Carolyn Smith

Helping people expand their singing capabilities in order to better express themselves is Carolyn’s specialty. The joy that singing brings can be life-transforming. Because singing is so personal, she finds it imperative to be patient, caring, and supportive and to encourage joy and expression. She recognizes people’s need to feel confident and sing effectively to connect with other people. 

Carolyn is a master teacher. In Texas she received recognition as an outstanding teacher of music. In New Zealand she was a professor of music education at University of Waikato. While there, she also taught privately, working with musical theater singers, as well as those singing in bands, and other ensembles. While in New Mexico and Missouri she has been an adjunct singing professor. She continues to teach singing online and through her singing studio, Vocal Life Singing Studio based in the Ozarks.

An accomplished, talented singer Carolyn has performed many lead roles in musical theater and light opera, and in folk, jazz, and a cappella bands in the US and New Zealand. Critics find her performances “superb” and “bewitching” and her singing “impressive” and “a pleasure to listen to”.  

Carolyn holds a BM in Music (vocal music education) and a MS in Interdisciplinary Studies (vocal music, drama, and English) from University of North Texas. She studied how to teach singing and how the voice work as part of those degrees and during her 15 years of lessons with private voice teachers in the US and in New Zealand. 

Playing mountain dulcimer (she owns 7) is her favorite hobby. She is a member of the First National Dulcimer Orchestra and jams with friends frequently. She enjoys attending hot air balloon festivals and making music with friends and family.