Private Instruction
Jazz / Popular Voice
Classical Voice
Musikgarten Classes
Master of Music in Voice Performance, North Park University
Bachelor of Arts in Music Theatre, Carthage College
Significant teachers and mentors:
Voice with Nancy Henninger, Lorian Stein-Schwaber, Corinne Ness, Jeffrey Ray
Coaching with George Tenegal, Dr. A. Kit Bridges, Margo Garrett, Nyela Basney
Acting with Michael LaTour and Michael Kotze
Awards and achievements:
2nd place: The National Society for Arts and Letters Music Theatre Competition, Evanston Chapter
Estill Voice Training System, Levels I and II
World premier recording of "Abord de l'Evening Star," 2009
I reach out to all types and ages of students, from child to adult, beginner to advanced, and teach them how to find confidence and beauty in their own voice with no aesthetic or stylistic bias. Through my respectful approach students deepen their sense of humanity and strengthen their character, while cultivating their musicianship and musical sophistication.
My special music interests are American Music Theatre and the works of Richard Strauss.
Professional affiliations & activities:
National Association of Teachers of Singing, member
Interests outside of music:
Backpacking, crocheting blankets for family, running, working with my church's youth group
Favorite quote:
"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat." --Teddy Roosevelt, The Man in the Arena, excerpted from the "Citizenship in a Republic" speech.
Favorite practice tip:
Trust that with time, everything will resolve itself, and what was once difficult will come with ease.
Favorite composer or piece to play:
Anything by Richard Strauss, Guiseppe Verdi, or Giacomo Puccini. On the music theatre side, I adore AIDA, WICKED SWEENEY TODD, KISS ME KATE, and LES MISERABLES.
Favorite musical moment:
My favorite musical moment is a personal triumph in my own journey to great musicianship. I had been working for a year and a half on the music for my graduate recital, and was alone in the practice room when in one moment, things that all of my previous voice teachers had said just "clicked," and I found I was singing this well-known music higher and more beautifully than ever before. It was the moment when I knew that all my hard work had paid off, and I was going to give the best concert of my life.