Dr. Lara Brooks

no header

Dr. Lara Brooks is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Voice at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, where she teaches classical, musical theatre, jazz, and contemporary commercial music using functional voice pedagogy to support healthy, versatile singing. Her teaching is grounded in Estill Voice Training®, contemporary voice science, and genre-specific performance practice, with an emphasis on diagnostic listening, individualized technical strategies, and transferable vocal skills. Dr. Brooks guides her students toward healthy, empowered crossover singing, emphasizing vocal flexibility, technique, and vocal health that supports a broad range of styles

Dr. Brooks is deeply committed to student mentorship and career preparation. Her studio training emphasizes audition readiness, artistic identity, professional sustainability, and technical independence, preparing students for careers in performance, teaching, and graduate study.

A contemporary voice specialist, Dr. Brooks regularly presents workshops on flexible voice technique and vocal cross-training. Her sessions include Crossing Genres: A Classical Singer’s Guide to Jazz, I’m Not Singing Opera Today, Healthy Belting Techniques for Classical Singers, Finding Your Belt Through Colors, and Utilizing EVT for Healthy Jazz Voice Pedagogy. These workshops have been presented at the International Congress of Voice Teachers in Stockholm and Vienna, the National Association of Teachers of Singing, the National Opera Association, the Estill World Voice Symposium, the Jazz Education Network, and at universities and secondary schools nationwide. Through her professional presentations, Dr. Brooks shares practical, evidence-based approaches to functional training for singers working across classical and commercial styles.

Committed to expanding the reach of contemporary American art song, particularly works by female composers, Dr. Brooks frequently presents lectures and recitals featuring music by Lori Laitman, Gwyneth Walker, and Goldrich & Heisler, among others. This work led to the formation of the Sax & Serenade Duo with her husband, saxophonist Dr. Robert Brooks,. The ensemble blends classical and contemporary voice with jazz tenor saxophone. Recent performances include the world premiere of Instructions on Not Giving Up at the North American Saxophone Alliance Conference and I Shall Be Coming Back to You by Griffin Candey at the World Saxophone Congress in Spain, as well as a recital at the Mozarthaus in Vienna. Their debut recording of Candey’s compositions is scheduled for release in 2027.

Dr. Brooks is also an in-demand music and stage director in regional theatre and opera. She has collaborated with Lyric Theatre at Illinois, Michigan Opera Theatre, Columbus Children’s Theatre, Washburn Opera Theatre, The Ohio State Opera Theatre, and The Gilbert & Sullivan Society of Kansas. Her directing and music direction credits include Anastasia, Mean Girls, The Pirates of Penzance, Ruddigore, Patience, H.M.S. Pinafore, Carnaval!, War Paint, Sweets by Kate, Hansel and Gretel, Frog and Toad, Disney’s Newsies, and The Happy Elf. Her work on Newsies and The Happy Elfearned BroadwayWorld Regional Awards for Best Musical Direction and Orchestration in 2022 and 2023.

As a performer, Dr. Brooks is a soprano known for her dynamic stage presence and stylistic versatility. Her operatic, musical theatre, and jazz credits include Mabel (The Pirates of Penzance), Rosalie Mullins (School of Rock), Belle (Beauty and the Beast), Lilli Vanessi (Kiss Me, Kate), Tytania (A Midsummer Night’s Dream), Musetta (La Bohème), and Clara Johnson (The Light in the Piazza). Her performance in School of Rock earned a 2023 BroadwayWorld Regional Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Musical.

Prior to joining the University of Illinois, Dr. Brooks served as Lecturer of Voice and Director of Opera Theatre at The Ohio State University and as Voice Area Chair and Director of Opera Studies at Washburn University. She has also taught at the University of Illinois Springfield, Friends University, and Millikin University, and served as faculty at Columbus Children’s Theatre. She previously worked as Vocal Coach with Michigan Opera Theatre, contributing to the company’s Operetta Workshops.

Dr. Brooks is a 2023 NATS Intern and an Estill Master Trainer with Estill Voice Training®. She is an active member of the National Association of Teachers of Singing, the Jazz Education Network, Sigma Alpha Iota, Pi Kappa Lambda, the Illinois Music Education Association, the National Opera Association, and the National Society of Arts and Letters, where she serves as President of the Illinois Chapter.

She holds Bachelor of Music degrees in Vocal Performance and Music Education from Central Michigan University, a Master of Music in Vocal Performance and Literature, and a Doctor of Musical Arts in Jazz Performance (Voice) from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.