These skilled, professional musicians are dedicated to passing on the joys of playing music through the Swaha Experience.
Meet Your Teachers
Kendra Carpenter
Kendra has lived a life of loving, and…not loving, Music. She loves it when it fills her with inspiration and joy, and doesn’t love it so much when it feels like monotonous practice in order to someday be “good enough.” When she realized there were many, many others that felt the same, she knew what she was put on this earth to do: Bring people of all ages and backgrounds and colors and abilities and walks of life together, no matter how “good” or “not good” they think they are, and create a place where they can remember that Music, like air, is moving through them…always. Over several decades of playing music, simply for the love of it, with all sorts of interesting folks, she is confident that if you let it, Music can and will change your life. If she were in Vegas, she’d put all her money on it.
Chris Azorr
Chris has played music for almost 50 years, and has played it professionally for almost 30 years. He has been the keyboard player for some really awesome groups over the years, such as Conjunto Alegre, The Rhythm Dogs, and The Cherry Poppin’ Daddies. He even has a couple gold and platinum records on his walls to remember the great times. But gold and platinum isn’t what motivates Chris. Rather, it’s the stuff you can’t hang on a wall: The joy of connecting with great humans, laughing and learning together on the tender path of playing really great music, and watching music change lives is what he loves. The feelings of being a contribution, collective creativity, and artistic expansion lights him up, every time. Playing music with Chris is like going to a relaxing beach with a water slide on the side. It’s simply good for your soul. No matter what your skill level, you will feel inspired and alive after playing music with this guy.
Becca Stuhlbarg
www.northwestvocalyoga.com
Hi, I’m Becca! I love to teach voice to all levels. I have an MA (in voice) from UCSC, and I am a Registered Yoga Teacher with Yoga Alliance. I grew up playing violin, singing in choirs and performing in musical theater productions – in college I found my full passion for voice. I have been committed to mindful singing practice, compassionate teaching, and a rich vocal journey ever since.
I have 15 years of experience working with students of all ages, levels, and styles – including children, teens, adult beginners, as well as professional level singers. In addition to guiding students in vocal technique and helping them get in their bodies, I am equipped to support students in building their musicianship and performance skills. I’m also equipped to teach diction in several languages including French, German, and Italian. I am committed to being a lifelong student and passing along wisdom to my students, therefore I study with acclaimed soprano and master teacher Nancy Olson Chatalas, and I’m a member of the National Association of Teachers of Singing. My vocal journey has taken me from mezzo-soprano to high soprano, which makes me uniquely suited to guide students going through a vocal transition. I have experience working with transgender voices, as well as students recovering from vocal injury.
I overcame severe asthma as a child, which made my singing journey a challenging one. My singing practice has been a big part of healing my asthmatic symptoms. I feel called to support others who have struggled with breath or voicing themselves – I love to educate, inspire, and empower my students and community by teaching voice and also directing choirs.
I have sung with Opera San Jose, Ariose Singers, the Choral Arts Ensemble of Portland, and currently Light Opera of Portland. I also enjoy giving voice recitals featuring French art song, German lieder, opera arias, and modern music. In my free time, I enjoy reading, hiking, and spending time with my cat and “tween” daughter. For more information you can find her on the web at www.northwestvocalyoga.com
Jena Viemeister
Winner of the 2018 NW Regionals NATS Competition, Jena Viemeister is truly a versatile teaching artist. Her entrepreneurial spirit has led to several innovative collaborations with the Inclusive Dance Vibe of Portland. Jena has performed and produced a choreographed production of Vaughan Williams’s 3 Vocalises, a staging of Bolcom’s Cabaret Songs, and a music video of Jake Heggie’s Eve Song, funded by the Chicago Academy of the Arts. Additionally, Jena performs regularly with Portland Opera, Opera Theater Oregon, Opera on Tap PDX, and is a board member of the feminist music making non-profit, Our Song Artists.
As an instructor, Jena strives to create a safe, inclusive, and positive learning environment. Her students have gone on to win leading roles in musicals, won scholarships upon entering university, and report from going from the self identified “tone-deaf” singer, to rocking it at Karaoke! Jena offers beginning piano, singing lessons ages 8 and up, as well as gender affirming voice lessons.Lessons are accessible to (but not limited to) the LGBTQIA and disability communities. Contact: jenavoicelessons@gmail.com for information about scheduling and rates.
Anita Stryker
I have a confession, singing has never come naturally to me. Musicality, creativity and the drive to express and discover does. That has been the fuel that kept me obsessed with the mechanics of what exactly happens when we embody vocal freedom. This obsession is what led me on a continual path of discovery to all the answers I sought. Through this path, I have been blessed to work with wonderful teachers and mentors, who have empowered me to learn more than I thought possible about how to heal even the most challenging vocal issues.
One thing I have found is that vocal freedom isn’t just a mechanical action. Yes, mechanics are important. But beyond that, freedom is about getting out of the places in our mind that have us boxed into fear-based thinking – fear that literally manifests as vocal tension.
Now that I have shared the real stuff that qualifies me as a voice teacher, I will offer my credentials. I officially started my vocal studies at the University of Santa Cruz, where I received my BA in music emphasizing voice. I went on to study with Sally Munro, an Alexander Technique teacher and more recently Linda Brice, founder of Transformational Voice in Portland, OR. In addition I am a dancer, dance facilitator, yoga teacher, and speaker
My Credentials:
- Graduated with honors B.A. in music emphasizing voice, 2006
- Certified Transformational Voice teacher with founder Linda Brice , Portland OR. 2014-2015, * The Transforational Voice teaching method emphasizes a holistic approach that addresses technical, physical, spiritual and emotional aspects of singing.
- 2 years of study with Sally Munro, an Alexander Technique voice teacher
- Yoga Union Portland, 200 hour teacher training 2014 with Annie Adamson
- Anusara Yoga Immersion, 100 hour, Yoga Tree Hayes, SF CA with Darcy Lyon and Stacey Rosenberg
- 5 years of experience teaching children music (singing, piano, musicianship) at the New Mozart School in Palo Alto, CA
- Singer songwriter and jazz singer in Portland, OR
- Classically trained singer
- Certified consulting hypnotist
Hickory Strongheart
Hello. My name is Hickory Strongheart. I have been playing guitar for 32 years and I still consider myself a life-long learner. As a player and performer I have worked in a wide array of genres, from blues, jazz, rock, and folk to Latin, Brazilian Jazz, Renaissance and Indian (raga) music. I completed a 4-year B.A. program in Contemporary Music, and I thus have a strong grounding in music theory and traditional Western musicianship.
As a guitar teacher I believe that musical learning should be guided by the curiosity and musical interest of the student. I thus try to hand you the wheel as much as possible. I have a big bag of very cool tricks, tools, methodologies and practices that can help you to progress rapidly in whatever direction you choose. The guitar is an extraordinary instrument, and I really do believe that the possibilities are endless. I look forward to hearing from you, meeting you and helping you along your musical adventures.
Hickory Strongheart
917.509.4549
