My Story...

I grew up the youngest of five children in a tiny town in southern Virginia called Turbeville. Surprisingly, music was our life. My mother, Toni Howell, is a retired opera singer who was trained primarily by James Wilhelm of the Metropolitan Opera, along with other private opera coaches. Wilhelm practiced Cornelius Reid's method (The Free Voice), which my mother adopted and taught me. Mom also got a degree in theater, performing with The Lamb's Players in California for a time. She teaches voice and produces musical theatre (she began Hopewood Music Studios in southern VA). Under her daily tutelage in all things music, my siblings and I each were required to learn to sing as soloists and in ensembles of all sizes, and especially as part of The Storysingers; a dynamic music and theatre group Mom began. We were required to play at least one instrument as well, and by our early teenage years, we each followed the direction of our passion, and mine was singing. Over the years, our busy musical performance life and ministry gave me an amazing and truly excellent foundational education in classical singing, and opportunities to perform and compete were endless for us. While my siblings went on to become concert pianists, violinists, and cellists (and music teachers), I pursued opera and broadway, and later retro jazz, pop and the big band voice. As my love for the Lord Jesus is the foundation of my life, my favorite songs are those for His praise and the proclaiming of the Gospel! In 2011, I was called to the mission field, where constant opportunities to perform and compose (and occasionally record) music continued to follow me. I had the privilege of learning to sing in the local languages as well. Teaching opportunities also began to open up for me, and I discovered my teaching gift while coaching others in ESL, Bible and cross-cultural missions training, and occasionally-vocal performance! After returning to the United States, I decided to pursue vocal pedagogy as well as performing, teaching The Free Voice method myself, also incorporating the brilliant tips of Per Bristow. It's been a wonderful journey of learning how to teach what the last 29 years of training, education, and performance in every decade/style of music and in every ethnic context, has made rather second nature for me; to sing with joy, beauty, excellence, and praise! I can't wait to help you discover the passionate communication of truth and joy through song!