Blythe Cates currently serves as the Voice Area Coordinator for Austin Community College after terms at Texas State University, the University of Texas at El Paso and Concordia University. Originally from Southern California, Cates received her doctorate in vocal pedagogy at the University of Texas at Austin under Darlene Wiley and Ruth Ann Swenson. She also has a master’s in Opera Performance from UT Austin under the direction of Dr. Robert DeSimone.

Dr. Cates began teaching in 2007 and specializes in vocal health, age-appropriate material, musical interpretation and applying classical vocal technique to many genres, including opera, classical, pop, folk and musical theater.

An active soloist with many orchestras and ensembles, she has most recently performed with the Inland Master Chorale, Missouri Symphony, Riverside Opera, and the Texas Music Educators Association. She has performed operatic roles in Lakmé, The Old Maid and the Thief, Summer and Smoke, The Rape of Lucretia, The Consul, Der Schauspieldirektor, Die Zauberflöte, Carmen, and I Pagliacci and has extensive experience in performing musical theater.