About Mariah
I am thrilled to be joining the ranks of the talented staff with Collingswood Sound! A vocalist since childhood, I have always found myself immersed in the music industry, from performing in choirs or solo on stage, to teaching privately! I am an alumna of the University of the Arts, having graduated in 2016 with a BA in Voice Performance and a minor in Music Education, as well as an MAT in Music Education. I set sail to London soon after, having been accepted to the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama for their MA Music Theatre program. My experiences in the Musical Theater realm have given me a great amount of insight when it comes to marketing yourself, broadening your musical horizons, and finding confidence on the stage! Productions that I have been involved with include: Spelling Bee, American Idiot, Godspell, Songs for a New World, Aida, and more! I cannot wait to help your talents soar!
"I cannot wait to help your talents soar!"
When did you start playing music, what brought you to it?
I started singing in my church choir at age 7, it just seemed like something fun to do! Christmas Pageants were always my favorite!
What are some musical goals you hope to achieve in the future?
I have been writing songs for about five years now, and would love to move them ahead by getting more involved with music production, and also by mastering the guitar!
What advice could you give to someone who has just begun learning music?
To take it one step at a time, everyone learns differently! Just because we hit some bumps on the road does not mean that progress isn't happening! I encourage my students to go into every lesson, granting themselves a good amount of grace and patience, so that there's more room for fun and enjoyment!
What are some of your favorite teaching moments?
The second that a technique suddenly clicks, and the student can recognize the difference in sound depending on their tongue, jaw, and mouth placement. It's always the best seeing students surprise themselves when all the colors of their voice begin to come through!
What is a musical obstacle that you remember overcoming? How did you overcome it?
For a long time, I felt I only had my "belting" voice and my "head" voice. In the past couple of years, I have found a great relationship with my "mix" voice, one I never thought I could achieve in all the years I've been singing. I'd always heard of people being able to mix their voice, but always assumed I was a lost cause. However, I started to put in real time and effort, and now feel just as confident using my mix voice in an audition/performance as I would my belt voice!
What style(s) of music do you like to play the most? Why?
I love music theatre! It's been my bread and butter since childhood! I love escaping into another character, I can completely forget myself in most any musical theatre song, it's a great catharsis!