Dr. Lara Brooks

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Dr. Lara Brooks is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Voice at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, where she teaches across a diverse range of vocal genres, including classical, musical theatre, jazz, and contemporary commercial music (CCM). Dr. Brooks employs the Estill Voice Method to guide her students toward healthy, empowered crossover singing, emphasizing vocal flexibility and technique that supports a broad range of styles

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. Their debut recording of Candey’s compositions is slated for release in 2026.

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 Mean Girls, Pirates of Penzance, Ruddigore, Patience, War Paint, Sweets by Kate, Hansel & Gretel, Caranaval!, 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.

As a performer, Dr. 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 (Pirates of Penzance), Rosalie Mullins (School of Rock), in which her performance won a 2023 BroadwayWorld Regional Award for Best Support Actress in a Musical, Belle (Disney’s Beauty and the Beast), Lilly Vanessi (Kiss Me, Kate), Tytania (Britten’s Midsummer Night’s Dream), Musetta (La Bohème ), & Clara Johnson (The Light in the Piazza).

Before joining the University of Illinois, Dr. Brooks held positions as Lecturer of Voice and Director of the OSU Opera Theatre at The Ohio State University, and served as the Voice Area Chair and Director of Opera Studies at Washburn University. She has also taught at the University of Illinois Springfield, Friends University, Millikin University, and was a faculty member at CCT in Columbus, Ohio. Additionally, Dr. Brooks served as the Vocal Coach at the Michigan Opera Theatre (now Detroit Opera House), where she contributed to the company’s Operetta Workshops. She is a member of the National Association of Teachers of Singing, The Jazz Education Network, Sigma Alpha Iota, Pi Kappa Lambda, Illinois Music Education Association, the National Opera Association, and The National Society of Arts and Letters where she serves as the Vice-President for the Illinois Chapter.

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.