I believe in the extraordinary power of music to communicate, to inspire, to grow, and, often, to heal. That belief underlies all my work.  I’ve been a classical singer for 30 years and, after completing training at Brown University (BA) and the Manhattan School of Music (BM, MM) sang leading soprano roles with the Caramoor Music Festival, the Aspen Music Festival, the Britten/Aldeburgh Festival, Glimmerglass Opera, and the Orchestra of St. Luke’s, among others.  I’ve performed at Lincoln Center, the National Cathedral, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.  As a young singer, I was honored to win several important competitions.

But don’t let the fact that I perform classical music give you the wrong idea. I love and teach music of all genres, including musical theater, rock, R&B, folk, country, sacred, pop (current and standard), and what-have-you.  In fact, What-Have-You is my favorite genre!

My students range in age from 7 to 83 and include professionals and total beginners:  Broadway, classical, blues, and rock professionals; college and conservatory students; high schoolers looking to audition for college/conservatory, excel at state-wide competitions, and nail their school’s musical theater auditions; children learning how much fun singing is; as well as anyone who just wants to sound great at karaoke night or hit those high notes in the shower!

I offer my students many opportunities to perform over Zoom and in-person including twice-yearly student recitals, in-person opportunities to sing oratorios with orchestra, open mic nights, concerts of many genres, and take part in seasonal videos.

My goal is to help you find the power to express through singing your unique self. It doesn’t matter whether your voice is professional quality or whether it’s even “good” in the conventional sense. It’s YOUR voice. It has its own sound and characteristics, its own particular beauty, and the world needs to hear you!  I’m here to help.

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A (Hybrid) Voice Recital

Saturday, February 1, 2025

The Irvington Presbyterian Church

Featuring Mark Mitchell, piano

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PROGRAM

Il Lacerato Spirito*

From “Simon Boccanegra”

Music by Giuseppe Verdi – Words by Arrigo Boito

Atri Ray

*See translation below

The Holy City

Music by Michael Maybrick – Words by Frederic Weatherley

Earl Needhammer

Long Time Ago

From “Old American Songs – Book One” arranged by Aaron Copland

Belinda Brown

Wildflowers in the Sky

Music and Words by Sarah Jarosz

Nomita Verma-Pfaff

With Michael Murphy, guitar – Rick Pagano, keyboard – Bill Pfaff, percussion

So Much In Love

Words and Music by W. Jackson, G. Williams, R. Straigis

Popularized by The Tymes

Peter Guzzardi

The Roadside Fire

From “Songs of Travel”

Music by Ralph Vaughan-Williams – Words by Robert Louis Stephenson

Atri Ray

Johnny

Music and Words by Sarah Jarosz

Nomita Verma-Pfaff

On the Steps of the Palace

From “Into the Woods”

Music and Words by Stephen Sondheim

Amanda Paige Smith

If the World Turned Upside Down

From “Finding Neverland”

Music and Words by Gary Barlow and Eliot Kennedy

Earl Needhammer

When She Loved Me

From the Movie “Toy Story 2”

Music and Words by Randy Newman

Hope LaVelle

Meadowlark

From “The Baker’s Wife”

Music and Words by Stephen Schwartz

Amanda Paige Smith

You’ve Lost That Loving Feelin’

Music and Words by Phil Spector, Barry Mann, Cynthia Weil

Popularized by The Righteous Brothers

Peter Guzzardi

I’m Here

From “The Color Purple”

Music and Words by Brenda Russell, Allee Wilson, Stephen Bray

Belinda Brown

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TRANSLATION

Il Lacerato Spirito (The Lacerated Spirit)

To you the final goodbye, proud palace,

Cold tomb of my angel!…

I couldn’t protect you!… Oh damnation!
And you, Virgin, did you suffer
Having the virginal crown taken from you?…
But what did I say!… I’m delirious!… oh forgive me!

The lacerated spirit
Of the sorrowful father

Was reserved for torment
Of infamy and pain.

The crown to her of martyrs
Mercifully the sky gave..
Restored to the radiance of angels,
Pray, Mary, for me.

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Voice Recital

Students of Nancy Rathbun

February 10, 2024 – 7:00pm

PROGRAM

Build Me Up Buttercup

Music and Words by Mike d’Abo and Tony Macaulay

Popularized by The Foundations (1968)

Natalie Gardner

Care Selve

From “Atalanta”

Music by Georg Frideric Händel – Words by an unknown librettist

(See translation below)

Emerson Treviño

***

TRANSLATION FROM THE ITALIAN

Beloved woods, blessed shadows,

I come in search of my love!

Nun Beut Die Flur

From “Die Schöpfung/The Creation”

Libretto by Gottfried van Swieten based on The Book of Genesis

Music by Franz Joseph Haydn

(See translation below)

Tiana Kaga

***

TRANSLATION FROM THE GERMAN

Now the fresh green meadow which delights the eye,

The charming appearance is enhanced by the flower’s tender ornament.

Here the balsam herbs are fragrant;

Here sprouts the healing plant.

The branch bends with golden fruit’s weight;

Here arches the grove in cool protective cover;

The steep mountain is crowned with a thick forest.

What Was I Made For?

Music and Words by Billie Eilish O’Connell and Finneas O’Connell

Belinda Brown

Make Me a Channel of Your Peace

Music by Martin Neary – Prayer attributed to St. Francis of Assisi, adapted by Sebastien Temple

Carmen Gomez

Sonya Alone

From “Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812”

Music and Words by Dave Malloy

Amanda Smith

Après un Rêve

Music by Gabriel Fauré – Text by Romain Bussine

Belinda Brown

Ain’t Misbehavin’

From “Connie’s Hot Chocolates”

Music by Fats Waller and Harry Brooks – Words by Andy Razaf

Andrea Lee

Under the Boardwalk

Music and Words by Kenny Young and Arthur Resnick

Popularized by The Drifters (1964)

Peter Guzzardi

L-O-V-E

Music by Bert Kaempfert and Words by Milt Gabler

Popularized by Nat “King” Cole (1964)

Ananya Verma

Don’t Know Why

Music and Words by Jesse Harris

Popularized by Norah Jones (2002)

Izzy Meisner

Is Anybody There?

Music and Words by John Hiatt

Peter Guzzardi

When He Sees Me

From “Waitress”

Music and Words by Sara Bareilles

Amanda Smith

PERFORMER BIOS

Belinda Brown is a native of Westchester County. She is the Director of Marketing and Business Development for a market research firm and, in addition to singing, is a passionate activist who loves to travel.

Natalie Gardner is a second grader at Dows Lane Elementary School in Irvington.  When she isn’t practicing singing, Natalie loves to perform in children’s musical theatre productions and dance ballet.  She recently played Anne in “Anne of Green Gables” and was just cast as Winnie the Pooh in “Winnie the Pooh” at Random Farms Theater.  She also danced in The Nutcracker.  This is her first voice recital, and she is looking forward to singing in many more!

Carmen Gomez is an art educator in an elementary school in New York City. She has been teaching art for 20 years. She is also a doctoral candidate at Teachers’ College in the Art Education Program.

Peter Guzzardi is a husband, father, and book editor who lives in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. He would like to take this opportunity to express gratitude for his mother, Anne, who enrolled him in church choir at the age of ten, and for Nancy Rathbun, who has rekindled his love of singing.  (Ed note: Awwwww, sniff!!!)

Tiana Kaga lives with her family in Scarsdale, New York, where she is a sophomore at Edgemont High School.  She sings with the Edgemont Vocal Jazz Group, choir, and plays violin in the orchestra. She has also studied piano for 12 years.  She comes to us today via recording because she is singing with the VJG at the National Jazz Festival competition in Philadelphia.

Andrea Lee is a sophomore at Edgemont High School, where she is part of her school’s award-winning Vocal Jazz Group.  She sadly cannot join this recital in-person because today she is competing as a finalist in the National Jazz Festival in Philadelphia.  She will also join with the VJG in their chorus competition at the festival.  She enjoys singing and listening to music for fun!

Izzy Meisner is a senior at Hastings High School.  She has been studying voice with Nancy since 9th grade and has competed in NYSSMA twice making Area All-State both times.  In her free time Izzy loves singing in her school choir, musicals, and spending time with her friends.

Amanda Smith lives and works in Chicago with her husband Michael, son Theo,  and dog Rudy. She works as a Clinical Research Coordinator at Lurie Children’s Hospital. In her spare time she likes to read.

Emerson Treviño is a senior at Melissa High School in the suburbs of Dallas-Fort Worth, TX.  She is heavily involved in her school’s theatre program and plans to pursue musical theater studies in college. She was been fortunate enough to make it to State level in the Solo and Ensemble competition her freshman and senior years.  During her junior year, she placed sixth statewide for Prose Interpretation.

Miss Ananya Verma is seven years old and resides in Washington DC with her family. She’s a second grader at Janney Elementary School, and this coming May will be performing in her very first school musical, “Annie,” in the role of orphan Kate. She’s energetic, loves dancing, and is a student at the Washington School of Ballet as well as Bollywood dance. She’s particularly passionate about two things: singing, and her love for her friends and family, especially her big sister Shreya.