Teaching Philosophy
Mary Feinsinger's eclectic, individualized approach to vocal instruction reflects her wide-ranging experience as performer and composer.
She applies classical breathing techniques to other singing styles, and offers intensive work on smoothing vocal registers.
In addition, she offers theory and piano instruction tailored specifically to singers.
Curriculum Vitae
EDUCATION
M.Mus. (Voice), The Juilliard School
B.A., (Psychology), Barnard College
Composer/Lyricist, BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theatre (Advanced) Workshop 2000-present
COMPOSITIONS
| UNDERSTOOD BETSY, 1st prize Jackie White Memorial National Children's Playwriting Award. (Fall 2009) | |
| UNDERSTOOD BETSY, Mack Performing Arts Center, Arlington, Vermont (Fall 2008) | |
| ETHAN ALLEN AND THE GREEN MOUNTAIN BOYS INVENT VERMONT, Mack Performing Arts Center, Arlington, Vermont, May 2008 |
|
| THE BALLAD OF ROM ‘N’ JULZ , Reading at Dramatists Guild, NYC, March 2008 | |
| UNDERSTOOD BETSY (composer), winner of 12th National Children’s Theatre Competition, performed at Actors’ Playhouse, Coral Gables Florida |
|
| Nada Te Turbe choral composition Children’s Aid Society commission, 2006 | |
| A LIFE IN THE THEATRE, Incidental Music, Woodstock (NY) Playhouse | |
| THE OUTSIDER, in development at O’Neill Puppet Conference | |
| I’M SOMEONE ELSE (Sally Fisher), Great Small Works’ Toy Theater Festival, NYC | |
| THE APOLOGY, feature film score, (Lamb Films, LA) | |
| Raw Impressions Musical Theatre #8 (Composer/Lyricist) La Mama Theatre NYC | |
| Raw Impressions Musical Theatre #1 (Composer/Lyricist), NYC | |
| Co-composer/off-Broadway revue HOT KLEZMER, Jewish Repertory Theater | |
| Senior Composer/Arranger for Transcontinental Music: Additional arranging, composing, computer music sequencing, editing and rewriting submitted scores. | |
| Arranger for Cantor Noah Schall |
MUSIC DIRECTING, CONDUCTING
| 2008-2009 | Conductor/Arranger, Broadway at the Y Chorus (80-voice SATB), The 92nd Street Y, NYC | |
| Associate Music Director, Vocal Coach, SHLOMO, Jazz at Lincoln Center | ||
| Music Director, A LETTER TO HARVEY MILK (Kramer/Schwartz), Recording with Donna Lynne Champlin, Mark Jacoby, Sharon McKnight. |
||
| 2007 | Music Director/Arranger, ONCE UPON A MATTRESS, Stagedoor Manor | |
| Conductor/Arranger, Broadway at the Y Chorus (80-voice SATB), The 92nd Street Y, NYC | ||
| 2006 | Music Director, Broadway at the Y Summer Sing-ins, The 92nd Street Y, NYC | |
| Conductor, Broadway at the Y Spring Concert, 92nd Street Y, NYC | ||
| Music Director/Vocal Arranger, TAILS (Platt/Masi), 45th Street Theatre, NYC | ||
| Music Director, The Jonatha Brooke Show, Tanya Moberley, Don’t Tell Mama’s, NYC | ||
| 2005 | Music Director/Arranger, THE BELLS OF CHRISTMAS, Irish Repertory Theatre, NYC | |
| Music Director/Composer, Camp Theatreworks (Theatreworks USA), NYC | ||
| Music Director, Broadway at the Y Summer Sing-ins, The 92nd Street Y, NYC | ||
| Assistant Music Director/Accompanist, “Broadway at the Y” Spring Concert, The 92nd Street Y | ||
| 2004 | Music Director, BEEHIVE, Depot Theatre, Westport, New York | |
| Music Director, Raw Impressions Musical Theatre #11, La Mama Theatre NYC | ||
| Music Director, VALADON (Greer - Katsaros), York Theatre, NYC | ||
| Music Director/Performer, ZEV (Dupont-Jubien - Szerman), NYC | ||
| 2003 | Music Director/Composer I’M SOMEONE ELSE (Sally Fisher) Great Small Works’ Toy Theater Festival, NYC |
|
| Music Director, Raw Impressions Musical Theatre #8 | ||
| 2001 | Music Director/Composer, Raw Impressions Musical Theatre #1 | |
| Vocal Coach, SONGS OF PARADISE, Folksbiene Yiddish Theatre, NYC | ||
| Music Director, BALANCING ACT (Wambui Bahati) (in Chicago and New York) | ||
| Pianist, EIGHT BY TEN (Nederlanders) | ||
| 2000 | Music Director/Pianist, Songs of Repentance CD set, (Transcontinental) | |
| 1999 | Arranger, Music Director, CD: Sacred Service, Zenia Sacks Da Silva | |
| Summer camp music director/pianist (GUYS AND DOLLS, GYPSY, ONCE UPON A MATTRESS, PAINT YOUR WAGON, THE MOST HAPPY FELLA, WHERE’S CHARLEY?, and others) |
||
| Rehearsal/Audition pianist, Equity, Ogunquit Theatre | ||
| Music Director and Pianist for cabarets: Dillon’s, Don’t Tell Mama’s, NY |
PERFORMANCE
| Mezzo-soprano soloist, Music at St. Alban's (S.I.) Orchestral Festival | |
| DI YAM GAZLONIM (PIRATES OF PENZANCE in Yiddish), role of Ruth, Folksbiene Yiddish Theatre, 92nd Street Y, NYC |
|
| HOT KLEZMER, Vocals and Keyboard, Jewish Repertory Theatre West End Klezmorim, Vocals and Keyboard, at Carnegie Hall, the White House, Lincoln Center, Merkin Hall, Symphony Space, St. Peter’s Jazz Church etc. |
|
| Musical Elements (Daniel Asia and Robert Beaser, Directors): Contemporary Classical Music | |
| Café Quartet (French Cabaret Music) |
PRIZES, AWARDS
| Shalshelet Competition, 2008 | |
| ASCAP Plus Award, 2009, 2008 | |
| 12th Annual National Children’s Theatre Competition, 2007 | |
| Composition Grant, Children’s Aid Society Chorus, NYC, 2006 | |
| Diana Barnhart/Ned Rorem American Song Competition Honorable mention 2005, 2003 | |
| Outside-the-Bachs Composition Competition prize, Ft. Worth, TX, 2004 | |
| Shalshelet Inaugural Festival of New Jewish Liturgical Music, Chevy Chase, MD prize 2004 | |
| Composition Award, New Jewish Music Commission, LA, 2000 | |
| Composition Award, Christian Fellowship of Art Song Composers, Santa Barbara, CA, 2000 |
PUBLICATIONS
| Producer, Arranger, Music Director of 2 CD-set and coordinated printed score: Kol Dodi: Jewish Music for Weddings (Transcontinental Music, Union of American Hebrew Congregations, 2002) |
|
| Composer/Arranger/Editor for Songs of Repentance, An Anthology of High Holiday Music (Transcontinental, 2000) | |
| Piano-vocal Arranger Seht die Lichter, A Sacred Service, (Transcontinental, 1999) | |
| Producer/Arranger/Music Director of CD: A Passover Haggadah (Transcontinental, 1997) |
TEACHING
| 2007 | Stagedoor Manor, classes in vocal technique and vocal coaching | |
| 1992-present | Voice Faculty, Extension Division, Mannes College of Music, New School University, NYC | |
| 1991-1992 | Voice instructor, Gallatin Program, New York University | |
| 1990 | Voice Faculty, The Lucy Moses School | |
| 1980-1992 | Piano accompanying staff, The Juilliard School: classical instrumental repertoire, operatic vocal repertoire) |
|
| The Gallatin Program, New York University | ||
| 1985-present | Private studio: Voice teacher and coach (opera, Broadway, pop/jazz) | |
| Private studio: Piano (classical, pop, jazz) | ||
| Teaching: Classes Sight Singing, Ear Training and Music Theory —privately and for members of The Collegiate Chorale |
||
| Coach, diction coach: (English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Hebrew, Yiddish) | ||
| Coach: Musical Theatre music |
MISCELLANEOUS
| Member of the Board of Directors, American Society for Jewish Music | |
| Member of NATS, NYSTA | |
| Consultant, York (PA) County High School Theatre Awards Shows | |
| Jonathan Schwartz (WNYC) broadcasts | |
| Work presented at BMI smokers, “Next Stage” cabaret | |
| Member of ASCAP, Dramatists Guild |
| Studies in: | |
| Voice: opera: Martin Lies, Rose Bampton, Daniel Ferro | |
| Yiddish song: Mascha Benya, Lazar Weiner | |
| Jazz Improvisation: (voice, Janet Lawson, Jay Clayton; piano, Haim Cotton, Valerie Capers) | |
| Classical Piano: Jeaneane Dowis, Aspen Festival | |
| Composition: McNeil Robinson | |
| Fluent in Finale, Sibelius, GarageBand | |
| Familiar with Digital Performer, Cubase |
References on request.