From Greensboro to Carnegie Hall: Sarah Coates Whittemore’s Musical Journey
It’s not every day that a local talent graces the hallowed stage of Carnegie Hall—not once, but three times...
It’s not every day that a local talent graces the hallowed stage of Carnegie Hall—not once, but three times! Sarah Coates Whittemore, a jazz singer with Greensboro roots, has proven that dreams can soar far beyond their origins. Her journey began with an extraordinary milestone: at just 17 years old, as a member of the Grimsley Madrigals, an a cappella group from Grimsley High School, she performed at Carnegie Hall for the first time… This early triumph set the tone for a career defined by grace, talent, and determination.
Fast forward to this December 2024, Sarah returned to Carnegie Hall as a featured soloist, marking her third appearance at this iconic venue. Conducted by composer and fellow North Carolinian, Joseph M. Martin, Sarah joined soprano Sue Martin and tenor Scot Cameron in A Winter’s Night with the Distinguished Concerts Singers International and Distinguished Concerts Orchestra. The evening was a sellout success!
But despite her remarkable success on the world stage, Sarah makes it a point to always come back home to Greensboro, where her musical journey began, to share her gift with her hometown community.
Sarah’s musical journey started early with her time at Greensboro Montessori School (GMS), where she was one of the first three students to graduate from its Middle School program in 1997. During her years at GMS, Sarah discovered her love of performing, taking on lead roles in school musicals like Persephone, a children’s opera that left such an impression she still hums its tunes today. GMS instilled in her a lifelong love of music and the confidence to pursue her unique passions—values she carried forward into her illustrious career.
As a young teen, Sarah joined the Greensboro Youth Chorus (GYC), directed by Anne Doyle, and studied voice with Sam Doyle. With GYC, she toured Europe twice, further developing her passion for music and opening her eyes to what the world had to offer her. In high school and college (UNCG), she ventured into jazz, performing with the Poindexter Trio alongside Justin Poindexter, who now teaches and performs in New York City.
Tomorrow Night
Tomorrow night (January 2, 2025), Sarah will perform live at O.Henry Hotel, in the heart of its intimate lounge setting—a perfect backdrop for the magic of live jazz. With its warm ambiance and close connection between artist and audience, the O.Henry lounge is the ideal stage for an intimate homecoming performance.
After college, Sarah moved to Orlando in 2006, where her career expanded in exciting ways. She performed with Disney’s renowned Voices of Liberty at EPCOT, joined and toured internationally with the a cappella group Voctave, and took on memorable roles like Winifred in Disney’s Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular at Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party. (Click below to watch the 2018 show).
“Dream it up, then DO IT.”
Despite the challenges posed by the pandemic, Sarah turned adversity into artistic triumph, beginning with recording vocals for Disney’s EPCOT Forever fireworks show in 2019. She then released her first solo EP, Love Song—a deeply personal project that showcased her vocal prowess and emotional connection to her music—which topped the iTunes jazz charts in 2021, followed by her debut at Lincoln Center in November 2022, and her first performance as a soloist at Carnegie Hall in December 2022.
As Sarah herself says, “Dream it up, then DO IT.” That determination has carried her from Greensboro to the world’s greatest stages—and tomorrow, it will bring her back home. We will be there, we hope you will be there too!
@sarahwhittemorevocals
You can follow and support Sarah’s career on social media on YOUTUBE, FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM.
You can stream her music on APPLE and SPOTIFY as well as all other streaming channels.
Debut Album “Love Song”
Youtube “Love Song” Playlist:
CLICK HERE for Voctave Show dates, albums, mailing list and more…
Recent Works:
In 2024 Sarah collaborated with Rick McKee on an albun entitled, A Halloween Carol and with Disney for the pop version of Disney Dreams That Soar.
Fireworks:
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p.s.
Stravinsky’s Persephone This is not Sarah’s production as hers was not recorded, however this is worth a glance at if you have never heard it. The clip below is from an extraordinary production—a collaboration between the Oregon Symphony and Michael Curry Design as part of the SoundSights Series, 2017 Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, Portland, Oregon.