Coffee and Conversation
More Discussion on Mentoring
Monday, June 25 • 7:45 a.m. to 8:45 a.m.
Presenters: Jeanne Goffi-Fynn, Karen Brunssen
Location: Trinidad 1-3
Join this group for more discussion on mentoring and how NATS and our partners are developing expanded mentoring programs for our members. This discussion will extend the conversation presented by the American Academy of Teachers of Singing.
About Jeanne Goffi-Fynn
Jeanne Goffi-Fynn, is senior lecturer and director of the Doctoral Cohort Program in the Program of Music at Teachers College, Columbia University. Her areas of interest include performance training for young singers, studio teaching, voice development and pedagogy across styles, and choral singing. She is also a singing voice specialist, specifically in the retraining of singers, with MTD a specific area of interest. She has presented workshops and pedagogical presentations with NATS, The Voice Foundation, NYSTA, CMS, ACDA, NYSSMA, ICVT and ISME. She is currently a member of the American Academy of Teachers of Singing (AATS) and serves with Opera America on their Singer Training Forum, Board of Overseers and Strategic Committee. She also is currently Vice-President of NATS-NYC where she is piloting a new Mentorship Program. Finally, she serves on the board with Every Voice Choir, working as singing voice specialist with children ages 7-16 in workshop settings of music theater, and audition preparation. Her website is JeanneGoffiFynn.com.
About Karen Brunssen
Karen Brunssen teaches at the Bienen School of Music, Northwestern University where she is an Associate Professor and Co-Chair of Music Performance. She is currently President-Elect of NATS and previously served as Governor of NATS Central Region. Past positions also include Program Chair for the 2016 NATS National Conference in Chicago, President of the Chicago Singing Teachers Guild, and Vice President and President of Chicago Chapter NATS where she started the annual vocal competition that has grown to over 400 singers. She is also a member of the American Academy of Teachers of Singing.
Karen is a frequent clinician, master teacher, adjudicator and presenter, most recently at the 2012 and 2014 NATS National Conferences, the 2011 and 2012 NATS Workshops, the 2015 ACDA Conference, West Central Region NATS, Missouri District NATS, Ohio Buckeye, Chicago, Tennessee, and Wisconsin NATS Chapters, Classical Singer Conferences, Association of Teachers of Singing in England, Opera America, and Chorus America. She will be a keynote presenter for the International Symposium on Singing and Song at the University of Newfoundland in October, 2015. Presentations are often based on her article, "The Evolving Voice: Profound at Every Age", (Choral Journal, February 2010), that chronicles changes in respiration, vibration and resonance, and the impact on realistic, age appropriate expectations for vocal development throughout a lifetime.
In 2013 Karen was a Master Teacher for the NATS Intern Program in Nashville. Since 2008 Karen has done five teaching residencies at Cambridge University involving 19 of the colleges. She taught at the Zürcher Sing-Akadmie in Zurich, Switzerland, the International Institute of Vocal Arts in Italy, the Castleton Music Festival, and Dorian Opera Theatre.
