About Mercy

Mercy Calhoun-Dion Mercy Calhoun-Dion is a Maryland-based soprano and educator. This past season, she appeared as the soprano soloist in Carmina Burana by Orff with Live Arts Maryland, Isabel and Mabel (cover) in The Pirates of Penzance by Gilbert & Sullivan with the Young Victorian Opera Theater, and in several duo recitals with her husband and pianist, Noah Dion. During the 2020-2021 seasons, she was active on many recording projects with Live Arts Maryland (QuaranTiny & Handel’s Messiah), Bethany Church, and duo projects with Noah.

2022-2023 projects include performances with Maryland Opera, duo recitals with Noah, & Sondheim’s Side by Side. In her spare time, she’s cooking and baking up a storm; listening to a podcast; or snuggling her cat Rumi. 

Previously, Mercy has appeared as Mrs. Bennett and Charlotte in the staged premiere of Pride and Prejudice by Kirke Mechem and as Lisa in The Queen of Spades with Peabody Opera during the 2019-2020 season. In previous seasons, Mercy appeared as the Fairy Queen/Spring in The Fairy Queen with Haymarket Opera Company. On the concert stage, she performed as soprano soloist in Bach’s Cantata 71 with Wintergreen Music, a soloist in Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms with the Annapolis Chorale, and an ensemble member in Camelot, A Grand Night for Singing & Kiss Me, Kate with Live Arts Maryland. She has also performed the roles of Cunegonde from Candide, Giunone from La Calisto, and Susanna in Le nozze di Figaro. Mercy has attended the Wintergreen Music Vocal Intensive as well as the Haymarket Summer Opera Course. She holds a BM and MM in Voice from the Peabody Conservatory. Mercy studies with Ah Young Hong.  

As an educator, Mercy has been the lead music teacher at the Bethany Music Center (BMC) since 2018. Her work in education includes general music classes for PK-8th grade students, youth band for 6th-12th grade students, curriculum development PK-12, middle school musical theater direction, and summer music camp directing. She was the music teacher at St. Anne’s School of Annapolis. Mercy also maintains a private voice and piano studio. Mercy holds a Bachelors of Music in Music Education from the Peabody Institute and a Kodály Level 1 certification from the Westminster Choir College. She has been a member of Maryland Music Educators Association (MMEA) and Organization of American Kodály Educators. Mercy holds a Music K-12 Professional Eligibility Certificate in the state of Maryland.