Heidi Valencia Vass, M.M. Vocal Arts

About

Soprano, Heidi Valencia Vass, has performed and recorded extensively in Musical Theatre, Opera, Oratorio, and Crossover genres.  She received her dramatic acting/speech training at Stella Adler Conservatory of Acting in New York City and has performed extensively in repertoire and summer stock theatre. She has sung with the New York Philharmonic, Philadelphia Orchestra, St. Luke's Orchestra and New Jersey Symphony. She has been a featured soloist with The Los Angeles Baroque Orchestra, and has made guest appearances with the New Rochelle Opera, Palm Springs Opera Guild, Masterworks Chorale, Vox Consort, Amherst Early Music Festival and on the Concordia Master Series. Ms Vass has performed extensively on the recital stage and was an original member of the Areté Vocal Ensemble. She has placed first in numerous vocal competitions focusing on both musical theatre and classical singing. In 2007 she released her debut album, Reflections (recorded with the Budapest Symphony). She released a follow-up album, Shades, in 2013. Both albums are available on iTunes and can be heard on Spotify and Pandora. Ms. Vass earned her Bachelor of Music degree at Westminster Choir College and her Master of Music degree at the University of Southern California (where she began her teaching career). In 2013, Ms Vass completed and released “Foundations in Singing; A guidebook for singers” - an interactive tablet-based text book for vocal technique. Ms. Vass is a member of the National Association of Teachers of Singing, Recording Academy, ASCAP, and the Pi Kappa Lambda National Music Honor Society.  Her musical/stage direction experience includes over 30 productions, spanning the Opera, Musical Theatre, Sacred and Cabaret Genres. Ms. Vass has prepared and led musical groups for multiple performances at Carnegie Hall and conducted two concert tours in Italy. She is the music director at La Reina High School and is currently on the voice faculty at California Lutheran University where she teaches studio voice and lectures in Class Voice and Vocal Pedagogy and directs the Opera Program.

Education

Extended Study, 2006, Seth Riggs, Speech Level Singing (contemporary styles vocal technique), Los Angeles, CA 

M.M. Vocal Arts, 2002, The University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA. Graduated with honors. GPA: 4.0. Inducted into Pi Kappa Lambda National Honor Fraternity

B.M. Vocal Performance, 1998, Westminster Choir College, Princeton, NJ

Coursework, Classical Acting, 1994-1995, Stella Adler Conservatory of Acting, New York University, New York, NY

Expertise

• Master teacher with extensive knowledge of vocal pedagogy and applications thereof. 
• Experienced performer with ability to sing multiple genres, languages and styles
• Experienced Choral Conductor with International tour experience
• Ability to Stage and/or Musical Direct Opera and Musical Theatre 
• Skilled curriculum/program developer
• Dynamic Lecturer in Various Vocal Arts Subject Matters including (but not limited to) Class Voice, Musical Theatre Interpretation, Vocal Literature, Vocal Pedagogy, Opera/Musical Theatre History,  Jazz Performance and Improvisation, Baroque Ornamentation and Style.
• Inspiring and knowledgeable Masterclass Clinician

Publications

Finding Your Voice: A Guidebook for Singers; multi-media epub textbook, Providence Publishing, 2014

National Association of Teachers of Singing; Vol 63/No.3, p. 329, The Private Studio: The Business Plan: What it is and Why You Need One if You’re Starting Out or Starting Over. January/February 2007

Rhode Island Family Guide; p. 146, The Right Music Program. 2005

Rhode Island Roads Magazine; Finding the Right Music Program for Your Budding Mozart (or Brittney)! 2005