Vocal Faculty
Megan OBrien
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Megan O'Brien is a classically-trained soprano, with experience leading song in churches across the United States and European festivals. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Vocal Performance from the Benjamin T. Rome School of Music at Catholic University of America, and continued her studies in New York and performed with the Amalfi Coast Music Festival. Megan has been a member of the St. Patrick's Cathedral (New York) choir, Baltimore Symphony choir, and the soprano soloist in churches from New York, Baltimore, to San Francisco. Most recently she has led the men's Catholic choir at San Quentin Prison. When she's not singing, she homeschools her children and is a private tutor, so she brings various pedagogical methods and supportive demeanor to her voice teaching.
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Tamara Haskin
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American Soprano, Tamara Haskin, made her international stage debut in 2009, at the Macedonian
Opera in the title role of Verdi’s Aida. Since that time, she has earned critical acclaim as a Verdian soprano singing close to 100 performances of AIDA, as well as other important verismo roles on the national and international opera and concert stages throughout the USA and Europe. Tamara earned her Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance at Wichita State University, with Master’s work at the Philadelphia College of Performing Arts, and intensive vocal studies at the DeJean International Institute of Vocal Arts in Paris, France. For 16 years of her career life, Tamara lived in Paris, France and Berlin, Germany, where she traveled and sang extensively throughout Europe. She speaks both French and German. As a voice teacher, Tamara enjoys working with beginners, intermediate, advanced singers and established professionals. She has maintained private voice studios in the United States and Europe throughout her singing career. She has held Adjunct Teaching positions at North Central College and Music Tech in Minneapolis, Minnesota. In her 18-year of extensive vocal training and mentorship from the noted international vocal pedagogue David Jones, Tamara has developed important teaching skills necessary to remedy various vocal issues, by employing concepts from the Swedish-Italian school of singing. These concepts are geared toward developing freedom and balance of voices of any age, genre or musical style. Working both as a vocal technician and a vocal coach, Tamara is passionate in helping singers discover vocal freedom in a fun, positive and nurturing environment. |
Erin Ichimura
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Erin Ichimura is a Cal Poly San Luis Obispo graduate, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Music. A gifted soprano, she has performed in numerous concerts with Cal Poly’s Chamber Choir, including San Luis Obispo’s Bach Week. She has performed in multiple recitals at Cal Poly and participated in Cal Poly’s Opera Program. During her time as a student, she tutored new music majors for entrance-level ear training and music theory classes. Throughout her career, she has toured to locations in California to sing with Cal Poly Choirs and to New York’s Carnegie Hall to collaborate with other choirs for a performance of Haydn’s Te Deum and Mozart’s Missa Brevis. In 2019 she traveled to Nairobi, Kenya, where she participated in a lab choir for novice conductors, led group warm-ups for Kenyan music students, and performed solo art music. Erin recently completed her senior project, which included a fifty-minute solo recital. She is passionate about chamber music and plans to teach and continue to perform after college. Erin is also a laureate of the San Francisco Girls Chorus.
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Hilary Thompson
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“My parents always had classical music blasting on the record player and we all went to lots of concerts,” Hilary says. “I loved singing in school and church choirs when I was young.” In grade school, Hilary’s grandmother gave her a tiny little electric organ with a book, and Piano lessons followed, continuing through high school. Hilary went on to UC Santa Cruz, receiving a Bachelor of Arts in Music, with an emphasis on piano and performance. She’s taught piano both privately and at the San Francisco Community Music Center for over 24 years. She was even a church music director for a number of years in Point Richmond.
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