I currently teach at Mansfield University, a small public liberal arts college in the beautiful mountains of northern Pennsylvania. Mansfield has a long tradition of excellence in music and music education, and we have a strong voice area- our choral ensembles have won the American Prize and several international awards in the past several years, and we also have trained many successful solo singers and music teachers.
I consider teaching my great passion and strength and I hold my students to a high standard of excellence. I emphasize self-criticism and strive to teach my students the tools they will need to improve their singing over the course of their careers. I put a strong emphasis on both musicality and vocal health, striving for freedom in the voice and drawing from my academic emphasis and time observing at the University of Michigan Vocal Health Clinic.
As an educator, I am constantly working to improve my own teaching as well, and attended the prestigious NATS Intern Program in 2012, where I worked closely with excellent colleagues and was able to study a variety of ideas and teaching techniques.
As musicians, I believe that we should be well-rounded and versatile, and I endeavor to pass this on to my students, both through my teaching and through my personal example. I regularly present recitals and sing oratorio solos, but I also have an extensive background in both operatic and professional choral singing. My diverse solo repertoire includes many pieces composed in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, including world premieres of songs and operas, as well as ensemble literature. My Carnegie Hall debut was in a world premiere, and I have continued working with composers to present new works.
I also put a strong emphasis on language and culture, drawing from my study of various languages and my years living in Germany, working as a singer with the State Theaters in Osnabrück, Bielefeld, and Münster.
Please feel to contact me with any questions you have about studying voice, or if you are interested in being part of our voice program at Mansfield University.