Theatre Voice Faculty Bios

Name: Nadine Gomes

Full-Time or

Adjunct:

Full-Time

Voice Type: Coloratura Soprano/Belter

Education:

M.M. Vocal Performance and Vocal Pedagogy - Roosevelt University, CCPA (Music

Conservatory)

B.S. Performance Studies - Northwestern University, Theatre School, Evanston, IL

Vocal Jazz Performance Major (2 years) - Berklee College of Music, Boston, MA

How would you describe your teaching style?

Lessons are very interactive in my studio; I am constantly asking students for feedback

on how things feel and what is going well and what is not. I strive to balance constructive

criticism and encouragement. I am a very positive person, but I will not let students get

away with singing that is unhealthy or inaccurate. I stop and start a lot so that we can

correct and continue. I encourage students to focus on physical sensations and body

feedback rather than what they hear. I am a technique teacher above all, which mean

that we may spend most of the lesson on a few measures, and sometimes we may not

get through a whole song in a lesson. I'm not just here to teach you how to sing a

specific song; my job is to give you the tools and autonomy to sing ANY song!

What do you expect from your voice students in lessons and outside of the

studio?

In between lessons, students are their own voice teachers, so I really want them to

understand the purpose of every exercise and learn how to troubleshoot in lessons and

on their own in rehearsal, class, performance, and practice sessions. Regular practice is

essential to vocal growth, muscle development, and coordination of the breathing and

vocal mechanisms, so students must make time to work on their voice outside of

lessons.

What do you want your students to leave CCPA knowing?

I want students to truly understand their genuine voices and know their strengths and

their limits. We work on developing a great audition book through all four years so that

by the time they graduate, each student has a book that really reflects individual type,

range, and taste. I want students to know how to sing under the best and worst

conditions, and I want them to know when to seek help and when to advocate for

themselves if they are in a difficult situation. I want student to have the stamina and

technique to get through eight shows a week in a healthy, consistent manner, regardless

of the musical style of the show.

What do you love about teaching voice?

I love witnessing a student experience the ease and beauty of their genuine instrument

for the first time, and I am always happy to witness students overcoming hurdles and

triumphing over fears. Working with passionate and curious people is a true joy, and I

learn something new every day from my students. I am also fascinated by the

uniqueness of the human voice and how no two voices are exactly alike; they are our

aural fingerprints! Pretty cool.

What are your student pet peeves?

Last-minute cancellations...BOO! I also expect students to do some repertoire research

on their own. I will give you the tools to do so, and I'm happy to provide suggestions, but

I expect students to do some digging on their own. If I give you a note or correction, I

expect you I write it down or record your lesson and write it down later when you listen

to the recording. Don't make me give you the same note again and again. That is not

going to fly in the professional world either.

Tell us a little about your performing career:

My biggest strength as a singer is vocal versatility, and my performing career reflects

this. I have done a few operas and some classical concert work, but the majority of my

performing has been in the cabaret, jazz, and musical theatre world. I did regional

theatre, toured for a few years with an educational theatre company, and I also spent

many years as the female soloist for the Symphonic Pops Orchestra of Chicago, touring

the Midwest and Taiwan.

Who are some of your favorite singers, both MT and beyond?

Audra MacDonald, Kelli O'Hara, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Norm Lewis, Julian Ovendon, John

Raitt, Howard Keel, Aaron Lazar, Ella Fitzgerald, Judy Garland, Aretha Franklin(the early

years), Chaka Khan, Donny Hathaway, Al Jarreau, Stevie Wonder, Bonnie Raitt, Alison

Krauss, and Freddie Mercury.

Besides theatre and music, what else are you passionate about?

I am definitely a crazy cat lady! I have three cats in the house, and I currently support a

feral colony of 5 kittens and 4 adult cats in my heavily wooded backyard. Meow! I

travelled the world as a kid, and I still love to explore new places; next up: visiting a sloth

sanctuary in Oregon...oh, yeah! Dream trips are: Costa Rica, the Galapagos, Barcelona,

and Italy. I also make jewelry for fun, cook vegan goodies, and read my weight in books

(sci-fi and mysteries lately). I am an expert shopper, so if you need advice, hit me up!

Favorite TV shows: Game of Thrones, House of Cards, The Simpsons, 30 Rock,

Homeland, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, and my guilty pleasure is...Law and

Order: SVU...duhn-DUHN!