Allyssa N.

Shaped by her formal training in neuroscience, soprano and educator Allyssa uses practices rooted in the scientific method to approach performance and teaching, perpetually translating between questions of ‘how?’ and ‘why?’. In pursuing a composer’s ‘why,’ she applies technical facility and thoughtful interpretation to historically-informed performances of opera, art song, and oratorio. Her work aims to share music’s truest essences, connecting audiences with the experiences of composers and listeners across time. An ardent interpreter of Baroque and Classical opera, Allyssa has performed the roles of Grilletta in Der Apotheker, Second Woman in Dido and Aeneas, and L'Eternità in La Calisto. She has appeared as a featured soloist with the Princeton University Glee Club in New Jersey, as well as in Tanzenberg, Austria at the Trigonale Early Music Festival. Additional recent solo festival engagements include Charleston’s Piccolo Spoleto Festival, appearing with Chamber Music at St. Stephen’s and the Charleston Symphony Orchestra Chorus. She also regularly performs both solo and chamber works for local church services and concerts. A firm believer in the importance of music education for all, Allyssa has taught every age group, from pre-primary children to senior citizens. She has a particular interest in outreach for communities with limited access to arts education. Using skills in observation and analysis, she uses a systematic yet adaptable framework to tailor her teaching methods to empower students’ unique goals. She served as a volunteer coach for Trenton Arts at Princeton's youth chorus, encouraging students’ emerging curiosity and passion for music. As the choir director at Restore at Carolina Park, she prepared residents for local performances of popular and holiday repertoire. Currently, she is the violin instructor at Beracah Youth Orchestra. Drawing upon her experiences instructing at Bach to Rock Music School and Daniel Island Music Academy, she also maintains a private studio in voice, violin, and piano. Allyssa is currently pursuing her Master’s degree in voice at the Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University, where she studies with Ah Young Hong. She received her Bachelor's degree in neuroscience at Princeton University, studying voice with Martha Elliott. She obtained her initial training with Margaret Cook in Charleston, South Carolina.