Elementary

I have performed leading roles in Musicals, Operettas, and Operas in the Bay Area with Lamplighters, West Bay Opera, Berkeley Opera, and Festival Opera.

I have taught students of all ages for 25 years. I am vocal music specialist at Parkmead Elementary, director of Danville Girls chorus (4/5 grades level), direct the Rossmoor Community Chorus, and am soloist for Queen of All Saints Church.

I incorporate the principles of posture awareness (Alexander Technique) in my vocal instruction

I love to work in partnership with singers to help discover, develop and foster their unique voices and musical expression. I teach my students to become excellent at non-judgmental self-observation as they learn to sing with good resonance, buoyant breath management and healthy, efficient vocal fold vibration. This creates playful and empowering experimentation that results in increased self-knowledge, technical proficiency, self-confidence and powerful, authentic expression.

I have been a professional singer and musician since 8th Grade where I was a church organist and cantor. I played in a recording session for Capitol Records in High School which changed my life, and then auditioned at Kent State University in Ohio and received a scholarship for the School of Music. I worked my way through college by singing in local places. Perhaps because my voice teachers were inspiring, I wanted to help young singers to prepare for whatever their goals were. That remains my motivation today.

Having had an active performing career which encompassed opera, oratorio and recital, I am comfortable sharing what I have learned through the years with my students. My goal is always to help each unique student find his or her most free and beautiful voice, and will draw upon a variety of methods to do so. Since my own study focussed on the bel canto approach, that is my first instinct, but I believe in drawing from many different sources depending on individual needs. I love to find answers through the music itself, and enjoy coaching art song and opera above all.

Ms. Jarc is an award-winning, highly accomplished national and international opera and concert performer. Her teaching experience ranges from her private studio to adjudicator and master class instructor. She uses and teaches with the International Phonemic Alphabet, and performs in five languages. She has worked as an LA studio singer.

I came to the Monterey Peninsula in 1980 as one of the Bach Festivals hired musicians. In my ten years with the festival I filled a wide variety of solo assignments. Upon moving to the Peninsula I helped establish the Monterey Peninsula Symphony Chorus which is alive and flourishing today. I served on the Carmel Music Society Board of Directors and enjoyed being one of their booking agents. I have had a long and varied musical career as a classical singer and musical theater performer with over 50 leading roles to my credit. My main focus today is my voice studio.

Maureen Chowning studied at the Boston and New England Conservatories of Music before moving to the San Francisco area. She has since appeared on the Public Broadcasting System's NOVA series and Smithsonian World with Max Mathews, demonstrating his Radio Baton and conductor program. She has also performed at concerts in the UK, Canada, Poland, and Japan and at the International Electronic Music Festival at Bourges, France, where in 1990 she gave the world premiere of Solemn Songs for Evening by Richard Boulanger and in 1997 she gave the premiere of Sea Songs by Dexter Morrill.

Sarah's recent performances include Barbarina in Le Nozze di Figaro with San Francisco Cabaret Opera, The Cherub in Telemann's Der gedultige Socrates with San Francisco Early Music Society and The Legend of the Werewolf at DLOC. She is an active performing member with Contra Costa Performing Arts Society and is a music director and teacher at Diablo Theatre Company in Pleasant Hill.

"I am an OA2 Records artist, a national jazz label. For 10 years I have been the leader, composer, and arranger for Amy Stephens Group jazz quartet (www.amystephens.com). ASG has performed live at jazz festivals and concert series throughout the Midwest and Northwest. We've recorded 3 CD's of my original jazz songs, all with national reviews and airplay.

I also have 15 years experience as a music director, pianist and worship leader at churches in the Midwest, Seattle and San Francisco.