Meet the Teacher
A Little Bit About Myself…Musically : }
Well, I guess my musical talents were first recognized by my Kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Eardle. My mom still tells the story of her calling after the first or second day of school to tell her that “Carolyn is a really good singer, but can you teach her to sing ‘I’m One Heck of a Woman instead of ‘I’m One Hell of a Woman?’” (For those of you that are too young to remember, that was a very popular Helen Reddy song).
And that is where my musical career began. I went on to do the following:
- Win the Miss Teen Talent Search
- Win the Arizona Teen Talent Search
- Become one of 100 singers chosen nationwide to be part of the United States Chorus
- Graduate from high school with a full Vocal Performance Scholarship to ASU.
- I spent two years as a vocal performance major before switching to the business school and getting a business degree (which is also where I met my future husband).
- After college, I went on to work for one of the largest production companies in Arizona producing events for corporations and associations. In 1995, I opened my own business, Top Hat Events, doing the same thing. I have produced hundreds of events across the country and have even worked with some famous people like Linda Rondstadt, Bonnie Raitt, Brooks and Dunn, The Pointer Sisters, and some famous comedians. I continue to produce events today and work my business in the mornings (and will be teaching at Benchmark in the afternoons).
- I started working in local bands when I was 16 performing for corporate events, weddings, Bat Mitzvahs. I continued doing this until the birth of my first child in 2001.
- In 1996 I was the ‘Voice of Bank One’ performing all original works designed to motivate their sales force.
- My primary instrument is my voice. I have been trained in classical, operatic, Broadway, country and popular styles of music.
- I also play guitar and piano (but not well enough to accompany anybody. For performances, our kids will be performing to pre-recorded performance tracks, which sound the best anyway).