Debra Vanderlinde

This teacher is a NYSTA Distinguished Voice Professional, having completed the Oren L Brown Professional Development Program core curriculum of Vocal Anatomy, Voice Acoustics, Developmental Repertoire, Vocal Health, and Comparative Voice Pedagogy.

Debra Vanderlinde, known for her radiant soprano, effortless tone production, and stylish and heartfelt singing, has appeared in opera, operetta, concert and recordings in a wide repertory from Bach to Bernstein. After her debut in opera as Zerbinetta in Richard Strauss "Ariadne auf Naxos" at Chautauqua, she went on to sing with the New York City Opera, Wolf Trap, Chattanooga Opera, and many regional companies.

An appearance with pianist Brian Zeger on the New Horizons Series at the 92nd St. Y marked her New York recital debut, and she has also appeared in recital at Yale's Early Instrument Collection in a concert of Loewe and Mendelssohn songs and with New York Festival of Song in excerpts from William Bolcom's McTeague with pianists Steven Blier and Michael Barrett.   She sang the title role in Rudolf Friml's Rose-Marie in a revival and recording at the Smithsonian Institution. Ms. Vanderlinde won critical praise for her portrayal of Oriana in Handel's Amadigi with the Connecticut Early Music Festival, a role she reprised in Caramoor's Music Room in a performance conducted by Will Crutchfield. She has appeared with the Rochester Philharmonic, Baltimore and New Haven Symphonies, as well as the Caramoor Festival Orchestra and in the Windham Chamber Music Festival's Gala Opening Concert. Ms. Vanderlinde's Kennedy Center appearances have included the role of Josephine in H.M.S. Pinafore in concert and Mahler and Beethoven songs with orchestra in a performance accompanying the Feld Ballet.

An avid teacher as well as performer, Ms. Vanderlinde maintains a private voice studio in Manhattan and currently serves on the voice faculty of Teatro Nuovo, Mannes Prep Pre-College Music Program, and Marymount Manhattan College, where she works with dancers and actors. Previous faculty positions include SUNY Purchase, Drew University, and Mannes College of Music, where she recently taught "The Art of Listening", a class she developed for singers and their pianists to hone their critical listening skills and to explore the treasure trove of historical recordings. Ms. Vanderlinde has served as a vocal coach with Bel Canto Opera program at the Caramoor International Music Festival, taught classes in Vaccai and Voice Technique at the 92nd St. Y, and given master classes and lectures as a resident artist at Denison University.

Ms. Vanderlinde has a Masters of Music in Performance and Literature from the Eastman School of Music and a Bachelor's Degree with Honors from Denison University, and has done post graduate study at Manhattan School of Music and L'école Hindemith, Vevey, Switzerland. Her principal teachers have been Conrad Osborne, Marlena Malas, Ellen Faull and Helen Boatwright; master classes with Sills, Raskin, Corsaro, Gramm, Masiello and Cuenod. She completed a Vocology Internship at the Grabscheid Voice Center of Mt. Sinai Hospital in New York under the supervision of Dr. Linda Carroll, Speech-Language Pathologist, and Dr. Peak Woo, Director of Grabscheid Voice Center and internationally recognized laryngologist and clinical research scientist. Ms. Vanderlinde has served as a judge for the Metropolitan Opera Regional Auditions in New York and Boston, International Singers' Competition, and NYSTA's David Adams Song Competition.

Professional Affiliations

AGMA, Actors Equity, SAG-AFTRA, NYSTA
National Association of Teachers of Singing

Teaching Philosophy

I believe in creating a comfortable working atmosphere and taking care to address the unique needs and goals of each student. Developing a secure technique is essential for a singer to experience the freedom and pleasure of his or her own artistry and sound. I love to help singers solve problems and soar as expressive artists.
Comments on my teaching from students and colleagues: Classical:Debra is an extremely caring and sensitive teacher.  She has a superb set of ears and a comprehensive knowledge of the vocal mechanism in addition to a profound artistry and a deep connection to what it means to be a performing artist. -Leslie Hochman, soprano. I have been very much impressed with Debra's ability to bring to each student her high standards of vocal production, language, diction, dramatic ideas and communicative skills. She always seems to know when to work in detail, when to listen to a piece straight through and how to focus on the most important strengths and weaknesses. -Elizabeth Rodgers, pianist, Manhattan School of Music faculty. Musical Theater: Debra is the kind of warm, nurturing instructor that a student can feel safe to take chances and grow with. She helped me to shed many longstanding bad habits, develop a clear and strong upper register as well as a keen musical ear. The technique that I learned in her studio has given me a healthy, dependable vocal instrument that has served me well in work across many different styles. She is passionate, thorough and a joy to work with! -Lauren Verfenstein, soprano. "Art of Listening": The class affected my singing performance and my listening in a huge way...Listening in the sense that I feel like I know what to listen for, and I can actually articulate what I like or don't like about a performance, instead of just saying something nebulous. As far as performance -- I now work with creating an interpretation that's just mine, that works in my particular voice, instead of what "everybody else" does. I feel like I've learned so much about that balance between technique and drama, and how the two work together! One of the most important things I learned was that it's not necessary to sacrifice vocal line for expressiveness, and in some cases it'ss counterproductive.- Allison Atteberry, soprano. Adult students:œDebra's teaching reflects her artistic sensitivity and technical skills. She helped me break some lifelong bad vocal habits and find my true voice. Singing is fun again. - Karen Otte, choral singer

Studio Policies

24 hour cancellation policy. Private voice lessons: Classical: opera singers, choral singers, adult amateurs, young people from age 14. Traditional bel canto singing technique. Development and balance of registration, resonance, breath connection.Technical, stylistic and dramatic preparation of song, oratorio and opera repertoire. Diction and language coaching in French, Italian, German, English. Development of the singing voice for ease of delivery, clarity of tone and balance of registers. Goals: increase range, strength and flexibility while maintaining vocal quality. Six-week "Brush-up" private lessons for choral singers and also private sessions on Care of the Speaking Voice. The Art of Listening: A special study for professional singers and impassioned amateurs; development of critical listening to enhance understanding and performance of classical vocal music. In-depth comparisons of singers in recordings with emphasis on early 20th century historical singers. Private classes on demand, geared to the singer's repertoire and specific interests.