About Us

More individualized than a choral setting & more collaborative than private lessons!

Singers’ Workshops at TC is designed to assist ALL singers develop their vocal, musical, and communicative capabilities across the life-span. Developed by Singing Voice Specialist, Jeanne Goffi-Fynn, these programs grew out of our partnership with Every Voice Choirs, a not-for-profit music program at Columbia University.

These workshops provide a unique opportunity for singers at all ages to work together collaboratively. Aside from the fun of singing with peers, our participants perform in professional venues, participate in community service opportunities, and receive training from a nationally-recognized voice instructor with a team of professional vocal educators.

Singers' Workshops encourage healthy development of singing voices in various repertoire with positive and engaging performance opportunities. Dr. Goffi-Fynn directs two workshops: The Process of Performance in the fall, and Music Theatre in the spring. Gospel and Jazz Sing! Returns this year, led by Dr. Darryl Jordan and TBB’ers in the winter term returns as well. Solo and Ensemble Singing for Adults continues all year co-taught by Dr. Colette Young. Auditions are not required, although a commitment to attendance and practice are expected.

Our Director

Helping kids take ownership of their voices – and their identities

Columbia professor, Dr. Jeanne Goffi-Fynn, is an active performer and teacher in New York City. Dr. Goffi-Fynn is the director of the Doctoral Cohort Program in the Program of Music and Music Education at Teachers College, Columbia University, where she received her doctorate in Music and Music Education. Previously, she was on the faculty of New York University, the New School Actor's Studio M.F.A. Program, William Paterson University, and The American Musical and Dramatic Academy.

Dr. Goffi-Fynn has extensively worked in the area of Vocology, specifically in the area of retraining of singers. She completing an internship at the Grabscheid Voice Center, Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City with Dr. Linda Carroll, Ph.D. and Dr. Peak Woo, M.D. She has also trained at St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital with Dr. Anat Keidar, Ph.D. in the diagnosis and treatment of singing voice disorders. Dr. Goffi-Fynn credits the beginning of her teaching career to Dr. Barbara Doscher (author of The Functional Unity of the Singing Voice) with whom she studied voice and pedagogy in at the University of Colorado at Boulder.

As a Vocal Specialist, she has presented at numerous international and national conferences, including NATS (National Association of Teachers of Singing), The Voice Foundation, NYSTA (New York Singing Teachers Association), CMS (College Music Society), ACDA, NYSSMA and ISME (International Society for Music Education). She is currently a member of the American Academy of Teachers of Singing and serves as a participant at the National Opera Association’s roundtables.

Jeanne is an active performer in the New York City area, singing in a variety of performance settings, often premiering newly commissioned works. Recent operatic roles include Marie in Daughter of the Regiment (updated version) with Opera Nova, Susanna (Le Nozze di Figaro) and Olympia (Les Contes d'Hoffmann). Concert and oratorio performances include The Cantata Singers (NYC), and Temple Emmanu-El (NYC) while performances in Europe include the Lugano Radio Orchestra (Switzerland) and the Romanian Radio Orchestra in a tour of Northern Italy. She has also studied and performed at the Zurich Opera Studio and with The American Institute of Musical Studies (A.I.M.S.) in Graz, Austria.

jeanne@singersworkshops.org

JeanneGoffiFynn.com

“Some people say the eyes are the window to the soul, I say it’s the voice.”

— Jeanne Goffi-Fynn

Our Team

A hallmark of our program is our team of dedicated Workshop Assistants. Assistants are current students and alumni of the Music & Music Education Program at Teachers College, Columbia University, one of the premiere graduate institutions for Music and Music Education.

All are at the forefront of the field of music education, employing the most current research-based pedagogical practices for the betterment of our singers. In addition to being excellent teachers, our assistances are also active performers, conductors, and composers in opera, musical theater, and pop/rock.

2023-2024 Assistants

Darryl Jordan

Director

A conductor/singer/songwriter, Darryl, holds a B.S. and M.M. in Music Education from NYU and Boston University, respectively. He is currently pursuing his E.d.D. in Music at TC. A former Assistant Conductor of the NYC All-City High School Chorus, he Is an Adjunct Professor of Voice/ Conductor at Nyack College School of Music. His students have performed everywhere from Carnegie Hall, Jazz at Lincoln Center, Apollo Theater, and a host of churches, community centers, and public events!

Timothy Smith

Director

My name is Timothy Smith and I am a pianist and vocalist, based in NYC. I was born in Boston, Massachusetts where I had the privilege of studying at one of the top music institutions in my city and the world, Berklee College Of Music. I graduated in 2015 with a Bachelor in Professional Music which allowed me to create my concentrations while there. I studied a variety of courses in music education and songwriting. I was a piano principal but took the initiative to develop my vocal skills by taking voice lessons and vocal ensembles. I sang in gospel and jazz ensembles and was surrounded by talented students who I gleaned from.

Before Berklee, I started singing and playing piano in my dad’s church at age 7. He is a songwriter and drummer and he inspired my love for music. My sister and I sang his original songs at many churches around Boston which inspired me to become a songwriter like him. My parents saw a unique gift in me and signed me up for private piano lessons as a child so I could learn how to read music. With the incredible skills I had playing by ear, I told them I did not want to learn how to read music. It wasn’t until my sophomore year at Cambridge Ringe and Latin High School that I began to study music theory and sight reading. It helped me prepare for my Berklee audition and I was so excited to be accepted in Fall 2010.

Berklee exposed me to different genres of music which was really out of my comfort zone. Expanding my musical skills beyond Gospel music allowed me to get hired at Howl At The Moon Piano Bar in Boston where I worked for 4 years post Berklee. In 2019 I moved to NYC for bigger performance opportunities and to work on my studio projects. I was accepted to Teachers College Columbia University in 2021 where I received my Masters in Music Education allowing me to teach music in NYC public schools. While teaching High School for the NYDOE I perform weekly in prestigious restaurants in Manhattan for an entertainment company called Steve Beyer Productions. I have released 2 singles since I lived in NYC, and look forward to completing more studio projects. NYC has given me the platform and exposure that I wanted and I am excited to share my education and performing expertise with my students.

Matthew Tiramani

Assistant Director

Matthew is an educator, composer, and singer-songwriter. He graduated from Teachers College, Columbia University with an Ed.M. in Music Education in 2020. He also holds an M.M. in Composition/Theory from Penn State and a B.M. in Music Composition from Susquehanna University, where he also minored in Music Technology and studied voice privately. Matthew holds memberships in Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia music fraternity and Pi Kappa Lambda music honor society. He has sung in and directed multiple choral groups, notably serving as the Rooke Chapel Director of Music at Bucknell University and being awarded the school's annual Barry R. Maxwell Award for Exceptional Collaborative Efforts. Matthew currently teaches chorus at Booker T. Washington Middle School.

Chris Citera

Assistant Director

Chris has completed his M.A. is currently is pursuing his Ed.M in Music and Music Education at TC.He holds a degree in Voice in Combination with Acting, summa cum laude from Ithaca College. He has performed in concert at venues such as Feinstein's/54 Below, le possion rouge, The Metropolitan Room, and The Astor Room at Astoria Kauffman Studios. Presently, he is an associate voice teacher for singing voice specialist, Mike Ruckles, serves as a voice consultant for Kidz Theater, a professional development company for young performers, and is on faculty in the BFA Musical Theater program at Molloy College/CAP21. He has also taught masterclasses on vocal health and technique for musical theater performers and educators with BroadwayEvolved, a musical theater training program for students and educators, co-founded by Broadway star, Betsy Wolfe.

Sori Kim

Intern

Sori Kim is currently pursuing her Doctor of Education in music and music education at Teachers College, Columbia University. She received her Master of Education in music and music education from Teachers College, Columbia University, and her Master of Arts in jazz studies from the City University of New York. Her musical background is jazz and contemporary music. As a vocalist, she participated in numerous commercial recordings and live performances in New York, Washington D.C., and Seoul, South Korea. She worked as an adjunct professor, music instructor, and cultural policy researcher at a university, public high school, and government-funded public arts organization before joining Singers’ Workshops @ Teachers College.

Ashlie Sicilia

Workshop Assistant

Ashlie is a high soprano born and raised in Brooklyn, NY. First started to study musical theatre at a local theatre company in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn called Acting Out!. At a young age, she was in choirs at school and local churches. She started voice lessons at the age of ten years old. Auditioned for voice performance in middle school and in high school. Attended Professional Performing Arts High School as a Voice Major. Extensively trained by Juilliard graduates/alumni during her time there. Performed on Lincoln Center's Avery Fisher Hall stage numerous times with the National Chorale. She also performed at the United Nations for UNICEF campaigns like #IMAGINE and #ONEVOICE. Began her undergraduate career at Drew University in 2015 as a Music Major. She was the Choral and Voice Studies Assistant from 2017-2019 and was involved in the choirs there from 2016-2019. Performed Beethoven no.9 at Carnegie Hall for Rohingya Refugees and Doctor Without Borders foundation/fundraiser in 2019. Currently attending Teachers College, Columbia University for a M.A. in Music and Music Education. Plans on continuing to perform and teach professionally and work her way towards a PhD in Voice Performance and Pedagogy.

Jeff Ostermueller

Intern

Jeff Ostermueller is a New York City voice teacher, actor, music director and audition coach. After receiving his BFA in Music Theatre from Elon University, he toured North America with the Broadway National Tour of Spring Awakening. After several years of acting and singing in regional theaters around the country, he turned to teaching. Jeff currently teaches with Broadway Kids Auditions, Mile Square Theatre, Front n Center Performing Arts Center, The Renaissance Charter School 2, and he is a member of the Teacher's College voice faculty at Columbia University, where he is in his second year studying Music & Music Education, focusing on voice.

Colette Young

Assistant Director

Soprano, and native Hawai’ian, Colette earned her bachelor’s degree in Biology and Music from Bryn Mawr and Haverford Colleges, where she was often guest soprano soloist with the BrynMawr/Haverford Symphony Orchestra. Currently she is pursuing a Doctorate in Interdisciplinary Studies combining music and science education. She is on faculty at Columbia Secondary School (CSS), where she teaches science, leads the middle school choir, Executive Function Program, and the cheerleading team.

A classical, operatic, and musical theater vocalist, flutist, pianist, Polynesian dancer, Colette has performed throughout Hawai’i, continental US, and Italy, including as a guest soloist with the Apollo Orchestra, Landon Symphonette, and at the White House. She won the VSA International Performing Artist Competition sponsored by the Kennedy Center, where she performed at and lectured before the Maryland State Legislature, and the US. Department of Education on Music and Arts Education.

Anna Freedman

Assistant Director

Anna Freedman is a pianist, vocalist, composer and educator. Trained as a classical pianist, Anna is also a passionate singer-songwriter. She released her first record Big Plans in 2017 and is a winner of the Berklee College of Music International Songwriting Competition. Anna’s interests in music education include student-centered approaches in choral settings as well as the use of technology to teach songwriting and music production. Anna holds an M.A. in Music Education from Teachers College, Columbia University and is currently on faculty at Trinity School and the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music.

Jameelah Taylor

Assistant Director

Jameelah Taylor is a Choral Director & Vocalist based in New York City. She holds a Master of Arts in Music Education from Teachers College, Columbia University as well as a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Vocal Performance from The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music.

Jameelah has performed in venues across New York City which include The Stone, Joe's Pub, Carnegie Hall, Webster Hall and the historic Kings Theatre during New York Fashion Week.

Jameelah is a passionate educator leading her choirs and vocal students in various festivals, performances and workshops such as the New York State School Music Association (NYSSMA) Festival, Disney Performing Arts OnStage and the Broadway Classroom Workshop and, serving as Musical Director for her school's Musical Productions. Jameelah is now the Choral Director and 12th Grade Advisor at the Trevor Day School on the Upper East Side.

Carl Belfatti

Assistant Director

Carl Belfatti is a singer, pianist, composer, music director and teacher who has worked with the Singers' Workshop and Teachers College Community Choir since 2015. He has sung operatic roles in the United States, Germany, and Italy, and has served as musical director for theatrical productions along the east coast. During the pandemic, he co-wrote and co-produced "Together Apart," a new Zoom musical to benefit the Actors Fund, which stars Julie Bowen, Ann Harada, Lisa Loeb, Rhonda Ross, JoBeth Williams, and many others. He founded the Latin American Music Project at Teachers College, Columbia University, where he also teaches voice and piano.

Allie Barilla

Intern

Allie Barilla is currently pursuing her M.A. in music and music education specializing in vocal pedagogy at Teachers College, Columbia University. She received her Bachelor of Music in music education from Concordia College in Moorhead, MN. At Concordia, she studied classically as a soprano and served as assistant conductor under the Grammy Award winning composer and conductor, Dr. Rene Clausen. She is a member of the National Association of Teachers of Singing and is also a member of the Actors Equity Association. As a musical theatre actress, Allie has performed in numerous productions and workshops in the company of many Broadway performers including Patty Murin, Beth Level, Brooks Ashmanskas, Santino Fontana, Laura Benanti, Noah Galvin, and Emily Skinner. She has also worked under the direction of Academy Award winning legend, Julie Andrews and Tony Award winning choreographer/director, Christopher Gattelli. In 2011, she was cast to understudy Lauren Ambrose as Fanny Brice in the projected Broadway revival of Funny Girl. She has been teaching private voice for over ten years and her studio, Premier Voice and Performance, is located in Massapequa, NY. As a voice teacher, her goal is to develop well-rounded, complete singers: singers with healthy vocal technique, great musicianship, and professional performance skills.

Seul Woo Lee

Korean soprano Seul Woo Lee is originally from Seoul, South Korea. She started her M.A in Music and Music education in fall 2021 at Columbia University in New York.

She have a lots experience of musical
performance as well. She performed Musical
Serenade concert in Teachers college. She
earned a Bachelor of Music at Mahanttan
School of Music in New York, studied with
Joan Patenaude-Yarnell. In 2020-2021 season, she sang the role of Maria in Manhattan School of Music Senior opera production of The Westside Story. Also she had attended Eurasia Festival opera production as Zerlina from Don Giovanni. In 2019-2020 season, she sang La Virtu from L’incoronazione di Poppea and Sandman from Hansel and Gretel. She was a featured performer in the 2017- 2018 season Martin Luther King JR concert She is currently studying with Jeanne Goffi-Fynn.

Past Assistants and Alumni

Emily Hudson

Emily is a music educator, singer, and a proud graduate of the summer INSTEP program for Music Education at Teachers College, Columbia University. She also holds a MusB in voice and music education, summa cum laude, from Boston University. During her time at B.U. Emily received the Massachusetts Music Educators Association's (MMEA) “Promising Future Music Educator Award,” as well as Boston University's School of Music Departmental Honor Award.

Emily has served as a cooperating teacher for Teachers College, and she currently teaches Kindergarten through 8th grade general music at Saint Ignatius Loyola School in New York City where she also serves as musical director of the middle school jazz ensemble and spring musical.

Matthew Tiramani

Matthew is a composer and singer-songwriter. He holds an M.M. in Composition/Theory from Penn State and a B.M. in Music Composition from Susquehanna University, where he also minored in Music Technology and studied voice privately. He has completed multiple commissions and has written music for full-length documentaries and award-winning shorts. Study abroad opportunities allowed Matthew to study music in Italy and Japan. Matthew holds memberships in Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia music fraternity and Pi Kappa Lambda music honor society. He has sung in many choral groups and has served as the Rooke Chapel Director of Music at Bucknell University since 2017. Matthew is currently pursuing an Ed.M. in Music Education at Teachers College, Columbia University.

Nesli Kohen

Nesli is a singer-songwriter from Istanbul, Turkey. Currently she is pursuing her M.A in Music Education at TC, and possesses a dual degree in Music and Psychology from Wheaton College. Previously, she attended Berklee College Of Music’s 5-Week Summer program for both Pop and Jazz voice. She has taught as a Music Specialist at Rock and Roll Daycare, and as pop/jazz voice instructor atMusicians Playground. She also competed in local, European and world-wide competitions with the pop rock band, B Yuzu as well as professional sephardic jewish choral ensembles. She has appeared on stage in Israel, Spain, Italy and BPC (Boston), The Little Bronx and Bronx XL (Istanbul, Turkey).

Natalie Fabian

Singer/Pianist/Composer, Natalie, is currently pursuing her M.A. in Music Education at TC. She holds a B.S. in Music Education from Hofstra University. At Hofstra, Natalie was awarded for her performance excellence as the winner of the William Rosencrans Endowed Music Scholarship, a solo honors recital in classical voice. She received the award for Excellence in Music Education, as well as membership to Pi Kappa Lambda’s National Music Honor Society. Natalie performed as a soloist in the Jazz, Musical Theatre, and Singer/Songwriter genres at New York venues such as Rockwood Music Hall, The Metropolitan Room, Cornelia Street Café, and Cleopatra's Needle. Presently, Natalie is a studio voice teacher and teaching artist in New York.

Bryant Montalvo

Bryant graduated from TC with a Master’s in Music and Music Education and previously studied music theatre at New York University. Bryant enjoys helping young people find their light as they explore their individual developing voices.

Kyle Mullins

Kylie is currently pursuing her Masters in Music & Music Education at Teachers College and holds a degree in Theatre/Musical Theatre from Northwestern University. In addition to being a vocalist, Kylie is a classically trained pianist. Her experiences working as an accompanist and pit musician for her school's musicals led her to discover her love of singing. She is so excited to work with young performers as they develop their skills and passion for performance.

Rebecka Fishman

Rebecka has been singing and performing for most of her life in musicals and various choirs around the Coachella Valley in sunny Southern California. She has her BA in Vocal Performance from Columbia College Chicago and an MA in Music and Music Education from TC.

Siwen Xi

Siwen is currently in the Ed.M program in Music and Music Education at TC and received her Bachelor's degree from Shanghai Conservatory of Music. She is a classically-trained vocalist and piano player and a specialist in eastern Asian traditional music, especially in Chinese Guqin. She is passionate about singing and would like to help people discover their own voice.

Lauren D'Ottavio

Lauren is a graduate of Teachers College, Columbia University with a master’s degree in Music & Music Education with P-12 Initial Certification. She studied piano and vocal performance at Bard College in Annandale, New York is an active performer in NYC and abroad. She has a wealth of teaching experience and has been trained in piano and vocal pedagogy from masters in her field at Teachers College, where she is on the adjunct faculty for applied lessons in piano and voice. She follows a student-centered approach and creates a welcoming, safe environment for her students of all ages.

Allie Glassman

Allie is a singer/songwriter and enjoys teaching and performing. Allie performs regularly around NYC at venues including Rockwood Music Hall, Bowery Electric and Pete's Candy Store. Allie is a graduate of The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music, where she received a BFA in Vocal Jazz Performance. Allie is currently pursuing her Masters in Music Education at TC.

Elise Jablow

Elise Jablow is a classically trained soprano and educator. Elise is head music teacher at Aaron School and directs Sparkidz, a Saturday program for children with special needs. She recently graduated from from Teachers College and also holds degrees from McGill University and Manhattan School of Music. Elise has performed with organizations such as American Opera Projects, Annapolis Opera, Composer’s Collective and Janiec Opera Company.