Jenny Anne Flory began teaching piano and voice through Blue Feather in May of 2017, just as she was completing her Master's in opera performance at the University of Maryland, College Park. She now continues her studies with instructors Arianna Zukerman and Elizabeth Bishop, and coach Giovanni Reggioli
To hear Jenny Anne's beautiful mezzo soprano voice in concert, you can attend an evening of operatic scenes put on by the Potomac Vocal Institute on Mother's Day at the United church, 1920 G Street NW, DC. Further details will be posted shortly.
Jenny Anne found inspiration as a child in her 2 older cousins, who are "more like sisters." They played piano and did karaoke, and she desired to follow in their footsteps. Her mother and grandmother provided further inspiration through their active involvement in vocal productions at church. Jenny Anne's first performances were at talent shows in 4th grade with her local 4H club. She went on to play the saxophone in her middle school band, and then to sing with her high school choir.
Jenny Anne spoke of all her students with affection and pride. She is particularly excited about an upcoming middle school production of The Sound of Music, in which her piano and voice student, Emily, will be starring as Maria von Trapp. Emily, who started lessons with Jenny Anne in the fall of 2017, and already possessed a solid background in piano, is excelling quickly as an aspiring vocal artist.
When asked what obstacles musicians must overcome to succeed, she confessed, "I am my own worst critic. The nasty voice in my head prevents progress some days." On these days, she is learning to be more positive with herself, and recommends the value of seeing a great therapist, who can persuade musicians that "everything is going to be ok." Students too, sometimes get mad at themselves for mistakes, when the real issue is simply a need for more time to devote to their instrument. She is careful though, to "build relationships" first, rather than "hounding insane amounts of practice." Her approach is to encourage positivity, use rewards systems for accomplishments, and make lessons fun.
Jenny Anne's dream goal is to sing opera or concert music around the world. She hopes to find an agent in the future, but for now, she is enjoying DC as an ideal mid east coast location for networking. In her words, "I want to share my gift, and have cool experiences in different areas."
A fun fact about Jenny Anne: She is "obsessed with the Washington Nationals."