MICHELLE FENTON BEGLEY

Michelle Fenton Begley is a versatile vocalist, voice teacher and teaching artist.  She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Afro-American Vocal Jazz Performance from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.  While at UMass, Michelle had the great fortune of studying with gospel aficionado Horace Boyer and recording the CD Meditations while studying composition with the legendary jazz composer and saxaphonist Yusef Lateef.  At the Hartt School of Music, Michelle furthered her graduate studies in music education, vocal pedagogy and the Kodaly sight reading method.

Michelle sings and arranges in a trio with state troubadour Kate Callahan, is a soprano with the chamber group Cantus Excelsus, and spent 20 happy years singing soprano in the choir Gaudeamus, supporting children in Chorus Angelicus. During those years, she recorded Sacred Feast with the Grammy award winning conductor, Paul Halley and Chakana Angelicus with Dr. Gabriel Lofvall.  She has held numerous church soloist positions throughout Connecticut.

Michelle was a founding member of the children’s duo, Starr & Shello, composing and performing original songs influenced by jazz, blues, and the traditional American folk repertoire.   Ms. Begley expanded on her love for both children’s music and improvisation by creating a variety of music and songwriting workshops that she delivered at the Canton Public Library, KidsPlay, and University of Hartford’s Summer Place.  She is currently Programs Director at the American Mural Project, developing and leading programs about the “art of work” for people of all ages.