Education
B.M. Vocal Performance, Brigham Young University Idaho
M.M. Vocal Performance, California State University Fullerton
Instruction
Amy has been privileged to study vocal performance extensively for the past fifteen years. She has recently received her Masters Degree at California State University Fullerton, where she studied vocal performance and opera. Her major vocal instructors have included Kristine Ciesinski at BYU-Idaho, Patricia Prunty at CSUF, Karla Kniss in Huntington Beach CA, and Naomi Farr in Los Angeles CA. Her vocal mentors include Dr. Nicole Baker, Janet Smith and Mark Salters of Cal State Fullerton. Additional studies include vocal master classes with coaches Brian Moll of University of Southern California, Donna Loewy of University of Cincinnati, College-Conservatory of Music , Katherine Ciesinski of The Moores Opera Center, and Diane Zola of Houston Grand Opera. Amy has also enjoyed working with various conductors including Choral conductors Dr. Brent Wells, Dr. Brett Stewart, and Dr. Kevin Brower, and Orchestra conductors Dr. Robert Tueller, Dr. Kimo Furumoto, and Gian Franco Cosmi of Lucca Italy.
Awards
While pursuing her degrees in music, Amy has had the opportunity to compete in several competitions and win many awards. In May of 2007 she was awarded the Opera Theatre Graduate Award through CSUF as well as the recipient of the Birthe Burnett Vocal Scholarship. She was awarded First Prize in the Opera Reading Club of Hollywood competition in the summer of 2006. In March of 2006 she took second prize in the Musical Associates Competition, Vocal Division. Shortly after, she was the recipient of the Lotte Johnson Vocal Scholarship from CSUF. Fall of 2005 found her the second place overall winner in the National Association of the Teachers of Singing Competition. Winter of 2003, Amy won a competition hosted by BYU-Idaho, with the winner receiving the opportunity to perform Schubert’s Mass in E Minor with the Symphony Orchestra.
Experience
In the summer of 2007, she had the opportunity to participate in the Opera Theatre and Music Festival of Lucca in Italy through the University of Cincinnati, College-Conservatory of Music with a performance scholarship. She lived in the small Italian town of Lucca for six weeks, and had the opportunity to study with world renown singers, conductors, and teachers including opera singer David Malis, conductor Gian Franco Cosmi, and diction expert David Adams. During her time in Italy, Amy studied Italian extensively, and studied and learned the role of Amina in the opera La Sonnambula by Vincenzo Bellini, culminating in a performance of the role in it’s entirety with up and coming Tenor Luke Grooms in the role of Elvino. Besides the Opera La Sonnambula, Amy has also performed the roles of Susanna in Le Nozze di Figaro, Mother in Amahl and the Night Visitors, Casilda in The Gondoliers, and the Title role in L’incoronazione di Poppea.
More recently, in December of 2007, Amy performed as a soloist in the Renee and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall at the Orange County Performing Arts Center with the Orange County Mormon Choral Organization.