Biography


TEACHING EXPERIENCE

Columbia University, New York 1964-1967 Adjunct professor of voice
Princeton University, New Jersey
 1967-1981 Adjunct professor of voice
Boston University, Massachusetts 1982-1989 Associate professor of voice
Rutgers University, New Jersey
1990-1993
Adjunct professor of voice
City University of New York 1990-1997 Adjunct professor of voice
State University of New York 1990-1996 Adjunct professor of voice
AIMS, Graz, Austria 1983, 1985 Professor of voice
Taegu University, Korea 1998 Visiting professor of voice
Myunggi University, Korea 2002
Visiting Professor of voice
Private Studio, New York 1964 to present

SINGING EXPERIENCE

            Opera:

                        Leading roles in regional opera, and with Santa Fe, Spoleto, Italy, and
                                      NBC Opera companies.

             Oratorio:

                        Soloist with Collegiate Chorale, Robert Shaw Chorale, The Dessoff Choirs.

              Broadway, Off-Broadway:

                        Title roles in Menotti's Maria Golovin; Thomson's Mother of Us All.

             First United States performances:

                        Beeson, The Sweet Bye and Bye
                        Thomson, The Mother of Us All
                        Poulenc, La Dame de Monte Carlo
                        Honegger, Jeanne d'Arc

             National tour, U.S. and Canada, as soloist with Lauritz Melchior.

             Solo concert tour of Brazil for U.S. State Department.

             Solo concert tour of U.S. and Canada for Columbia Concerts.


ACADEMIC AND PROFESSIONAL HONORS:

             Fulbright scholar to Italy.
             Winner, Marian Anderson International Competition.
             Chair (first and only female), American Academy of Teachers of Singing.
             Obie (Off-Broadway Oscar) Award for Distinguished Performance in
                     Leading Operatic Role in Thomson's The Mother of Us All.
             Honorary Doctor of Arts, Lawrence University, 2000.
             Honoree at New York Singing Teachers' Association Gala,
                          Kosciusko Foundation, New York, NY,  2006.

PUBLICATIONS:

     Books (see The Bookshelf)

             The Art of the Song Recital, with Stanley Sonntag.
                          New York: Schirmer Books/Macmillan, 1979.                                      

                          Second Edition: Springfield, Illinois, Waveland Books, 2000.


             Tristanissimo, the authorized biography of heroic tenor Lauritz Melchior.
                           New York: Schirmer Books/Macmillan, 1990.

                           Danish language edition, Borgen Forlag, Copenhagen, Denmark, 1991.


            Power Performance for Singers: Transcending the Barriers, with Alma Thomas.
                           New York: Oxford University Press, 1998.
                                     
                           Korean language edition, Project 76, Seoul, Korea, 2000.

                           Japanese language edition, Ongaku, Tokyo, Japan, 2004.


            Researching the Song, A Lexicon, with Wilbur Watkin Lewis.
                           Oxford University Press, January 2006. 


            Prescriptions for Choral Excellence, with Constance Chase.
                           Oxford University Press, January 2006.


      Articles

            "Who Teaches the Teachers?" NYSTA Bulletin, May 2006.            
             "Jump-start Your Recital," The Classical Singer, December 2005.
            "Adjudication," The Singer's Foundation Magazine, December 2003.                    
            "Fifty-five Years in 5 Acts," New York Wagner Society. New York, February 2001.
            "The Team Approach," Singers Development Foundation. March 1994.
            "Lauritz Melchior, Heldentenor for the Ages," American Music Teacher, 1990-1991,
                        40: 14-17, 64-66.           
            "Lauritz Melchior and the Heldentenor Crisis," The NATS Journal, 1990: 46: 13-16, 33.
            "Breathing for Singing," The Journal of Voice, 1988, 2: 30-45.

                     

     Articles as Contributing Editor to The Nats Journal:

             "Lillian Nordica (Voices from the Past)." 1986, 42: 32-35, 50.
            "Mary Garden (Voices from the Past)." 1986, 42: 30-34, 38.
            "Beniamino Gigli (Voices from the Past)." 1986, 42: 41-44, 46.
            "Marian Anderson (Voices from the Past)." 1985, 42: 41-46, 52.
            "Lawrence Tibbett (Voices from the Past)." 1985, 42: 26-30.
            "Ezio Pinza (Voices from the Past)." 1985, 41: 33-37, 39.
            "Louise Homer (Voices from the Past)." 1985, 41: 29-34.
            "Richard Crooks (Voices from the Past)." 1985, 41: 38-35.
            "Maggie Teyte (Voices from the Past)." 1984, 41: 31-36.
            "Ernestine Schumann-Heink, Part II (Voices from the Past)." 1984, 40: 29-33.
            "Ernestine Schumann-Heink, Part I (Voices from the Past)." 1984, 40: 29-33.
            "Recital Programming of the Past." 1984, 40: 32-35.
            "Feodor Chaliapin, Part II (Voices from the Past)." 1983, 40: 31-35.
            "Feodor Chaliapin, Part I (Voices from the Past)." 1983, 40: 34-38.
            "Nellie Melba (Voices from the Past)." 1983, 39: 30-34, 49.
            "Choosing Repertoire." 1983, 39: 23-27.
            "Jussi Björling (Voices from the Past)." 1983, 39: 23-27.
            "The Question of Artistry." 1982, 39: 35-37.

WORKSHOPS, MASTER CLASSES, and ADJUDICATION

Selected Appearances before National and International Organizations:

            Master Class: Boston Conservatory, February 2006.
            Clinician: ACDA State Conference, Connecticut, October, 2005.          
            Master Classes: Webster College, St. Louis, September 2005.
             Master Class: Classical Singer convention, New York, May 2005.           
            Judge: NATSAA, NATS convention, New Orleans, July 2004.
             Clinician: Webster College, St. Louis, October, 2004.
            Clinician: NATS Regional Conference, University of Texas, San Antonio, June 2003.
             Speaker: MTNA national convention, Salt Lake City, July 2003.
             Master Class: University of North Texas, Denton, October 2003.
             Clinician: Belmont University, Nashville, June 2002.
             Clinician: University of Indiana, Bloomington, June 2001.
             Judge: NATSAA, NATS convention, Toronto, Canada, July 1998.
             Master Teacher: Westminster Choir College, Princeton, July 1998.          
            Lectures and master classes: Lawrence University and Drake University, October 1997.
             Lectures and master classes: University of California, Santa Barbara, July 1997.
            Judge: National Society of Arts and Letters, Lexington, Kentucky, 1997.
            Master Class: University of Kentucky, Lexington, March 1997.
            Master Teacher: NATS Master/Intern Teacher Program, Ohio State University, 1996.
             Master Class: NATS National convention, Seattle, Washington, July 1995.
            Panelist: University of Maryland International Marian Anderson Vocal Arts Festival, 
                     July 1995.
            Judge: Denver Lyric Opera Competition, April 1995.
             Clinician: NATS Boston Chapter Workshop, November 1994.
             Clinician: NATS Regional Conference, San Diego State University, 1993.
             Master Teacher: NATS Master/Intern Teacher Program, North Texas University, 1992.
             Speaker: NATS national convention, Boston, July 1992.
             Speaker: Second International Congress of Voice Teachers, Philadelphia, July 1991.
             Panelist: First American Vocal Arts Congress, College Park, Maryland, July 1991.
             Speaker: Wagner Society of Chicago, May 1990.
             Director, American Song Workshop, University of Rhode Island, June 1990.
             Master Teacher: Westminster Choir College, July 1990.


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