About
Carolyn Leonhart is a Grammy award winning active professional singer (solo jazz career, freelance session singer, backup vocalist with Steely Dan for 15 years). In addition to appearing as a vocal consultant on MSNBC, she taught in the Voice Department at famed Berklee College of Music in Boston for 6 years (She is technically on the faculty roster, but no longer commute to Boston to teach). Carolyn currently teaches in the Vocal Jazz BFA program at The City College of NY, at the The New York Jazz Academy, and privately as well.
Carolyn works with a range of students in a range of areas (building and maintaining a healthy voice, song study, style development, improvisation, building a set of music, gig prep, performance prep, recording prep, and basic piano skills).
"I love helping people of all ages and all levels, so please contact me if you are truly interested in developing your voice and your creative spirit!
I prefer to work with young adults and adults, though I am always willing to help a younger singer who is truly motivated to sing."
Certificates-Degrees-Awards
Grammy Award, performance on Besr Album of the Year, 2000, TEO AGAINST NATURE - STEELY DAN
Thelonius Monk Institute Vocal Jazz Competition 3rd Place Winner
Downbeat Awards - Best Jazz Vocalist
Certified in Somatic Voicework, The LoVetri Method
Currently obtaining a Masters of Jazz Performance - Queens College, NY
"All you need is already within you, only you must approach your self with reverence and love" - Nisargadatta Maharaj
“Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.” —Neale Donald Walsch
The above quotes continue to shape my life, onstage and off. Life is challenging, but we are all up to the task of it. We have to be. If we have the courage to try new things and explore the unknown with the self-compassion and self-love, anything is possible. And I do believe it helps if you have someone supporting you along the way.
I love to learn, and I love to help others learn as well. I love helping singers develop their instrument as well as their creative spirit. Everyone learns differently and each student has their own needs in the moment. I love the process of figuring out the best way to help someone develop new skills, and support them as they explore new ideas and often break out of their comfort zone.
I am very goal oriented & I help my students create realistic goals (short or long term) that will help them see their progress as they work. We work together to find the most efficient ways to achieve them, remaining flexible and open at all times. I also believe the process of attaining goals needs to be fun and I want to help each student enjoy the journey!