Ms. Wood is a graduate of the Lyric Opera of Chicago’s prestigious Center for American Artists .In the fall of 2002, Wood was asked to step in for an ailing Deborah Voigt as Sieglinde/Die Walküre with Lyric Opera to fantastic success. With Lyric Opera, Wood has also been seen as Lisa/The Queen of Spades, Berta/Il Barbiere di Siviglia, First Nursemaid/Street Scene, Mrs. Gleaton/Susannah, Ortlinde/Die Walküre, Lady-in waiting/ Macbeth and was a featured artist in the company’s first-ever free concert at Grant Park. She has been featured with the Joffrey Ballet of Chicago (singing Wagner’s “Träume”), Opera Grand Rapids (as Lisa/The Queen of Spades), Music Academy of the West (as Lady Billows/Albert Herring), Opera Pacific (as Mary/Der fliegende Hollaender), the Grant Park and Ravinia Music Festivals, Palm Springs Opera in the Park, as well as the Milwaukee and Lake Forest Symphonies. Ms. Wood has been seen in recital in Chicago for the Dame Myra Hess Foundation and in New York with the Marilyn Horne Foundation.

Ms. Wood feels fortunate to have worked with some of today’s most sought after conductors- including Sir Andrew Davis, Julius Rudel, John DeMain, Randall Behr, Robert Lyall, Asher Fisch, Richard Buckley, Daniel Beckwith, Victor DeRenzi, Bruno Bartoletti, David Alan Miller and Andreas Delfs. Last season, Erin was given the opportunity to sing the final dress rehearsal of Cavalleria Rusticana under the baton of Maestro Marco Armiliato for the San Francisco Opera when Andrea Gruber was indisposed.

She received her Bachelors and Masters degrees from UCLA where she is now completing her doctoral dissertation. Before becoming a soprano she sang mezzo leads in many UCLA Opera productions and choral works; previously with Maestro Neuen, Ms. Wood was soloist for Elijah, The Passion According to St. John and the Durufle Requiem.

Ms. Wood is a winner of the 2000 George London/Kirsten Flagstad Award from the George London Foundation. Other awards include the Rose M. Grundman Prize from the Union League Civic and Arts Foundation, the Edith Newfield Prize from Chicago’s Musician’s Club of Women, Third Prize in the Metropolitan Central Region Finals, Palm Springs Opera Guild First Prize Winner and Lee Schaenen Foundation and Liberace Foundation scholarships.

Highlights of the 2004-2005 season include Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony with Pacific Symphony, and engagements with the Metropolitan Opera and Lyric Opera of Chicago, including Aida and their 50th Anniversary Ring Cycle

Ms. Wood performed the Verdi Requiem with the Chorale in 2005.

Note: Biographical information is current as of the last Chorale concert date. Check on line for the latest updates!