Hi there! Thank you for coming to learn more about me.
StoneColdVox is my website’s name as well as my social media usernames. I’m bad at thinking of cool usernames but I thought this play on the phrase “stone cold fox” and substituting fox with the latin word “vox” for voice was a bit clever. Nobody else had it on Instagram so I took it and got the .com while I was at it.
I used to write a blog here. It was fun but time-consuming. I might write the occasional post once in a while but if you’re interested in more daily life updates, head to Love Grows Here or follow @stonecoldvox on Instagram!
A lot of my musical experience is volunteer work and done for the love of music, but I’m also available for hire if you need an extra soprano (or alto) in your church choir or a backup singer for your jazz & blues band. I’m classically trained but I can also get funky, just say when.
Here’s my Sort-of Professional Bio in First Person
I’ve been singing in choirs since the day they let me join in elementary school. My singing voice was the cheapest instrument my mom let play, so I did what I could with it. It’s been a long road getting to know my voice and discover what I can and can’t do with it. I did the typical high school choir kid stuff- get voice lessons, go to All State and Regional choir auditions, explore genres from baroque to show tunes, and reluctantly dip my toe into drama club only for the musical numbers.
Senior year of high school was when I finally found my voice. I was a generally quiet person in my youth but was most enthusiastically involved in all chorus-related activities. My choir director somehow knew there was something in me and he helped to bring that out. Over the course of four years he lent his time to help me smooth my audition pieces, assigned occasional solos in concerts, and eventually let me sing my own solo in my last choir concert of high school.
I didn’t become some sort of international opera sensation in adulthood, but I wanted to recognize that my high school choir director put me on a path to building more confidence in myself and to nurture my singing talents, even if I’m just singing in choirs. He gave me the ability to continue working on improving my skills and to be bold when I know I have what it takes to do something.
I’m currently singing with the Chorus of Westerly, a 150-ish adult and children’s chorus based in southern Rhode Island. I’m in my 15th season and a couple years ago my son joined me. It’s so beautiful to be able to make music with a family member. The organization is largely volunteer-run so if you feel generous with your time or need volunteer hours, give them a call. If you’d like to join me, please, please do!
Here’s some random things!
– I like overtones. It sounds as if ghosts are singing harmony with you.
– Sometimes I dislike Picardy thirds at the end of a piece. If I want to stay in minor, just let me live my life.
– I get really serious in rehearsals. Yes, we have fun, but I mean business the rest of the time. I put my phone on Do Not Disturb, I have my pencil at the ready, a bottle of water next to my seat and a cup of hot tea if I’m feeling super super serious about making music.
– I don’t keep a lot of “collections” of stuff, but after singing in choirs nearly all my life I’ve amassed a small library of choral music that I keep on an IKEA bookshelf. If you need to borrow a Requiem score, I have a handful of them. Just specify which composer…
– I like to sing to my houseplants. I like to think they enjoy it.
Stone Cold Vox 