Originally from Nashville, Carney earned a master’s degree in vocal performance from the New England Conservatory of Music.
Carney headed west to Worcester following graduation, finding a city with a culture that reminded him of his hometown before it was changed by gentrification. He quickly immersed himself in the local community, participating in the stART on the Street Festival and assisting with the painting of the Black Lives Matter mural on Major Taylor Boulevard. Having performed with groups like the Massachusetts Symphony Orchestra, the Nashville Symphony Chorus, the Nashville Opera, and the Rhode Island Civic Chorale and Orchestra, Carney was a natural fit to helm Mechanics Hall’s youth singers program. Since joining the organization, more than 100 young singers have registered. Carney is a musical instructor for Worcester’s Black Excellence Academy and has collaborated with other local artists, including for a Juneteenth concert at the First Unitarian Church. A professional singer, in 2023 he debuted as a principal artist in “Omar,” an opera that has since won a Pulitzer Prize.
What would the title of your book of business advice be? “Building A Mountain of Possibilities: A Stone of Hope”
Favorite place you’ve visited? The beautiful mountains and landscapes of West Virginia
