Our Course and Individual Class Presenters - alphabetically

You can join in community with these presenters and find out:

~How singers’ journeys have empowered others to boost their vocal health.

~How to enhance the physical and neurological changes that can cause the voice to noticeably slow down.

~How to optimize food choices for women and specifically for their voices.

~Which menopause symptoms can’t be ignored, i.e. a hoarse voice.

~Why aging and menopause affect the voice differently and what it means for women.

~The best mind-body connection methods to keep the voice strong.

The international reach of Celebrating Singing strives to bring joy to singers who might have been silenced through the pandemic as well, and hope to women who want to bring their best voice to singing.

Petra Raspel Borzynski

' Peak Performance, Finding Your Awesomeness’

Petra Raspel Borzynski is a vocal, somatic and cognitive behavioral coach and accredited therapist with special expertise in helping (performing) artists and creatives to perform better and despite their fears.

She is currently one of the Solo Performance Specialists (Voice) for the University of the Highlands and Islands and works as a Cognitive Behavioral Coach for Google, helping performers and speakers all over the world sustain a (singing) career and find professional and personal fullfilment.

Her work in the field of singing, creativity, performance anxiety and performance psychology has been featured at conferences, in several publications and podcasts.

Petra’s vision is access to continuous mental health support for every performer, and that looking after our mental and emotional health becomes preventative instead of curative.

Nancy E. Bos

'Optimizing Our Narratives' Nancy Bos, co-author of Singing Through Change: Women’s Voices in Midlife, Menopause, and Beyond, is a professional speaker, singer, voice teacher, vocologist, author, podcaster, and owner of StudioBos Media. Nancy’s ceaseless enjoyment and study of a wide variety of music genres has enabled her to sing professionally in bluegrass, musical theater, folk, rock, and a cappella pop. She has worked in the recording industry, film, and theater. In addition to studies in vocology, the science and practice of voice habilitation, Nancy has also studied and taught acoustics as it relates to the human voice, based on the work of Dr. Scott McCoy and Kenneth Bozeman. Nancy’s work included two years of research on the voice transformation for women through mid-life and beyond. Her current focus is on anthropological singing. Nancy’s philosophy is that everyone should be encouraged to access the benefits of singing to bring them into their own lives. Click here to learn more about Nancy Bos.

Joanna Cazden

'Benefits of a Clinical Point of View' with live Q&A

Joanna Cazden, MFA, MS-CCC, is a speech pathologist specializing in voice rehabilitation and a respected advocate for holistic, multi-disciplinary voice care. Joanna offers private services in voice rehabilitation and training, workshops and master classes for voice students, and seminars for speech pathologists and vocal arts teachers.

She grew up in Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New York, surrounded by classical, traditional folk, and protest music. She toured nationally as a singer-songwriter in the 1970s and was active in the anti-war, feminist, and environmental movements of the time. Joanna released six solo albums between 1973 and 1997, and has won numerous singing and songwriting awards. In 2000 she joined Pete Seeger and other folk luminaries on “Folksongs of the Catskills,” an ensemble CD later featured at the Library of Congress. She organized the first panel on Health Issues for folk performers, at the 1992 Folk Alliance Conference.

Joanna studied voice with Ellalou Dimmock, Natalie Lemonick, and Jan Pederson. She holds a BA in Drama from the University of Washington, an MFA in Acting from CalArts, and an MS in Communication Disorders and Sciences from CSUN. In 2006 she was certified by Catherine Fitzmaurice as an Associate Teacher of Fitzmaurice Voicework, and in 2019 she achieved a Certification in Healthcare from the Performing Arts Medicine Association.

In addition to her multi-faceted expertise in voice, Joanna is an advanced practitioner of the Reiki and Theta healing systems, and a longtime student of yoga, meditation, and bodywork. These tools are integrated into her voice and speech services according to the individual’s interest and needs.

Alexis Davis-Hazell

Our Spotlight Artist for 2022, Dramatic Mezzo-soprano Alexis Davis-Hazell, a teaching artist and active performer on the international opera stage. Her appearances have earned accolades for the size and quality of her instrument and the dramatic intensity she brings to the development of character. Alexis made her international debut in the role Maria at the Kuressaare Operadays Festival of Estonia during the Living Arts, Inc. European tour of Porgy and Bess, also in collaboration with the Mikhailovsky Opera in St. Petersburg, the Moscow Philharmonic, and the Polish National Opera. Her relationship with Porgy and Bess continued with house debuts in the Dresden Semperoper, the Deutsch Oper am Rhein in Dusseldorf, and San Francisco Opera. Regionally, Alexis accepts regular small role and principal role cover assignments with Arizona Opera, Phoenix Opera and the Southern Arizona Symphony Orchestra, including: Dritte Dame (Die Zauberflöte, Phoenix Opera); La Badessa/La Zia Principessa (Suor Angelica, SASO); Giovanna (Rigoletto, Arizona Opera); Amneris Cover (Aida, Arizona Opera & Phoenix Opera); Santuzza Cover (Cavalleria Rusticana, Arizona Opera); Azucena Cover (Il Trovatore, Arizona Opera)Mrs. Davis Hazell shined in the 2014 San Francisco Opera production of Show Boat, and Porgy and Bess in Mexico City at the Palacio de Bellas Artes. She was the Principal Artist of the Mississippi Opera Association in 2018-19. Alexis is also the Creative Director of Jazzoperetry, Inc.: the innovative production company currently featuring the touring concert series Earl & Alexis: AMERICAN SONGS.

Vaninder K Dhillon

' The Latest on Radiofrequency Ablation of Thyroid Nodules’

Vaninder "Vinny" K. Dhillon, M.D., is an assistant professor of otolaryngology - head and neck surgery at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, specializing in both children and adults. Dr. Dhillon is board-certified in otolaryngology by the American Board of Otolaryngology. She practices out of Johns Hopkins Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery in Bethesda, Maryland. Dr. Dhillon is also affiliated with Johns Hopkins Hospital and Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center in Baltimore, Maryland, as well as Sibley Memorial Hospital in Washington, D.C. Dr. Dhillon has an expertise in endocrine surgery, laryngology, otolaryngology, parathyroid diseases and surgery, swallowing disorders, thyroid diseases and surgery, and voice problems. Dr. Dhillon earned her medical degree from Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California. She completed a residency in otolaryngology at Los Angeles County and University of Southern California Medical Center. Dr. Dhillon is currently researching the role of voice outcomes in patients after thyroid and parathyroid surgery when there is concern for vocal fold weakness or paralysis. She is also evaluating the role of office based treatment on vocal fold paralysis, as well as neurogenic recovery of vocal fold paralysis. Dr. Dhillon is also interested in treatment for neurogenic chronic cough which is refractory to other medical treatment.

Jan Carley

'Harmony From The Inside Out - Expanding Possibilities'

Jan Carley is a high-performance catalyst specializing in coaching individuals and teams to clarify their vision and leverage their signature strengths to maximize performance potential.

Jan Carley connects her extensive background in a cappella singing with her ‘inside out’ coaching process of inspiring personal growth and development of generative leaders and organizational cultures.

When a singer or chorus achieves precisely the right tuning in the notes they sing, the intricate balance of sound frequencies creates overtones– extra notes that, while heard, are not actually being sung. Using the phenomenon of overtones as a metaphor for creating results that go well beyond what we ever thought possible, Jan shows us how to build capacity and resiliency in our lives. Be sure to logon Sunday in time to hear this insightful presentation!

Dr. Ekta Kapoor

'Menopause: Where Are We Now". Dr. Kapoor is involved in multiple studies on hormone therapy in postmenopausal women and young women with surgical menopause. She leads several important research projects at Mayo Clinic, including serving as the project lead for the clinical core of the recently funded Specialized Center of Research Excellence (SCORE) on Sex Differences from the Office of Research on Women's Health and the National Institute on Aging. She is a co-investigator on a large National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded multicenter trial: the Kronos Early Estrogen Prevention (KEEPS) Continuation study. In 2018, Dr. Kapoor was awarded a benefactor-funded career development award to lead a randomized placebo-controlled trial investigating the effect of estrogen dosing on cardiovascular disease risk parameters in women undergoing oophorectomy at a young age. Dr. Kapoor's research aims to improve the health and care of postmenopausal women. With the increase in life expectancy, women spend one-third or more of their lives in menopause. Also, the health issues of postmenopausal women are distinct from those of men, and have to be managed with strategies that may not be applicable to men. Therefore, there is an increased need for research with a specific focus on the unique health needs of this population.

Andrea Leap

'Vocal Compositions BY Women, FOR Women's Voices - Finding the voice of grief, rage, love and reverence' Andrea Leap has taught voice at MacPhail Center for Music in Minneapolis since 2005. Instructing musically advanced high school students and adults, she brings 20 years experience to Group, Individual Instruction, and MacPhail Music for Life™. Tailoring instruction to meet the individual’s goals, Andrea teaches anatomically based, sustainable vocal technique that works in any repertoire.

Andrea has performed with the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, The Schubert Club, Minnesota Bach Society, Lyra Baroque, Jungle Theater, Troupe America, Nautilus Music-Theater, Paul Bunyan Playhouse, Michigan Opera, Toledo Opera, Skylark Opera, Duluth Festival Opera, Red Eye Theater, Light Opera Oklahoma, LOOK Musical Theater, SummerStage Tulsa, and Minnesota Historical Society.

She is the recipient of the Jerome Foundation Emerging Artist Award, the Harriet Hale Wooley Scholarship for study in Paris, France, where she created and performed cabaret concerts performed in the US and abroad. She is the recipient of Artist Initiative Grants from the Minnesota State Arts Board for 2017, 2019 and 2021. Currently she is working on a project creating new piano-vocal editions of music composed by Marianna Martinez.

She holds a Bachelor of Music degree from Indiana University (Voice), a Bachelor of Arts from Indiana University (French), a Masters of Music from University of Michigan (Voice), and matriculated post-graduate studies in France and Austria.

Jan Touring Muck

' Nothing But Voice’

Jan Touring Muck, Master Director, Singer and Author.

Jan Muck is an international medal-winning director and coach of men's and women's a cappella choruses. In 2000, she formed A Cappella Pops, a large mixed-voice chorus. She has also directed a 100-voice chorus for musical revues. Jan is a certified director with Sweet Adelines International and has worked with quartets and choruses in the US, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand. Jan lives in eastern Pennsylvania with her husband, Darrel.

Jan's enthusiasm, joy, and love for people and music inspired her choruses to thrill their audiences and win standing ovations time after time after time. The accomplishments of Valley Forge Chorus, under Jan’s leadership over several decades, are truly impressive. She took a group of talented singers and molded them into a chorus that consistently performed with both disciplined precision and vibrant excitement. These are the qualities required of an International champion and they reflect the personal qualities that Jan brings to everything she does. These include patience, determination, persistence, and a dedication to perfection. While Jan’s accomplishments with Valley Forge are well chronicled, her contributions over the years to other choruses, including the Mainliners should also be noted and began when these directors began calling on her for technical advice and a critical ear.

Her new book, Nothing But Voice: My Career Directing A Cappella, dives deep into these experiences and the powerful community created in her choruses.

Cynthia Vaughn

'Empathy and Guidance for Midlife Choral Members: How Can I Keep From Singing? '

Cynthia Vaughn (she/her) has compassion and a joy for teaching that encompasses singers at all levels and ages. Her voice students include high school and college students; community and choral singers, professional singers, actors, and recording artists; music educators; and singer/songwriters. Her current voice students range in age from 12 to 86! Cynthia Vaughn is a respected singer, voice teacher, author, clinician, and presenter. She co-authored three editions of The Singing Book, a leading college group voice class textbook and song anthology (W. W. Norton), with the late voice pioneer and mentor Meribeth Dayme, PhD. “The Essentials of CoreSinging: A Joyful Approach to Singing and Voice Pedagogy” by Meribeth Dayme, edited by Cynthia Vaughn and Matthew Hoch will be released June 1, 2022 by Rowman & Littlefield Publishing.

Cynthia Vaughn, soprano, has performed professional opera, operetta, music theater, oratorio and concerts in New York, Chicago, Cincinnati, San Francisco, Washington, and her home state of Colorado. She is a life-long choral singer —from high school choirs (including Texas All State Choir 1975!) to professional ensembles Cincinnati Vocal Art Ensemble and Ars Nova Singers (Boulder, CO), and she currently sings with Mid-Columbia Mastersingers in Richland, Washington (along with several of her adult voice students.) Early in her career, she recorded many choral demos for Lillenas, Word, and Hope publishers in San Francisco and Chicago. Recent stage performances include “mature” character roles in music theater and Shakespearean comedies. She earned an MA in Music-Vocal Performance from San Jose State University, and a BA in Music-Vocal Performance from California State University East Bay, before completed doctoral coursework and recitals at University of Northern Colorado.

Cynthia Vaughn is founder and director of Magnolia Music Studio (Colorado 2008, Washington 2014-present). In nearly 40 years as a voice teacher, she has established nine independent studios across the country and was on the voice faculties of Colorado State University, Cedarville University in Ohio, ArtConnects International in Urbino, Italy, and The Arvada Center for the Arts in Colorado.

Kath Williams

'Holistic, Joyful, Stress-Free Singing'

As she approaches her third decade involved in the Australian Music Industry as a player, singer, director, performer and facilitator, Kath Williams’ passion for singing gets stronger every day!

Kath’s love of singing and a desire for further knowledge led her to undertake post graduate studies in Contemporary Voice Pedagogy at QLD Conservatorium from 2011-2014.

Having completed her Masters degree, Kath is a Specialist Voice teacher and Vocal Health Consultant and is the Sunshine Coast delegate for ANATS (Australian National Association of Teachers of Singing).