Fine Arts Division

Elisabeth Howard

Elisabeth Howard is recognized internationally as a leading expert in teaching techniques and styles of Contemporary Commercial singing. She is a native New Yorker, a graduate of the Juilliard School of Music with a B.S. and M.S. in voice, and a secondary major in piano and she held a graduate assistantship in voice at Indiana University.

She has been called a “vocal chameleon,” singing from blues improvisation to operatic coloratura on the same breath. Elisabeth warmed up the voice of STING for the 2007 Grammy Awards and was subsequently vocal coach to “The Police” for their 2007 Reunion Tour. Ms. Howard is the voice teacher of Paige O’Hara, the voice of Belle, in “Beauty and the Beast,” and has had clients on Broadway, Off-Broadway, National Tours, film and TV.

Elisabeth Howard is on the voice faculty at Pepperdine University for eight years, and has been on the voice faculty at Hunter College in New York City and guest voice teacher at University of Southern California. Elisabeth is founder of The Vocal Power Academy in Los Angeles, specializing in the Vocal Power Method. Alfred Publishing distributes her book, DVD and 4 CDs package, “SING!” which features an in-depth comparative styles analysis of Contemporary Commercial vocal styles. “SING!” is also published in Italian and Portuguese. Ms. Howard is also author of “ABC’s of Vocal Harmony,” ear training, sight singing and singing harmony book and 4 CDs, distributed by Alfred. Ms. Howard has certified Vocal Power Instructors in Italy, Brazil, Germany, London and the USA.

Elisabeth is past president of National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) Los Angeles chapter. Ms. Howard has presented her Vocal Power Method for national voice teachers conferences in France, Italy, Switzerland, Canada, Australia, Brazil and the USA, including presentations at the 2000 NATS National Convention, in Philadelphia; the NATS Music Theater Workshop III, in Seattle; the European Voice Teachers Association (EVTA), in Oslo; the International Congress of Voice Teachers (ICVT), in Helsinki; the Voice Foundation, in Philadelphia; the Music Teachers Association of California (MTAC); the California Association of Professional Music Teachers Conference (CAPT), Cal State Fullerton; the Savannah American Traditions Competition, as well as for NATS chapters in Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, Central Coast, and Houston and was invited guest speaker for the “NATS Chat” on the internet. She has also presented for professional music organizations in Los Angeles including LA Women in Music, Songsalive!, Call to Arts and Vocal Mecca.

In May, 2009, Ms. Howard presented two Vocal Power workshops in Ravenna, Italy for preeminent Italian laryngologist, Dr. Franco Fussi, and in October 2009, she will present her Vocal Power Method at the VI Convegno Internazionale di Foniatrica e Logopedia, “La Voce Artistica,” “The Artistic Voice” in Ravenna, Italy under Director, Dr. Franco Fussi.

Elisabeth has adjudicated in both classical and non classical divisions for the Spotlight Awards at the Music Center in Los Angeles. She was a master class teacher in the non- classical pop division. Other adjudications have been in Savannah, Georgia for the American Traditions Competition, many NATS competitions and for the ANATS (Australian National Association of Teachers of Singing) National Vocalist Competition in Adelaide, Australia.

A performer in her own right, at the Aspen Music Festival, Ms. Howard sang in recital, the music of Darius Milhaud, coached by Darius Milhaud with James Levine, (Artistic Director of the Metropolitan Opera) at the piano. Also at Aspen she performed a lead role in the opera “Pet Shop” by Vittorio Rieti under the baton of Maestro Levine. She has sung the operatic roles of Violetta in “La Traviata,” title role in “The Merry Widow,” the Queen of the Night in “The Magic Flute,” Sister Genevieve in “Suor Angelica,” Gretel in “Hansel and Gretel” and Lucia in “Lucia di Lammermoor.”

Ms. Howard was soloist both in recording and in live performance with the Telemann Society at Carnegie Hall. She has also performed as soprano soloist with chorus and orchestras of the Juilliard School, Long Island University, Hunter College, Columbia University and in California with the Cypress Pops Orchestra, and with the Bellflower Symphony. Elisabeth sings regularly with The Golden West Opera Theater in Los Angeles.

She has performed leads in fourteen musicals including “Blood” at Joseph Papp’s Public Theater in New York City, “Pins and Needles” at the Roundabout Theater in New York City. Other leads were in “Man of La Mancha,” “Company,” “Kismet,” “Cabaret,” “The Most Happy Fella,” “Finians Rainbow,” “Jaques Brel,” “Wonderful Town,” “Archie and Mehitabel” and “Once Upon a Mattress.”

As an actress, Elisabeth studied with Uta Hagen, Herbert Berghof, Alice Spivak and William Hickey. Elisabeth played the role of Jenny opposite Kim Hunter in a National tour of “The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie.” She played Junia in Racines’ “Brittanicus” in New York City with the Classical Repertory Theater, directed by Sala Staw. She played “The Nun” in Come to the Station,” directed by Robert Dahdah at St. Clements church in New York City and played the nurse in “Harvey.” Elisabeth had a featured role and was dressed in Alan Funts film “What Do You Say to a Naked Lady?”

 

Eclectic in her interests and talents, in the 1970’s, in New York City, Ms. Howard was signed to a singer songwriting contract with MCA Music, and toured with her original band, “Kane and Glory.”

Her eclectic one- woman show, “Op’ra to Pop’ra” toured Southern California in the early 80’s,

Elisabeth was given a full scholarship in ballet at the age of eleven at Ballet Arts in Carnegie Hall and at 15, toured the eastern coast with her uncles “Felipe Lanza” Flamenco dance company. After years of dance, piano and cello lessons she decided that singing was her passion and at the age of fifteen, she began classical voice lessons. At the age of fifteen she also began to teach children in her mothers’ Lanza School of Dance and Music in New York City.

Elisabeth Howard is married twenty-six years to Geoffrey G. Forward, Shakespearean actor, director, founder of the Los Angeles Shakespeare Company and author of “Power Speech,” “ProSpeech,” and “American Diction for Singers,” published by Alfred Publishing Co.