2005-07 concert seasons. She is interested in a wide variety of music, and especially enjoys singing Mozart and Strauss.

Ms. Whaley taught private voice at The Lawrenceville School of Lawrenceville, New Jersey from 2006 to 2009, and at Westminster Conservatory of Rider University from 2005 until her recent return to North Carolina. She is currently accepting students for her private studio at her home in Cary, where she emphasizes strong vocal technique and expressive experimentation. She uses her extensive knowledge of vocal anatomy to help people overcome severe vocal difficulties.

Jean Marie Whaley earned her Bachelor of Music from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. In the semester following her graduation, Ms. Whaley studied conducting with UNC's Tonu Kalam and conducted the UNC Orchestra in concert. She earned a Master of Music in Voice Pedagogy and Performance from Westminster Choir College in 2005, where she studied with Dr. Christopher Arneson. Dr. Arneson has this to say of Ms. Whaley: "She holds herself to a high standard, and the high quality of her work reflects that." Ms. Whaley continued her studies with the late Norma Newton of New York until 2008. Her pursuit of excellence, and her desire to help her students achieve excellence, is a testament to her professionalism and drive.