Teaching Biography
Every voice lesson affords a window of space not only for artistic, technical, and musical development, but also, for intense personal growth. Having teachers that become artistic partners and even dear friends greatly nurtures one’s self respect and potential for sharing their own unique talent and love of music with the world. Clara works to share this fundamental spirit and love that was offered so liberally and joyfully to her with all of her students.
Most recently, Clara Salomon has combined the teaching of voice with that of public speaking, healing, meditation, the role of the voice and singing in the recovery from trauma, and feldenkrais. Lectures, presentations, and lessons have been held at such venues as the Arizona Energy Psychology Association, focused on techniques for healing PTSD and a drug-free approach to psychology, the Wall Street Institute in Wiesbaden, Germany, Mitzpe Alummot in Israel, and Moinhos Velhos in Portugal.
She has also completed significant training and research in the field of postural health and alternative healing, finding through her own pursuits that an optimal vocal production flowers from within a balanced body and mind, without which, all “technique” is largely superfluous and even damaging to the health of the vocal chords and to the person, themselves. To this end, Clara has obtained a mat certification in the Feldenkrais Method (Turin training, 2008-2010), as well as trained and practiced in various forms of meditation, guided imagery techniques, yoga and breath control, energy work, nutrition, and dance. In parallel with formal vocal and musical instruction, Clara works with students on their body awareness and posture, self image, performance skills, dramatic and musical interpretation, audition preparation, and development of an authentic stage presence.
In summer of 2018, Clara organized the first-ever voice and music curriculum offered by the University of Arizona's study abroad program called Arizona in Orvieto. There, she prepared a new curriculum, set up concerts for students and other aspects of the program, and shared in the teaching of Aria and Song: An Intensive Study, as well as a general education course in opera history, Music 107 Understanding Music Through Listening: Italian Opera Appreciation.
Summer of 2019 marked the inaugural year of the Vocal Academy of Orvieto, founded by Clara and developed alongside the program's now artistic director, Hugo Vera, beginning in late 2018. The Vocal Academy provides undergraduates and emerging artists with an experience of singing roles on professional stages and theaters in Italy, along with the intense training required to sing those performances. The program was structured with a focus on providing a very intimate and nurturing (if hectic at times!) setting where singers dine together with faculty. The hotel's garden is the site of each morning's alignment and movement courses centered on the Feldenkrais technique and yoga. Also offered are Italian lessons, a warm and lively setting in a boutique hotel near the Duomo, final performances of roles in historic concert halls and theaters with small orchestras, in addition to hours and hours of private lessons with voice faculty, conductors, coaches, and movement instructors. The academy was reviewed multiple times in the regional papers, and has been offered even more assistance and support from the cities of Orvieto and Città della Pieve for the summer of 2019.
Other university and conservatory appointments have included being on faculty at the Chicago Center School of Music, teaching at Stanford University for an opera performance, stagecraft, and audition course she created for the Department of Music, as well as working as vocal director at both San Jose State University and the San Jose Children’s Music Theater, the largest children’s theater in the nation. At the Children’s theater, she trained and coached the soloists and directed the chorale for their first ever opera, Candide, which received an NEA grant from the government to fund the sizable production with a cast of 54 members. Also at Stanford, Clara was also asked to create a public speaking seminar for graduate students and professors. She has held the position of choir director and principal soloist of St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Redwood City, CA, introducing to the church a new repertoire including chamber works of the Renaissance, Baroque, and Romantic periods, and also arranging new works for festival holidays.
Clara has studied and performed with such leading artists as the late contralto Mariana Paunova, tenor Vittorio Marciano, conductors Stefano Vignanti and Rafaele Ponti, and coaches James Meredith and Leonardo Ciampa, who are known for their deep adherence to the bel canto style, and always, their interpretive and expressive prowess. Her principal teachers, Paunova, Meredith, Ciampa, and Marciano, also share in common a passion for their art which is entirely inseparable from their love of teaching and devotion to their students.
Clara holds master’s degrees from Stanford University (scholarships for advanced vocal training and performance in Italy were awarded) and the University of Utah (full scholarship and stipend were awarded-degree in vocal performance and opera). Her undergraduate degree was completed at Rice University and the Shepherd School of Music. She also enthusiastically holds certificates from the Optimum Health Institute of San Diego and another for teaching Feldenkrais, and has been schooled in many forms of fasting, conscious eating, meditation, and dance.
Most recently, Clara Salomon has combined the teaching of voice with that of public speaking, healing, meditation, the role of the voice and singing in the recovery from trauma, and feldenkrais. Lectures, presentations, and lessons have been held at such venues as the Arizona Energy Psychology Association, focused on techniques for healing PTSD and a drug-free approach to psychology, the Wall Street Institute in Wiesbaden, Germany, Mitzpe Alummot in Israel, and Moinhos Velhos in Portugal.
She has also completed significant training and research in the field of postural health and alternative healing, finding through her own pursuits that an optimal vocal production flowers from within a balanced body and mind, without which, all “technique” is largely superfluous and even damaging to the health of the vocal chords and to the person, themselves. To this end, Clara has obtained a mat certification in the Feldenkrais Method (Turin training, 2008-2010), as well as trained and practiced in various forms of meditation, guided imagery techniques, yoga and breath control, energy work, nutrition, and dance. In parallel with formal vocal and musical instruction, Clara works with students on their body awareness and posture, self image, performance skills, dramatic and musical interpretation, audition preparation, and development of an authentic stage presence.
In summer of 2018, Clara organized the first-ever voice and music curriculum offered by the University of Arizona's study abroad program called Arizona in Orvieto. There, she prepared a new curriculum, set up concerts for students and other aspects of the program, and shared in the teaching of Aria and Song: An Intensive Study, as well as a general education course in opera history, Music 107 Understanding Music Through Listening: Italian Opera Appreciation.
Summer of 2019 marked the inaugural year of the Vocal Academy of Orvieto, founded by Clara and developed alongside the program's now artistic director, Hugo Vera, beginning in late 2018. The Vocal Academy provides undergraduates and emerging artists with an experience of singing roles on professional stages and theaters in Italy, along with the intense training required to sing those performances. The program was structured with a focus on providing a very intimate and nurturing (if hectic at times!) setting where singers dine together with faculty. The hotel's garden is the site of each morning's alignment and movement courses centered on the Feldenkrais technique and yoga. Also offered are Italian lessons, a warm and lively setting in a boutique hotel near the Duomo, final performances of roles in historic concert halls and theaters with small orchestras, in addition to hours and hours of private lessons with voice faculty, conductors, coaches, and movement instructors. The academy was reviewed multiple times in the regional papers, and has been offered even more assistance and support from the cities of Orvieto and Città della Pieve for the summer of 2019.
Other university and conservatory appointments have included being on faculty at the Chicago Center School of Music, teaching at Stanford University for an opera performance, stagecraft, and audition course she created for the Department of Music, as well as working as vocal director at both San Jose State University and the San Jose Children’s Music Theater, the largest children’s theater in the nation. At the Children’s theater, she trained and coached the soloists and directed the chorale for their first ever opera, Candide, which received an NEA grant from the government to fund the sizable production with a cast of 54 members. Also at Stanford, Clara was also asked to create a public speaking seminar for graduate students and professors. She has held the position of choir director and principal soloist of St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Redwood City, CA, introducing to the church a new repertoire including chamber works of the Renaissance, Baroque, and Romantic periods, and also arranging new works for festival holidays.
Clara has studied and performed with such leading artists as the late contralto Mariana Paunova, tenor Vittorio Marciano, conductors Stefano Vignanti and Rafaele Ponti, and coaches James Meredith and Leonardo Ciampa, who are known for their deep adherence to the bel canto style, and always, their interpretive and expressive prowess. Her principal teachers, Paunova, Meredith, Ciampa, and Marciano, also share in common a passion for their art which is entirely inseparable from their love of teaching and devotion to their students.
Clara holds master’s degrees from Stanford University (scholarships for advanced vocal training and performance in Italy were awarded) and the University of Utah (full scholarship and stipend were awarded-degree in vocal performance and opera). Her undergraduate degree was completed at Rice University and the Shepherd School of Music. She also enthusiastically holds certificates from the Optimum Health Institute of San Diego and another for teaching Feldenkrais, and has been schooled in many forms of fasting, conscious eating, meditation, and dance.
