About

I earned a BA in English from Cornell University in 1983, and a MA in Music from the University of New Hampshire in 1996. There I specialized in vocal pedagogy and performance, and choral methods. I studied with Kathleen Wilson and Susan Larson at UNH, with Marie Landis in New Zealand, and Neil Semer in New York, and participated in the “Bel Canto, Can Belto” workshop at Penn State.

As a performer, I have worked in opera, as an oratorio soloist, in jazz with a cappella jazz groups and in a bossa nova band, and in professional choruses both in the United States and in New Zealand. Currently I sing as a freelance soprano, and sing and play bass with Kingston Ridge string band.

I founded and direct the Kingston Women’s Chorus, and also co-founded the Stonebridge Singers, a non-auditioned mixed-voice chorus at the Stonebridge senior community in Montgomery. 

I am a member of the National Association of Teachers of Singing and its local chapter, NJNATS. 

My primary goal as your teacher is to help you find your unique voice and learn how to use it in a healthy way for a lifetime of enjoyment. You'll be exposed to many styles of music and learn their vocal requirements, so you can feel comfortable and confident singing in any musical style and in any situation, professionally or recreationally.  

I taught my first students over 25 years ago. Each year my students have had success, whether winning prizes in competitions, holding lead and supporting roles in musical theatre productions, auditioning for college programs, or learning to sing confidently in choir or at open mic and karaoke nights. These successes are all valuable and I've been so proud of everyone!

What if I can’t sing?

​I believe everyone can sing.  Singing uses the very same vocal mechanism that lets you giggle, wail, grunt, laugh, cry, and speak, so if you can do those things, you can sing!  Our culture doesn’t include daily opportunity to play music or sing together, so singing feels more like a special thing, rather than a normal and natural thing.  Many of us feel we’re not good enough to sing with others. We might sing “Happy Birthday,” or Christmas carols, or in the car or shower, but for many of us, that’s it.   Many of us did not grow up in a home where music-making was a regular family activity.  It is this lack of constant exposure, and to some extent training, and especially belief, that divides 'singers' from 'non-singers'.  In some cultures singing is an integral part of daily activities and rituals.  People in these cultures don’t say “I can’t sing.”  They just sing!  We are not so genetically different from people in these cultures, so it must be environment that makes the difference! I encourage students to own their innate capacity to sing and create music.  It’s too fun to leave to others!

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Aren’t people just born with a beautiful voice or not?

Not necessarily!  As in anything in life, some things come more easily to some people than to others.  Not everyone can play basketball like LeBron James or tennis like Venus Williams, but that doesn’t stop people from playing – and enjoying - these sports!  Athletes work hard to maximize their talents.  It’s the same with singing - with effort, passion, patience and persistence everyone can build on and improve their singing.  If you already sing a lot, formal study will help you improve.  If you struggle with some aspect of singing, lessons will help.  Music is in us all and study will increase your capacity.

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What if I’m Tone Deaf?

Most likely you are not. A person who is tone deaf is unable to hear differences in pitch.   This person would speak in a monotone voice and would not be able to distinguish music from noise, let alone tell the difference between Beethoven and the Beatles or between a saxophone and a violin.  Actual tone deafness is very rare, though people learn to vocally reproduce pitch at different ages. Children who miss this opportunity can still learn to 'match pitch' in adulthood.  Many people were told when they were younger that they couldn’t sing.  It’s not true!  Other people have tension that hinders free singing, and pitch suffers.  This is correctible.  With patience, it’s never too late to learn to sing!   I know that if you want to, you can find your voice, and I am here to help you do it.

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The beauty of singing

Good, joyful, expressive singing involves a connection between body, mind, and heart.  Your body is your instrument and you learn how to play it.  Your mind grasps the theory of music and the meaning of the words you sing.  Your spirit (heart or emotional self) is activated by your personal connection to the meaning of the song.  When you sing with your whole Self – body, mind, spirit - the listener feels the meaning and truth of the song.  It is not so much a matter of your ‘sound’ as much as your understanding of and commitment to the meaning of the song that makes it beautiful!  Whether in group or individual lessons, I work to help students begin to be aware of and coordinate these three aspects of Self in their singing.   In this way you discover and develop your unique voice.