Eric McEnaney enjoys a multifaceted career as a distinguished pianist, vocal coach, and artist teacher whose Grammy-nominated work has been heard on stages throughout the country and abroad.  Known for his expertise in contemporary opera, Dr. McEnaney has assisted in the creative process of several revival productions and newly commissioned works, collaborating with lauded composers Dominick Argento, Carlisle Floyd, Ricky Ian Gordon, Paul Moravec, Paola Prestini, Kevin Puts, Bright Sheng, and Robert Ward, among others.  Young artist and professional singers frequently seek his knowledge of bel canto style and Dr. McEnaney’s breadth of musical understanding and passion for opera education have garnered regular invitations to serve as guest lecturer for various companies’ performance previews, including many innovative programs at the Ordway Center for the Arts in Saint Paul as part of Minnesota Opera’s Opera Insights series.

As a member of the music staff for opera companies throughout the country, Dr. McEnaney has assisted in the preparation of more than 125 productions, with repertoire ranging from Orfeo ed Euridice to The Shining.  He is currently a Master Vocal Coach for Minnesota Opera and has worked as a guest coach for such companies as Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, Central City Opera, Virginia Opera, Opera Southwest, Cedar Rapids Opera Theatre, Skylark Opera, and Lyric Opera of the North, among others.  Additionally, Dr. McEnaney served as Principal Production Pianist & Coach at Florentine Opera Company for four seasons, where he oversaw the musical preparation of two world premiere recordings, Sister Carrie (Aldridge/Garfein) and Prince of Players (Carlisle Floyd), nominated for the Grammy in Best Opera Recording.

A dedicated advocate for the creative training of young singers, Dr. McEnaney is frequently in demand as faculty coach for summer opera festivals and as master clinician at colleges and universities throughout the country.  His guest teaching credits include masterclasses and coaching for Yale School of Music, Wolf Trap Opera Studio, The University of Minnesota, and various other institutions and programs.  He is the co-founder and Creative Advisor of Opera Reading Project, a Twin Cities-based role reading series for singers that serves as a professional-level music preparation tool for working and aspiring artists.  At ORP he co-developed the IDEA Fellowship, a fully-funded scholarship opportunity for Minnesota singers from underserved populations to advance in the classical singing industry.  Dr. McEnaney also served as Director and Principal Coach of the ECCO Program for three seasons, a joint young artist program between Minnesota Opera and The University of Minnesota School of Music. Additionally, he designed and administrated a new young artist program for Fargo-Moorhead Opera. Begun in 2014, the Gate City Bank Young Artist Program gives a group of highly talented singers the opportunity to hone their craft in pursuit of a singing career by presenting numerous performances throughout the community. The program regularly serves several thousand K-12 and collegiate students each season and has become a permanent part of the opera company’s offerings.  Dr. McEnaney has also served on the faculty of Musica Nelle Marche, a unique language, culture, and music study program for collegiate students in Urbino, Italy, where he coaches and performs a series of opera and song concerts throughout the Marche region each summer.

Dr. McEnaney’s private vocal coaching studio is a mainstay of the Minneapolis-Saint Paul arts scene and many of his clients appear onstage with the nation's most prominent companies.  Members of his studio are frequent competition winners and are regularly accepted into leading summer festivals, year-round training programs, and collegiate institutions. Recent client successes include invitations to Merola, Glimmerglass, Chautauqua, Des Moines Metro Opera, Minnesota Opera, Florida Grand Opera, Royal Opera, Indianapolis Opera, Sarasota Opera, Virginia Opera, Opera Colorado, Wolf Trap Opera Company, SongFest, Music Academy of the West, Royal Academy of Music, New England Conservatory, and University of Cincinnati-CCM. 

As a recitalist, Dr. McEnaney has appeared with singers from the rosters of the nation's leading opera companies.  He serves as an official accompanist for the Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition, has played more than 100 concerts as an orchestral keyboardist for Minnesota Orchestra, and has performed with Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, St. Paul Civic Symphony, and the orchestras of Minnesota Opera and Central City Opera.  His performances have been broadcast locally and nationally on PBS, Great Performances, American Public Media, Minnesota Public Radio, Colorado Public Radio, Twin Cities Public Television, KSTP-TV's Twin Cities Live, and WCCO-TV's Mid-Morning.  He has assisted many of the most renowned classical vocal artists of our time, including Christine Brewer, Anna Christy, Elizabeth Futral, Denyce Graves, Marilyn Horne, Thomas Hampson, Frank Lopardo, Susanne Mentzer, Susanna Phillips, Patricia Racette, John Relyea, Nadine Sierra, and Carol Vaness. Additional collaborations include work with former Tonight Show bandleader Doc Severinsen, interdisciplinary artist PaviElle French, and with Minnesota humorist and playwright Kevin Kling.  

Dr. McEnaney is an alumnus of young artist programs at Music Academy of the West, Wolf Trap Opera Company, Des Moines Metro Opera, Cedar Rapids Opera Theatre, and Minnesota Opera, where he worked four seasons as Resident Artist Pianist/Coach.  He holds degrees in piano performance and collaborative piano from Eastern Illinois University, The University of Iowa, and the University of Minnesota, and makes his home in Minneapolis.