Annette Martens

I began studying music at eight years old; I was so jazzed after my first piano lesson that I poured myself into practicing, thinking I needed to learn everything by the next day when in reality I had a whole week until my next lesson! I worked my way through RCM piano books and explored the shelves of music my parents had collected. During high school I ventured into accompanying my friends who sang, and this collaborative piano skill has remained a valuable asset into adulthood. In grade 12, my high school choir director convinced me to take voice lessons, and my focus shifted from piano to singing. Much to my surprise, I discovered I was a soprano, although as a choral singer I had always been firmly planted in the alto section. As I began to glimpse the potential that the voice possesses – and that my voice possessed – I was hooked. I decided to pursue a music diploma after high school and graduated in 2011 from the University of Alberta with a B.Mus in Voice Performance, studying under Brian McIntosh and Jolaine Kerley. Since 2011, I have found my niche in choral singing, taking professional gigs with Scona Chamber Singers, Schola Cantorum, and Pro Coro Canada. I love the beauty of great classic works, the exploration of contemporary premieres, and the challenge of experimental compositions. I have fourteen years of teaching experience, beginning at the Prince George Conservatory of Music, moving on to Edmonton Music Studios and Prime School of Music, and now teaching out of my home studio. In my own music study, I have felt so much empowerment as I have learned about the physiology of the singing voice, stylistic interpretation of genre/era of repertoire, foreign language pronunciation, and vocal acoustics, and I want to share that with others! Music lessons can combine fun, self-discipline, self-awareness, and community. It is my hope and expectation that my students will find themselves drawn into the intricacies of music and discover more personal richness because of it.