Your work as both a singer and pedagogue has spanned several continents; can you tell us about your work and how it has evolved over the years (i.e. the switch from musical theatre to jazz focus, etc.)?
Musical theater became my sole focus through high school and then at Boston Conservatory where I was musical theater major training in music, voice, dance and acting. It was a rigorous, challenging and all consuming program that taught me about all aspects of the theater and musical theater at that time. The program also provided invaluable experiences on the technical crews and as a director and collaborator. I did the summer stock, then small professional productions in the Boston area as well as two summers as a singing waitress on Cape Cod 6 nights a week. That experience certainly taught me that better vocal technique was needed to sustain my “Broadway” goal. I had a naturally strong voice and had had some good foundation with two “classical” voice teachers from the age of 16, both whom embraced musical theater and the reality of chest voice and belting, but at the end of one summer when I had no voice for two weeks, it was clear that too much singing and too much partying were not sustainable!! Luckily I had no vocal damage, but it was an important lesson learned. [Read more…] about Spotlight on Lisa Thorson