McCoy, Seth
McCoy, Seth
McCoy, Seth , black American tenor and teacher; b. Sanford, N.C., Dec. 17, 1928; d. Rochester, N.Y., Jan. 22, 1997. He studied at the N.C. Agricultural and Technical Coll. (graduated, 1950), then pursued vocal training with Pauline Thesmacher at the Cleveland Music School Settlement and with Antonia Lavanne in N.Y. He first gained notice as a soloist with the Robert Shaw Chorale (1963–65), with which he toured throughout the U.S. and South America; later appeared with the Bach Aria Group (1973–80); also was a soloist with such leading U.S. orchs. as the N.Y. Phil., Boston Sym. Orch., Chicago Sym. Orch., and Los Angeles Phil. In 1978 he made his European debut at the Aldeburgh Festival. On Feb. 17, 1979, he made his Metropolitan Opera debut in N.Y. as Tamino. His London debut was as soloist in Bach’s Christmas Oratorio in 1986. He taught at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, N.Y. (from 1982).
—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire