Mary Cunningham has been the artistic director of the Halalisa Singers since 2004, creating and directing unique and dynamic world music-themed concerts for the Lexington-based chorus founded in 1993 by Nick Page. In 2023, Mary directed the Mystic Chorale Spring Concert, Celtic Roots.

Mary is active as a conductor, performer, and educator in the Boston area, including as guest conductor of the Mystic Chorale, 10 years as music director of the UU Church of Reading, and six years as music director of the Melrose UU Church. She also a professional flutist and is on the faculty at Winchester Community Music School and Powers Music School in Belmont and has conducted the Watch City Singers in Waltham.

She is a member of the American Choral Directors Association and a credentialed music leader with the Unitarian Universalist Association. She holds a Masters in Music at the Cleveland Institute of Music after degree training in choral conducting and flute performance at the Mozarteum in Salzburg, Austria, and a Bachelor of Science degree in music education from Case Western Reserve University.

Mary is the proud parent of two amazing daughters and lives in Medford with her tenor husband Ron and gentle giant cat “Dusty”.