I grew up in a small town, Boonville NY. I was blessed to be a part of a school and village that valued the arts. I participated in the concert choir and the annual musicals. I sang in my first opera Amahl and the Night Visitors in junior high along with my mother and the community chorus playing the part of Amahl.
My love of music took me to NYC for my bachelors at Wagner College on Staten Island. Wagner has gained a lot of recognition over the recent years for its beautiful campus, top music theater program, business and nursing programs among numerous others. The college choir still goes on choir tours every spring around the country. Typically the choir goes on a tour around Florida every other year. In 2013 the choir went on tour in Germany and Austria. A few alumni joined the choir on the European tour including myself. It was a fantastic way to meet current students as well as having one last tour with some old friends. Currently Wagner is planning a Florida tour for this March followed by a tour to Spain in 2017.
After finishing my B.A. I took some time off from school working at a pre-school music program: Hands On! A Musical Experience in Manhattan while also singing with a semi-pro choir Schola Cantorum on Hudson. With this group I performed around NYC and New Jersey including with the New Jersey Symphony.
In 2009 I started working on my Masters of Music at Illinois State University. There I concentrated on vocal performance and opera. In my second year I directed, produced, cast, and performed a world premier chamber opera Baby Shower. That independent study was on of the most rewarding of my time at ISU.
Music has given me so many travel opportunities including two summers studying in Salzburg, Austria and touring around the states.
More recently I have been continuing singing professionally part time through a church job as the soloist and soprano section leader at First Congregational United Church of Christ as well as Sarasota's professional choir Gloria Musicae.
I teach because of my love for music. I also believe singing is something one can do for a lifetime. You make friends for life in any ensemble you perform with and there are always groups to join. Singing can be a wonderful stress reliever and good for the soul. After a long hard day, an evening rehearsal with a choir is therapeutic. I hope that is something every student can take with them through life.