Dr. Lara Brooks

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Dr. Lara Brooks is a soprano known for her captivating stage presence and versatile performances across a wide spectrum of musical genres. With equal expertise in opera, musical theatre, and jazz, she has garnered recognition for her portrayals of Mabel in Pirates of Penzance, Rosalie Mullins in School of Rock, in which her performance won a 2023 BroadwayWorld Regional Award for Best Support Actress in a Musical, Belle in Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, Lilly Vanessi in Kiss Me, Kate & Clara Johnson in The Light in the Piazza.

As a contemporary voice specialist, Dr. Brooks frequently presents workshops regarding flexible voice technique and cross-training of vocalists. Sessions include “Crossing Genres: A Classical Singer’s Guide to Jazz”, “I’m Not Singing Opera Today”, to “Healthy Belting Techniques for Classical Singers”,  “Finding Your Belt Through Colors”, and “Utilizing EVT for Healthy Jazz Voice Pedagogy”  have been presented at The International Congress of Voice Teachers in Stockholm, Sweden, & Vienna, Austria The National Association of Teachers of Singing, The National Opera Association, Estill World Voice Symposium in Vienna, Austria, Kansas Music Education Association, Jazz Education Network, and to universities and high schools throughout the nation.

Embracing her mission to bring contemporary American music, especially works by female composers, to a wider audience, Dr. Brooks often presents lectures and recitals focused on the compositions of Lori Laitman, Gwyneth Walker, Goldrich & Heisler, and more. This has led her and her husband, saxophonist Dr. Robert Brooks, to create The Sax & Serenade Duo, a boundary-pushing collaboration that aims to blend classical / ccm voice with the versatility of jazz tenor saxophone. The Duo recently performed the World Premiere of “I Shall Be Coming Back To You” by Dr. Griffin Candey at The World Saxophone Congress in Spain, 2023, the North American Premiere in 2024 at Timashev Recital Hall, and held a recital at The Mozarthaus in Vienna, Austria, in August 2022.

Dr. Brooks is also an in-demand music and stage director within the regional theatre and opera scene. She has worked with prestigious institutions like The Michigan Opera Theatre, CCT, Washburn Opera Theatre, The Ohio State Opera Theatre, and The Gilbert & Sullivan Society of Kansas. Her directorial credits encompass productions of Pirates of Penzance, Ruddigore, Patience, War Paint, Sweets by Kate, Hansel & Gretel, Frog & Toad, Disney’s Newsies, and Harry Connick Jr.’s The Happy Elf. Notably, her outstanding music direction and orchestra performance in CCT’s production of Newsies and The Happy Elf earned her a 2022 & 2023 BroadwayWorld Regional Award for Best Musical Direction and Orchestration.

Dr. Lara Brooks served as Lecturer of Voice at The Ohio State University and was the Director of The OSU Opera Theatre for the 2021-2022 season. She previously taught at Washburn University where she served as The Voice Area Chair, Director of Opera Studies, and the Musical Theatre Liaison, The University of Illinois Springfield as a Professor of Voice, Friends University as an affiliate voice faculty in Musical Theatre Voice & Jazz. She taught at the Michigan Opera Theatre for their Operetta Workshop as the Vocal Coach 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2016. She is a member of the National Association of Teachers of Singing, The Jazz Education Network, Sigma Alpha Iota, Pi Kappa Lambda, and the National Opera Association.

Dr. Brooks was a 2023 NATS Intern and is also an Estill Master Trainer within Estill Voice Training®. She holds a Bachelor in Music Vocal Performance and Bachelor of Music Education, cum laude, from Central Michigan University, a Masters in Music Vocal Performance and Literature and a Doctor of Musical Arts in Jazz Performance, Voice from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.