Katrina Cox, D.M.A.

Katrina Cox, D.M.A.

Director-at-Large

Dr. Katrina Cox, mezzo-soprano, is an Associate Professor of Music at William Carey University, where she teaches voice, vocal pedagogy, diction, and musical theatre while directing Carpenter's Wood, the longest-standing ensemble in the Winters School of Music. A native of Laurel, Mississippi, she is recognized as a performer, educator, conductor, and stage director whose work bridges classical, musical theatre, jazz, and gospel traditions. Dr. Cox earned the Bachelor of Music degree in Vocal Performance from William Carey University, the Master of Music degree in Performance with a specialization in Opera from Binghamton University (State University of New York), and the Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Vocal Performance from The University of Southern Mississippi. As a student at William Carey University, she studied with Dr. Connie Roberts and performed extensively with the Chorale and Carpenter's Wood. She received the university's highest student honor, the Jenkins-Chastain Award, served as president of Delta Omicron, and won both the Mississippi and Regional National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) competitions. While pursuing graduate studies at Binghamton University, Dr. Cox was awarded the prestigious Clark Fellowship and studied with internationally acclaimed soprano Mary Burgess. She performed with Tri-Cities Opera, Harpur Jazz, and the Big Band Jazz Ensemble and participated in masterclasses with distinguished artists, including renowned tenor Nico Castel. She later continued private study with Marchesi specialist Mary Lou Muratori and was selected for the highly competitive Opera North program in New Hampshire, where she performed the role of Frau Fluth in Die Lustigen Weiber von Windsor and appeared in productions of Falstaff and Turandot. During her years in New York, she also founded the jazz ensemble The New Standard, which performed throughout the Southern Tier. After returning to Mississippi, Dr. Cox served as an elementary music teacher and later as a high school choral director in the Laurel School District before joining the faculty at William Carey University. As a performer, she has appeared in opera, musical theatre, recital, jazz, and oratorio throughout the region. Her stage credits include Muzzy Van Hossmere (Thoroughly Modern Millie), Shug Avery (The Color Purple), the Principessa (Suor Angelica), Dame Doleful (Too Many Sopranos), and opera scenes featuring the title roles in Carmen and Octavian from Der Rosenkavalier. She has also been featured as a soloist for FestivalSouth, the Natchez Festival of Music, the Mississippi Opera Gala, the Partners for the Arts Gala, the Miss Hospitality Mississippi Pageant, and Dr. Mark Malone's lecture series on The Life and Works of William Dawson, touring throughout Mississippi, Alabama, and Tennessee. An accomplished stage director, Dr. Cox has earned recognition for imaginative storytelling and dynamic productions. At William Carey University, she has directed Stephen Schwartz's Pippin,Jekyll & Hyde, The Drowsy Chaperone, and The Addams Family (coming soon). In 2025, she made history as the first Black director at Laurel Little Theatre, leading the company's acclaimed production of The Color Purple, which featured the theatre's first full Black cast. The production received statewide recognition, sold-out performances, and helped attract new audiences to community theatre. She is currently directing the Tony Award-winning musical Once on This Island, continuing her commitment to producing stories that celebrate diverse voices and cultures. As director of Carpenter's Wood, Dr. Cox has reimagined the ensemble as William Carey's premier gospel ensemble while honoring its legacy of musical excellence and ministry. Under her leadership, the ensemble has renewed its commitment to missions, traveling to Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, where members presented concerts, led worship, taught masterclasses, mentored music educators, and shared the Gospel through music. Whether on the concert stage, in the classroom, or in the theatre, Dr. Cox is passionate about cultivating artistic excellence, mentoring the next generation of performers, and using music as a vehicle for education, community, and faith.