Dr. Wanda H. Wherry
Dr. Wanda H. Wherry has been singing since she was four years old. She is a lyric soprano with prodigious skill and technical ability. Her musical experiences have been extensive. After studying with legendary Metropolitan Opera sopranos Camilla Williams and Eileen Farrell, Dr. Wanda went on to sing leading roles in The Creation, by Franz Joseph Haydn, Messiah, by G.F. Handel, Beethoven’s Mass in C, Schubert’s Mass in G, Dubois’ Seven Last Words, as well as solo concert appearances in a number of U.S. Cities. She was the winner of several vocal competitions, including the regional Metropolitan Opera Auditions, and the National Association of Negro Musicians’ National Music Competition. An artist of great versatility, she has also appeared as Aunt Em in the Haymarket Theatre’s production of The Wiz.
Dr. Wanda is a specialist in interpretation of the American art song called the Spiritual, and her renditions have been met with wide acclaim. She has had extensive choral background in choral music, having sung under the baton of the legendary Jan Harrington, Robert Shaw and Jester Hairston. Her advanced theological training has uniquely equipped her to bring insight to the interpretation of all types of religious musical literature. A former instructor of voice at Norfolk State University, she holds the Bachelor of Science degree in Public School Music (Norfolk State University), the Master of Divinity degree (Samuel D. Proctor School of Theology, Virginia Union University) and the Doctor of Ministry degree (Samuel D. Proctor School of Theology, Virginia Union University).
As a Christian Educator, Dr. Wanda has long been a leader in the field. She pioneered use of both synchronous and asynchronous teaching of Christian Missions to lay leaders on the Internet as a part of her doctoral work and the Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Theology. As an author, Dr. Wanda writes prayers for and recorded a CD for the devotional book published by she and her husband entitled, A Door of Hope.
Dr. Wanda has also authored curriculum for the Baptist General Convention of Virginia Youth Retreats at Eagle Eyrie, and has served as a curriculum write and consultant for the Public Schools of Portsmouth, Virginia. She served as the Director of Women’s Ministry for the Baptist General Convention of Virginia, where she had responsibility for the Missions and Women’s Ministries of over 1,100 Baptist churches across the Commonwealth of Virginia. She has been a teacher and facilitator for groups ranging from just a few to over 2,000 people. Dr. Wanda has been a guest lecturer in the Doctoral program at the Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Theology, and has been a workshop facilitator for the Children’s Ministry Conference for ABC-USA (American Baptist Churches USA) and churches and organizations in numerous American cities. Internationally, Dr. Wanda has been a guest teacher for the Baptist Association of churches in Lusaka, Zambia South Africa.