Conservatory Outreach Voice Adjunct Faculty
Nathan Bachofsky (voice private lesson teacher) teaches private voice lessons to students of all ages and abilities and specializes in young voices. Students focus on creating a healthy tone using proper technique while respecting each student's unique voice. Students are encouraged to explore multiple genres and styles including classical, musical theater, and popular music. He is an active singer, performing recitals and doing solo work in churches throughout the Cleveland and Youngstown areas. He has also worked with Conservatory Outreach ensembles and classes such as B-W Honors Chorale and acted as interim music director of the BW Triple Threat Music Theatre program. Nathan has his Bachelor Degree in Music Education from Baldwin-Wallace College Conservatory of Music, where he studied voice with Sophie Ginn-Pastor and Amy Hall. Nathan teaches vocal and general music at St. Barnabas School in Northfield, OH and is a member of the Cleveland Orchestra Chorus.
Teaching Locations: Berea & Brecksville
Robert W. Becker (voice private lesson teacher) accepts beginners to advanced professionals; a sample lesson is recommended. His teaching styles include classical, musical theater, pop, rock, and gospel. Robert works with the principle of releasing all interfering and unnecessary tension, manipulation, or interference of the voice. Attention is paid to releasing head, neck and shoulder tension. Natural breathing and air flow (support) are developed along with the understanding of using language and pure vowels. Robert studied at the Cleveland Institute of Music with Irving Bushman and Eleanor Steber, Wittfield Lloyd Shanzer and Conrad Osborne, (N.Y.C.) acting, H.B. Studio (N.Y.C.), Berlin,Germany with East German Wagnerian soprano, Hanne Lore-Kuse. He has performed with Goldovsky Opera Theatre, Cleveland Opera, at Radio City Music Hall, cantor, St. Pauls Roman Catholic Church, N.Y.C., member (year round position) of vocal quartet at the Hebrew Tabernacle of Washington Heights, N.Y.C., Iceland National Opera, and National Symphony Orchestra in Reykjavik, Iceland. He established the very successful "Opera Gala", at La Dolce Vita, in Cleveland's Little Italy, that ran weekly for 13 years. Robert is soloist at First Church Christ Scientist Cleveland.
Teaching Location: Berea
Angela Bruzina (voice private lesson student teacher) is currently a student at Baldwin-Wallace College Conservatory of Music pursuing a double degree in Music Education and Vocal Performance. Angela specializes in teaching beginning to intermediate voice students that are looking to build healthy singing techniques. Angela has been seen around Cleveland as a Performer, Music Director, and Teacher at places including: Opera Cleveland, The Beck Center for the Arts, Olmsted Performing Arts, Mercury Summerstock, Brecksville Theatre on the Square, and many more. She has taught various Vocal Workshops, Musical Theatre Classes, and has been the Music Director for a few productions around Cleveland. Angela is looking to pursue a Master’s in Vocal Performance/Pedagogy once she graduates. Her current interests are crafting and spending time outdoors.
Teaching Locations: Berea
James Burian (voice private lesson teacher) bio coming soon
Teaching Locations: Brecksville
Norma Codispoti (voice private lesson teacher) is a mezzo-soprano with a Bachelor of Music Education Degree and Bachelor of Music Degree in Voice Performance from Baldwin-Wallace College. She also has her Master of Music in Voice Performance from The Ohio State University. Miss Codispoti has 17 opera roles to her credit, including two world premieres and has performed with Opera Columbus, Youngstown Opera, Cleveland Opera, and has concertized with Akron Symphony and Ohio Chamber Orchestra. She has taught teen and adult voice classes, vocal pedagogy and private voice for teens and adults at the Beck Center and since 1980 for the B-W Conservatory Outreach Department. Her students have gone on to perform nationally in opera, music theatre, major choral groups, and have been major winners of competitions. Miss Codispoti's teachers include Sophie Ginn at Baldwin-Wallace Conservatory and Eleanor Steber in New York City. She has been an administrative officer in the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) Foundation, President and Secretary of the Ohio Buckeye Chapter, and currently is the Great Lakes Liaison member. Miss Codispoti also serves on the Governing Council of the Art Song Festival at Baldwin-Wallace Conservatory.
Teaching Location: Berea
Benjamin Czarnota (voice private lesson teacher and B-W voice faculty) received his Master�s of Music in Voice from Indiana University and his Bachelor of Music in Voice and Music Theory, magna cum laude, from Baldwin-Wallace College. Baritone Benjamin Czarnota originated the role of Mr. Webb in the world premier of Ned Rorem�s operatic setting of Our Town. Other notable roles include Guglielmo in Cos� fan tutte, Schaunard in La boh�me, and Count Almaviva in Le nozze di Figaro as well as roles in The Merry Widow, Susanna, Savitri, and Un Ballo in Maschera with companies such as Wichita Grand Opera, Cleveland Opera, the Janiec Opera Company and the Indiana University Opera Theater. He was hand-picked by world-famous baritone H�kan Hageg�rd to perform the role of Anton Chekov in Dominick Argento�s A Few Words about Chekov in music written for the singer. He has also appeared as baritone soloist in the Faur� Requiem, Puccini�s Messa di Gloria, the Mozart Requiem, and Handel's Messiah. Music theater roles include the Marcus Lycus in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Father in Children of Eden, Jesus Christ in Godspell, and Teen Angel in Grease. His voice studies have included work with the internationally acclaimed lyric coloratura Costanza Cuccaro as well as master class performances with soprano Carol Vaness and bass-baritone Eric Halvarson. As a teacher, Mr. Czarnota is particularly interested in working with aspiring artists to cultivate a technique that will serve them well regardless of musical style with particular attention paid to the demands placed on the singing actor.
Teaching Location: Berea
Samantha Fitzenrider (private voice instructor) received her Master of Music in Voice Performance and Vocal Pedagogy from the Chicago College of Performing Arts and her Bachelor of Music in Voice Performance at Cleveland State University. Samantha's objective is to provide a positive and practical learning environment for singers of all levels and experience while providing the tools needed in order to maintain healthy singing for life. Each student is taught at their individual level with special focus on their specific goals in all styles of music. A mezzo-soprano, Samantha has performed as a church and wedding soloist throughout Cleveland and Chicago, with prestigious choruses such as The Cleveland Orchestra Chorus, and in various operas and musicals in Ohio and Illinois. Currently, Samantha is continuing her education in the field of Speech Language Pathology. Her interests are in fitness and cooking.
Teaching Location: Berea
Tracy Grady (voice private lesson teacher and B-W voice faculty) Click link for full bio.
Lynne Hoffman-Engel (voice private lesson teacher) is an experienced voice teacher, a professional performer, music business executive and advocate for arts entrepreneurship. She serves as mezzo soprano soloist with The Church of the Covenant Choir in Cleveland's University Circle and has performed opera, oratorio, lieder and Broadway repertoire in Boston, New York and Atlanta. Lynne holds a BA in Music Education from SAINT OLAF COLLEGE and an MM in Performance from THE NEW ENGLAND CONSERVATORY OF MUSIC. She teaches classical and Broadway styles, focusing on developing a healthy singing technique. Lynne has taught voice in Boston, Atlanta and Cleveland. As VP of London Records in New York, Lynne worked with artists such as Luciano Pavarotti, mezzo soprano Cecilia Bartoli, and Joshua Bell while maintaining her solo performing career. In 2003, Lynne relocated to Cleveland to join TELARC RECORDS, winners of over 50 Grammies. She has also been a guest speaker at professional artist development classes at schools in the Cleveland area. Lynne enjoys reading, biking, traveling and movies.
Teaching Location: Berea
Sheila James Ludwig (voice private lesson teacher) has been teaching voice for more than 30 years, working with intermediate and advanced voice students. She teaches many styles of music (from Classical to Broadway), always with vocal health and longevity as the focus. She is the Assistant Director of the Cleveland Orchestra Youth Chorus. She is also the Secretary/Treasurer of Buckeye NATS, the State Chapter of NATS (National Association of Teachers of Singing). Sheila is a frequent workshop presenter and clinician, including at the Ohio Music Education Association (OMEA) Conference. She is also an Adjudicator for OMEA. Sheila has a Bachelor's of Music Education from Bowling Green State University and a Master�s of Music in Voice Performance/Vocal Pedagogy from Bowling Green State University. She has been a soloist with the Akron Symphony Orchestra Chorus, Summit Masterworks Chorale, and frequent soloist in the Cleveland/Akron area. She has directed or been music/vocal director for many musicals. Her professional organizations include NATS, OMEA, MENC, ACDA.
Teaching Location: Berea and Medina