How the little Jewish girl from Brooklyn was trained in music, voice and performance...
I began performing at the age of 8, singing with my Mom professionally at nursing homes. Beginning at 15, the NYC wedding Band and Bar Mitzvah industry whipped me into shape under the pressure of smoky rooms and bad monitors.
Attending the famous NYC performing arts High allowed me to begin formal training in Classical Voice while I secretly wrote and sang Pop songs in the hallways between classes! LOL (Pop Singers were shunned in such schools)
Though I was a novice at Opera, because of my performance experience, I began teaching voice and performance at StarTime Music School in Brooklyn (school attended by well known musician and producer Woody Allen) While teaching voice and minding my business as a student of music, I won the Lena Horne Scholarship performing for Lena Horne live at the Lincoln center and also opened for legendary singer, Gladys Knight.
At age 19, I decided to follow Yeshua as my Jewish Messiah and wrote my own brand of Jewish Gospel music. Though Classical Voice was my major at the Manhattan School of Music Conservatory in NYC, I also had the honor of studying theatre, performing arts & some piano while obtaining my Bachelor of Classical Voice.
But because I was so moved by many of the performers I had looked up to, I knew it was not enough to sing perfectly well. I longed to learn how to connect with people. The Songwriters Hall of fame advertised and headed up workshops for singers who wanted to go to the next level through performance and song-writing workshops. It was through this organization that I found myself a phenomenal mentor in NYC.
Lorraine Ferro, this great mentor, trained me like there was no tomorrow and jump started my Gospel Music Career by introducing me to a record label who later signed me, Tovah records. Through a series of 30 - 3 hour workshops with singer/performer, Lorraine Ferro, I learned how to connect with people and ENJOY singing and ministering. Also, through attendance at Tom Jackson's On Stage Performing Workshops, videos and presentations in Nashville TN, the ability to enjoy using the platform or stage and the tools on stage became just as important to me. Not to mention all the great voice teachers I worked with after graduating Conservatory, from Opera Coach and Voice Therapist Dr. Anat Keider in NY to Voice Teacher and therapist, Dr. T. Cleveland in Nashville TN.
In 1999, falling in love with a preacher allowed me a very special privilege of traveling as a husband and wife team. 11 years of Touring with my husband, preacher, Joe Franco allowed me to sing and deliver a powerful and life-changing message for the first time all over the U.S at churches and festivals everywhere. It was then that God called me to be what some call a "musician-ary." First, as a soloist and then, with the Liberated Waling wall music group where I served as musical director & performer. All together, as a soloist and in group singing, Joe and I have had the honor of touring the US, El Salvador, Denmark, Germany, France, Switzerland and Israel.
We now live in TN and have a beautiful baby girl named Bella. I give voice lessons at our very own, ivoice School of music and am currently raising funds for my next album and tour.
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