Alysia D. Lee, voice M.M., Peabody Conservatory of Music, Johns Hopkins University B.M. North Carolina School of the Arts "The voice teacher is an anatomy expert, foreign language authority, stage director, career guidance counselor, and motivator...to share my love and admiration of music is my greatest joy in teaching." What we're listening to... Alysia Lee Born in El Paso Texas and raised in Baltimore, Maryland, soprano Alysia Lee moved to New York in 2006 to “take full advantage of the thriving artistic community.” She began studying voice as a teenager at the Carver Center for Arts and Technology, a magnet school for the performing arts. “I have always loved to sing. My father is a singer and we would sing along to his enormous record collections on Sunday afternoons when I was a child.” Alysia enjoys working with her students on every aspect of song, including poetry, musicality, language, and drama. “My goal is to find the most comfortable and natural voice production for each student and to guide them towards a high level of text commitment.” As a teacher, Alysia finds her role to be multifaceted. “The voice teacher is an anatomy expert, foreign language authority, stage director, career guidance counselor, and motivator. I wear all of these hats and more while infusing my lessons with a level of energy worthy of the process of music making. To share my love and admiration for music is my greatest joy in teaching.” Alysia teaches students ages 9 and older, including adults. “When working with adults I try to establish a cocoon of safety in the studio. It is important they feel comfortable to make mistakes. There is a certain freedom and joy that comes from learning something new!” While classically trained, Alysia spent many of her early years as a singer performing in musical theater roles, and is comfortable working with students on all styles of vocal music. She also enjoys listening to all musical styles. While her favorite classical composers include Schumann, Ravel, and Verdi, “my iPod has tracks that are classical, musical theater, R&B, pop, hip-hop, country, folk and more.” As a performer, Alysia especially enjoys chamber music and solo recitals. “Performing in recital is so different from the operatic stage because there is no pre-set character to play for the evening. In a recital, each song is a vignette about a different person, a different setting, and a different conflict. It is an awesome challenge to take on.” A diverse performer, Alysia also has diverse hobbies and enjoys knitting, photography and flying kites in the park.