Marsha's Resume

Highlights

• Experienced Music Teacher, Piano, Voice & Guitar Lessons, all ages
• Masters of Music, Teaching Credential, Elementary & College Music Choral Director
• Develops: piano & guitar skills, good vocal technique, music reading, improvisation, theory basics, songwriting, physical and mental coordination skills in a variety of styles.
• Lessons are fun, creative and relaxed so learning is a joy. Marsha is great at understanding each student’s learning ability, individual interests and tailoring lessons accordingly.
• Lessons weekly for 30, 45 or 60 minutes in Redwood Shores music studio.
• Professional songwriter, Mezzo Soprano, opera and musical theater performer, Church Music Director (14 yrs.).

Music Director Positions

• Private Music Teacher, all ages, Redwood Shores studio, on-going thru present.
• Music Teacher for Traveling Music School, Redwood City, 2010-present.
• Music Director, Amahl and the Night Visitors, Verismo Opera, Dec. 2009.
• Lyric Theatre, Asst. Music Director for Iolanthe, 2008.
• Hillbarn Theater, Assistant Music Director, Sister Sophia, The Sound of Music, 2007.
• Alto Section leader (choir), Assistant Choral Director, 1997-2007, Solos, Director Christmas Musical, "The Greatest Gift" and Youth Choir at Unity Church, Palo Alto.
• Music Director, 1989-June 1996, Immanuel Presbyterian Church, San Jose. Plan entire music program, direct 2 choirs - adult and children.
• Music Director, 6 yrs., Woodside Rd. United Methodist Church, Redwood City. Plan entire music program, direct 2 choirs - adult and children.
• Asst. Director of Chamber Singers, Asst. Director Mixed Chorus, College of Notre Dame.
• Music and Classroom Teacher- Saratoga Union Elementary District, Vista del Mar Elementary District, Goleta, CA. Teaching classroom music, band director, instrumental lessons.
• Other church and school director/teacher experience: San Roque Catholic Church, Santa Barbara Elem. District (student teaching).

Music Performance and Composition Experience

• Opera Viva, Verona, Italy, soloist in the international program July of 2009. Worked with professionals from New York Met, Opera Fenice, and the Royal Scottish Academy.
• Tyrolean Opera Program, Austria, soloist in the international program summer of 2007 and 2008. Worked with professionals from New York Met, Berlin, Munich, Vienna Opera, and others.
• Have performed in dozens of theatrical productions with Verismo Opera, Opera San Jose, West Bay Opera, Lyric Theatre, Hillbarn Theater, Stanford Savoyards, Lamplighters, recitals and concerts; operatic and musical roles as Mezzo-Soprano vocalist.
• Roles: Carmen (title role, Carmen) 10 performances, March 2009, 2011; Inez (Il Trovatore) 2013; Ulrica (Un Ballo in Maschera) 2012; Erda (Das Rheingold) 2012; Alisa (Lucia di Lammermoor) 2012; Amelia (Otello) 2012; Zita (Gianni Schicchi) 2011; Principessa (Suor Angelica) and Mamma Lucia (Cavalleria Rusticana) 2010; Flora (La Traviata) 2008, 2010, 2013; Suzuki (Madama Butterfly) 2009, 2010, 2012; Maddalena (Rigoletto) 2008, 2010, 2013; Clothilde (Norma) 2011, with Verismo Opera.
• Two CDs on sale at Amazon.com, Orchard.com, Itunes.com, Microsoft Music:
• 1) Toujours 'lAmour (opera arias with Cantol Opera Orchestra of Rome)
• 2) Mediterranean Moods (Neapolitan, Italian, French & Spanish classical folksongs. I am the vocalist with original guitar arrangements by Robert Cirillo).
• Songwriter (published), arranger, producer with own studio. General manager of Una Aria Music (BMI).
• Opera Workshops & Masterclasses: June Anderson, Michel Singher, Daniel Helfgot, Irene Dalis, Boris Goldovsky, Dame Donna Peterson, Blanche Thebom, Henry Holt, and Martial Singher.

Education

• Certificate in Graphic Design, College of San Mateo 2005. Dean’s List.
• Masters of Music-Vocal Performance, Notre Dame de Namur University, Belmont, CA.
• Elementary Teaching Credential, University of CA, Santa Barbara.
• B.A. in Music, University of CA, with Honors, Santa Barbara.
• Private conducting lessons: Milton Williams (Notre Dame U.), Ronald Ondrejka (UC Santa Barbara).
• Voice Teachers and Coaches: Julia Nielsen, Ruth Rainero, Sally Munro (San Francisco Opera), Bruce Olstad (Opera San Jose), Michael Taylor, Russell Norman (San Francisco Conservatory of Music), Carl Sitton, Mark Haffner (San Francisco Opera), Donald Stenberg (San Francisco Conservatory of Music), Martial Singher (Music Academy of the West), Santa Barbara.

Honors and Personal

• Listed in Who's Who in America 2002–2006 Editions
• Foreign languages: German, Spanish, French and Italian.
• Family: husband Bernie is an Astronomer involved in NASA programs. I have three grown children: Elizabeth, Kate, and Taylor.
• Hobbies: photography, skiing and hiking.