Michael V. Rice, Instructor
E-mail: Michael Rice

B.M. Furman University

M.M. (Candidate) - Northwestern University

Michael V. Rice, a native of Greenville, SC, received the Bachelor of Music degree with honors from Furman University. As a graduate student in voice performance at Northwestern University, he sang with the famed Chicago Symphony Chorus both locally and at Carnegie Hall and participated in its subsequent recording sessions.

Since returning to Greenville, he has been coach/accompanist for the Greenville Chorale (14 years), the Singing Christmas Tree, the Greenville Savoyards, the Furman University Opera Workshop, the SC Governor's School for the Arts, and SC All-State Choruses. For two years he taught French in the Gifted and Talented program of Greenville County Schools.

Mr. Rice is now in his 27th year as voice instructor at Greenville’s Fine Arts Center (Teacher of the Year, 1988-89 & 2003-04) and was named first runner-up for the school district‘s Teacher of the Year in 2003-04. Other honors have included membership in the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS), Phi Sigma Iota--the National Romance Language Honor Society, and Phi Mu Alpha Professional Music Fraternity.

Combining hobbies of languages and travel, Mr. Rice has made frequent visits to the European continent, Scandinavia, the British Isles, the Caribbean, the South Pacific, Asia, the North Atlantic, South America and Africa. As a student, he was an Ambassador for Friendship to Romania and participated in the Baroque Music Symposium in Vienna, Austria. In more recent years, he has participated as accompanist and/or singer in concert tours to England, Denmark, and Germany and to Russia, Estonia, and Finland.

In November, 1995, Mr. Rice served a week-long apprenticeship with renowned vocal coach/accompanist Warren Jones in New York City. He was also a vocal participant in the 2000 International Course and Festival for Choral Conductors in Varna, Bulgaria. He continues to be in constant demand as a voice teacher, vocal coach/accompanist and master class clinician.