Voice Teacher

Influences: Billy Holiday, Ewa Demarczyk, Edith Piaf, Ella Fitzgerald, Teresa Stratas, Martina Arroyo, Frank Sinatra, , Sarah Vaughan, Patsy Kline, Lotte Lenya, Lucinda Williams, Wanda Jackson, so many others...

About Me:
Although I am a classically trained singer, I have spent many years developing my own style of singing and instruction. I draw on my experiences and training not only in music, but theater and movement, to create a well rounded approach to singing and performing. I've sung everything from opera to music theater to jazz; European style cabaret to rock. I am also a songwriter and have collaborated on an array of original performances with various musicians and composers. I currently sing with my own roots rock band called The Red Apples that plays in and around the Chicago area. Besides teaching privately I also teach a performance workshop that covers many different aspects of performing live, and concludes with a live show with the band! I also coach actors and other performers, taught acting at Virtuoso Performing Arts in Niles, and was the vocal instructor at Camp Jam in 2009.

As an instructor, I am most interested in helping students find their true voice and artistic style. I teach students to find expression through and with a foundation of technique, rather then in spite of it. I also am very interested in helping students deal with the mental/emotional aspects of performance, an all important area so frequently ignored by music teachers. My style is nurturing, yet disciplined, and sprinkled liberally with good natured humor.

Ages:
Elementary School, Pre-teen, Teenage, Adult

Experience:

• Currently perform in and around the Chicago area with The Red Apples, a roots rock band I formed with my husband in 2003
• In the Blink of an Eye, original music performance, part of Source: An Exploration of Beginnings; Andersonville Arts Weekend, Edgewater Historical Society
• Hollow, original music performance; ArtMix One, an evening of performative art produced by Chicago InArts at St Patrick's Fine Arts Center
• Unfinished Portrait of Ahkmatova, Anna Ahkmatova, Links Hall Performance Series, created and directed by Jill Daley (formerly Curious Theater) with original songs by Ilya Levinson based on the poetry of Ahkmatova
• I'm A Stranger Here Myself, original performance featuring the music of Kurt Weill and original music in collaboration with Jaroslaw Golembiowski, Jerzy Kenar's Wooden Gallery
• The Lulu Sex Tragedies, Countess Geschwitz, Prop Theater, directed by avant-garde South African director Christiaan Pretorious (Jeff recommended)

Education:

• Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Arts (MA ), Columbia College Chicago [2003]
• Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theater/Voice (BFA), University of Kansas [1982]

Studied With:

• Kyle Donnelly, Actor's Center [1984 - 1987]
• Z. Z. Cynkuitis, of Grotowski's Teatr Laboratorium [1981 - 1982]
• Kenneth Smith [1978 - 1982]
• Marcia Grund/Linklater Technique [1981]

Seminars and Workshops Attended:

• Master Class with William Warfield, renowned Bass/Baritone, University of Kansas [1982]
• Physical, Vocal Performance Workshop with Z. Cynkuitis, Internationally acclaimed Grotowski's Teatr Laboratorium [1982]

Certifications:

• Second Degree Reiki Usui System, Gwen Mitchell Reiki Master , Usui Shiki Ryoho [1998]

Awards:

• Ensemble Performance/Animal Farm, Bailiwick Theater - Joseph Jefferson Committee [1986]
• Ensemble Performance/The Threepenny Opera, Bailiwick Theater - Joseph Jefferson Committee [1984]

Discography:

• The Red Apples - "Acoustic Apples" [2010]
• The Red Apples - "DEMO" [2007]

Scholarships:

• Theatre Department Scholarship for Acting, University of Kansas [1981 - 1982]
• McCounaughey Scholarship for Academic Excellence [1977 - 1978]