Meet Laura
Laura Kay is a versatile singer and teacher living in New York City. She holds a Bachelor of Musical Arts in Vocal Performance and Contemporary American Literature from Penn State University, a Master of Music in Vocal Performance from the Cleveland Institute of Music, and an Advanced Certificate in Vocal Pedagogy from New York University Steinhardt. She is currently pursuing her PhD in Vocal Performance at NYU Steinhardt, where she is focusing on psychology in the teaching studio, as well as Long-Haul Covid therapy techniques for singers.
Laura was singing from her first moments, performing "Tomorrow" from Annie for her family from her high chair. Growing up in Florence, New Jersey, she began her musical training on the violin at age 9. Her first vocal experience was with the Girl Scouts of the USA, recording their Greatest Hits album in Hawai'i.
An advocate for the classics of the operatic canon and modern American opera alike, Laura has had the honor of playing some of the opera's favorite heroines and of premiering new works around the country. She has sung roles like Violetta (La Traviata, Heights Opera Initiative Project), Pamina (Die Zauberflöte, Opera Pantomime), Miss Julie (Miss Julie, Penn State Opera Theatre), and The Queen of the Night (Die Zauberflöte, Penn State Opera Theatre). She has premiered roles in Victoria Bond's Mrs. President, Knable's The Magic Fish, Sirlin's The Shell, and many more. She has placed at top competitions around the country, including the Marie. E. Crump Vocal Competition, the Elaine Malbin Soprano Competition, The American Prize, the Vermont Vocal Competition and the Lyra International Vocal Competition, among others.
A supporter of modern American music, Laura has founded the American Voices concert series in Cleveland, OH to connect singers with modern composers. She has made a name for herself as an avid recitalist with programs like Fact or Fiction: Women in History and Literature and From the Apple to the Oven: Controversial Women in History with the aim to bring opera to new audiences around New York.
In 2012, Laura founded the CIRCE Trio with cellist Isabel Fairbanks and pianist Zach Mo. The CIRCE Trio has performed works for this instrumentation as well as re-imagined works from the operatic and art song canon to the acclaim of US audiences.
Laura is a voice teacher, vocal technician and vocologist - she believes in creating an open learning environment for all of her students and concentrates on healthy, sustainable vocal technique in all genres. She has taught students of all ages in all musical styles, and is passionate about helping all students find their voices using comfortable and healthy vocal technique. She currently serves on the voice faculties of Temple University and NYU Steinhardt.
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