Voice Faculty

Amber

Amber graduated from Illinois Wesleyan University with a B.M. in Composition and a M.M. of Vocal Performance from Temple University.  Since an early age, she has always been involved with music, from piano and cello lessons to singing as a member of the Chicago Children’s Choir. Amber is also an avid performer. She has performed the role of Madam Flora in The Medium, by Gian Carlo Menotti, at Illinois Wesleyan, and participated in chorus for Donizetti’s  L’elisir d’amore. She has also performed at Temple Opera in productions of Les mamelles de Tirésias, The Cunning Vixen, A Month in the Country as well as Opera scenes such as Hansel and Gretel, Die Zauberflöte and Albert Herring.  Her most recent role was that of Mrs. Ott in the Philadelphia Opera Collective’s 2011 production of Susannah.

Amber loves to teach Classical voice, Music Theater and Piano to her students. Her strength as a teacher comes from her passion for music and a desire for her students to gain a love and appreciation for music…all while having fun!

 

Jamie

Jamie has a Bachelor of Science in Music Education from West Chester University.  In addition to teaching, Jamie is also the music director at several area churches.  Through her professional teaching experiences, she has acquired many effective teaching techniques and implements a variety of educational approaches and teaching methods.

Jamie’s strengths as a teacher include her patience and very friendly demeanor.  Her teaching style helps each student to learn in a positive way.

Jessica

Jessica has over twenty years of experience as a voice and guitar instructor. Her students-from beginner to professional- have won places in competitions, pageants, and performing high schools and universities.  Jessica earned a BA from Barnard College, Columbia University and an MM in vocal performance from Washington University in St. Louis, with additional studies at the AIMS Festival in Gratz, Austria. Jessica also possesses Orff level I and Kindermusik certificates.  Her teachers have included Shirlee Emmons, Marvin Keenze, Cornelius Reid and John Stewart. Jessica has performed leading roles with ConcertOpera Philadelphia, OperaDelaware and the Savoy Company.  As a singer-songwriter, she was a finalist in the 2012 and 2014 Delmarva Folk Hero contest, a winner of the 2013 Philadelphia Folk Factory contest and has had six WSTW Hometown Hero Homey Award nominations.  Jessica has performed live on WXPN and WSTW, and her CD Gypsy Blood was released in 2013.

Julie

Julie has a Bachelor’s of Music from Westminster Choir College of Rider University in Voice Performance. Julie had her first role at the age of 9 and her first professional paid performing job at 12. Julie teaches all styles of voice and piano including opera and classical, musical theatre and Pop. Julie was a local and national winner of the 2011 Lansdowne Young Artist Orchestra. Additionally she won the competition apprentice artist award with Bel Canto at Caramoor 2011 and performed at the Montserrat Caballe Masterclasses in Zaragoza Spain 2010. She has also performances in Austria and Italy. She is a part of the Institute of Musical Studies resident orchestra, Westminster Symphonic Choir, and Glimmerglass Opera.

Julie is not just a teacher, but also a performer. She takes what she learns from her own experiences in the auditioning world of what directors and musical casting agents look for and apply it to her students to give them their own package for performance. She loves giving her students the option to learn music they enjoy singing and playing on the piano as well as expanding their repertoire to something they may not have ever heard of or knew existed.