Authors, Credentials (In the same order as the chapters) :
Fred Plotkin (www.fredplotkin.com) is a noted author, lecturer, and expert in the field of music, and opera. The author of nine books, including Opera 101 and Music 101, he writes a popular blog on opera for WQXR in New York. Fred has travelled and lectured extensively, and has worked in association with numerous theaters, including the Metropolitan Opera House in New York, and La Scala in Milan.
Anthony F. Jahn, MD (www.operadoctor.com) is a New York-based otolaryngologist with a special interest in vocal performers. In addition to otolaryngology, Dr. Jahn also practices medical acupuncture as applied to ear, nose, and throat disorders. He is Professor of Clinical Otolaryngology at Columbia University (New York), and Adjunct Professor of Vocal Pedagogy at Westminster Choir College (Princeton). Dr Jahn is Dr. Jahn is also Medical Director at the Metropolitan Opera and Consultant Otolaryngologist to the Juilliard School and St. Thomas Choir School, both in New York. He is a frequent medical contributor to Classical Singer Magazine, and writes a medical blog for non- classical singers at www.voicecouncil.com
Len Horovitz, MD Dr. Len Horovitz (known to his patients as "Dr. H.") is one of the premier Internists and Pulmonary specialists in the country. His client list reads like the"Who's Who" of Broadway and film. He is in private practice in New York City, where he is the Director of Carnegie Medical P.C., focusing on Care of the Professional Performer. In addition to his medical practice, Dr. Horovitz is a an accomplished concert pianist.
Boyan Hadjiev, MD Dr. Boyan Hadjiev, M.D., is a New York based physician who is double board certified in Internal Medicine (ABIM) and Allergy and Immunology (ABAI). He specializes in allergy immunology, asthma, sinusitis, and allergic skin diseases.
Marshall Chasin, Au.D.( www.musiciansclinics.com) is a Toronto-based audiologist who specialises in the diagnosis and remediation of hearing problems in musical performers. He is Director of Auditory Research at the Musicians' Clinics of Canada in Toronto, the Coordinator of Research at the Canadian Hearing Society, and the Director of Research at ListenUp Canada. He is the author of numerous articles and textbooks, including Musicians and the Prevention of Hearing Loss (Singular Publishing , 1996)
David Goldfarb M.D. is a Board Certified Otolaryngologist/Head and Neck Surgeon practicing in Toronto, Canada. His interests include general otolaryngology, hearing disorders, as well as the management of sleep disorders. He is Lecturer at the University of Toronto Department of Otolaryngology, and Chief at North York General Hospital in Toronto.
Maris Applebaum, Au.D. is a clinical and academic audiologist with a special interest in noise-induced hearing loss and its rehabilitation. She is on the graduate faculty of Montclair State University (Montclair, New Jersey), where she is Clinical Preceptor and Director of the Hearing Aid Center.
Rebecca J. Scott, Ph.D. (www.nysleepinstitute.com) Dr. Scott is a clinical psychologist and sleep specialist at the New York Sleep Institute of New York, and Assistant Research Professor in the NYU School of Medicine. She is Associate Director of the Sleep Disorders Center at Columbia University. Additionally, she holds a medical staff appointment at Rockefeller University Hospital where she is part of team investigating the relationship between sleep and cancer. She has presented research on insomnia, sleepwalking and other areas of sleep at national conferences. Her primary areas of interest include the psychophysiological, behavioral, physiological and neurochemical underpinnings of various sleep disorders, cognitive behavioral therapy as a treatment modality for sleep problems, and helping reduce or eliminate sleeping aids in those who feel they dependency issues
Jean Abitbol.M.D. French otorhinolaryngologist Dr. Jean Abitbol specializes in phoniatrics and voice surgery. Based on his clinical experience and research, he has published extensively on voice medicine and is recognized internationally for his contributions to voice surgery and care of the professional voice. A lifelong student of the intricacies of the human voice, Dr. Abitbol practices otolaryngology, phoniatry, and laser voice surgery in Paris where he is Ancien Chef de Clinique at the University of Paris. His interest in the human voice led him to develop innovative diagnostic and therapeutic techniques, including vocal dynamic exploration, a method that allows physicians to look at the vocal folds speaking or singing and, more recently, the use of three-dimensional imaging of the larynx. His research has centered on the effects of hormones on the human voice. Among many other honors, Dr. Abitbol is a recipient of the coveted Legion d'Honneur.
Sharon Zarabi, R.D. (www.sharonzarabi.com) is a registered nutritionist and dietitian, as well as a fitness specialist and personal trainer. Ms. Zarabi directs the Bariatric Nutrition program at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York, where she works with both internists and surgeons who care for overweight patients.
Mitchell S. Roslin, MD (www.nycbariatrics.com) has dedicated his professional career to the treatment of morbid obesity. Dr. Roslin has been performing obesity surgery in New York City since 1994. In 1996, he became Director of Bariatric Surgery at the Maimonides Medical Center. In 2000 he was appointed the Chief of Obesity Surgery at Manhattan's Lenox Hill Hospital and has supervised its growth into one of the most prestigious programs in the United States. Considered one of the best bariatric surgeons in New York, Dr. Roslin is also the President of Manhattan Minimally Invasive and Bariatric Surgery P.C.
Ory Brown, a New York based mezzo soprano, is a versatile performer with an active career as an operatic and concert soloist.
Karen H. Kim, MD is a Board-Certified Dermatologist practicing in Boston. She has a special interest in cosmetic dermatology and laser skin surgery. Dr. Kim has published widely in the field of dermatology. She is a member of several prestigious associations, including the American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery, the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery, and the Women's Dermatologic Society.
Phillip C. Song, MD is an otolaryngologist with subspecialty training in Laryngology and Neurolaryngology. He holds an academic appointment at Harvard University, and treats disorders of the voice, as well as swallowing and TMJ dysfunction, at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary in Boston.
Andrew Blitzer, M.D., an internationally renowned otolaryngologist, Dr. Andrew Blitzer is Professor of Otolaryngology at Columbia University. Widely recognized as a founder of Botulinum toxin (Botox) therapy for functional and cosmetic problems in the head and neck area, Dr. Blitzer has written numerous books and over 300 articles in his specialty. He holds numerous national and international honors, and is former President of the American Laryngological Association.
Maurice M. Khosh, M.D. (www.facedoctornyc.com) is a fellowship-trained facial cosmetic and reconstructive surgeon. He is also a Board Certified otolaryngologist/head and neck surgeon, and holds academic and clinical appointments at Columbia University and at St.Luke's/Roosevelt Hospital Center in New York.
Steven M. Zeitels, M.D. is a Board-certified otolaryngologist who subspecialises in laryngeal laser and microsurgery. Dr. Zeitels is Eugene B. Casey Professor of Laryngeal Surgery at Harvard University, and Director of the Center for Laryngeal Surgery and Voice Rehabilitation at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. He has successfully treated thousands of vocal performers from both the USA and abroad. A pioneer in the surgical treatment of laryngeal disorders, Dr. Zeitels' innovative research continues to advance our understanding of benign and malignant laryngeal disease.
Youngnan Jenny Cho, M.D. is a Board-certified otolaryngologist / head and neck surgeon in New York, with a special interest in the professional voice. Dr. Cho is Assistant Clinical Professor of Otolaryngology at Columbia University, as well as Medical Director at Lincoln Center's New York State Theater. She is also on the medical staff of the Metropolitan Opera, and Jazz at Lincoln Center. Her busy practice includes vocal performers from both the classical and popular musical fields.
Annette Osher, M.D. (www.oshermed.com) is a Diplomate of the American Board of Internal Medicine and an Associate Fellow of the American College of Cardiology. She is a voluntary attending physician at Mount Sinai Medical College Center, and holds a teaching appointment with the Mount Sinai Medical School of the City University of New York. Dr. Osher is on the Medical Advisory Board of various sports training centers and lectures in the New York area on cardiovascular response to exercise. She was also the founder of Women's Medical Practice, P.C., a medical practice specializing in the health care of professional women.
Richard A. Stein, M.D. Cardiologist Richard A Stein is Professor of Medicine at New York University, and; Co-Director of the Cardiology Consult Service at NYU-Langone Medical Center. NYU Cardiology Associates, and NYU Cardiac Rehabilitation Associates
David M. Sherman M.D. is a Board certified psychiatrist with a humanistic and eclectic orientation. He is on the faculty of New York Presbyterian Hospital, and in private practice in Manhattan. He trained at the University of Illinois and Columbia University. Dr. Sherman is Consultant in Psychiatry to the Juilliard School in New York.
Pedro de Alcantara (www.pedrodealcantara.com) is a prolific and multifaceted teacher and performer. After growing up in São Paulo, Brazil, he studied cello at the State University of New York's Purchase College (BFA in Music, 1981) and the Yale School of Music MM in Music Performance, 1983). Mr Alcantara trained as an Alexander teacher in London, with Patrick Macdonald (who himself was trained by Alexander in the 1930's) and Shoshana Kaminitz. After obtaining his certification in 1986 he taught for three years at the Alexander Institute (directed by Dr. Wilfred Barlow, who was also trained by Alexander) before moving to Paris in 1990, where he currently resides. Mr. de Alcantara the author of numerous books dealing with performance, practice, and the Alexander technique.
Steven K.H. Aung, M.D., O.M.D., PhD, F.A.A.F.P., C.M. (www.aung.com) is a master teacher and practitioner of Traditional Chinese Medicine. A former Buddhist monk in Myanmar, Dr. Aung is a pioneer in the integration of TCM into Western medical practice. He has written extensively, and lectures around the world on integrated medicine. Dr. Aung is Clinical Associate Professor, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta. Adjunct Professor of Extension, Rehabilitation Medicine, Public Health, and Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, at the University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, and Associate Clinical Professor, College of Dentistry, New York University, New York.
Judith E. Carman, DMA Judith E. Carman, DMA; RYT500, has taught singing for forty years, practiced yoga for almost twenty years, and taught yoga classes especially designed for singers for a decade. Dr. Carman has conducted Yoga for Singers workshops in university settings, for choral groups, in yoga studios, and for the National Association of Teachers of Singing and National Opera Association national conferences and at national workshops. Dr. Carman is on the Editorial Board of The Journal of Singing, and has written widely on the subject of Yoga for singers, and is the author of Yoga for Singing, A Developmental Tool for Technique and Performance, recently published by Oxford University Press.
Gertrude Kubiena, M.D. Austrian physician Dr. Gertrude Kubiena, is an internationally renowned teacher, practitioner and author on the subject of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Dr. Kubiena began her career as an otolaryngologist, but then developed an expertise in TCM, with a special concentration on acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Medicine. One of the leading teachers of TCM in Europe, Dr. Kubiena is a founder of the Austrian Society for Controlled Medical Acupuncture, and has trained hundreds of physicians in acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine Dr. Kubiena lectures widely in Europe, the USA and Asia, and she is the author of numerous textbooks on acupuncture, acupressure, and Chinese Herbal Therapy.
Anat Keidar, M.A., Ph. D., CCC-SLP
Speech and language therapist and voice expert Dr. Anat Keidar obtained her undergraduate training as a singer in her native Israel. She then completed her graduate training in psychology and speech sciences at the University of Iowa, under the direction of renowned voice scientist Dr. Ingo Titze. Dr Keidar has worked in a variety of academic and clinical settings, and is currently in private practice in Manhattan. In addition to voice therapy, Dr. Keidar is a master teacher. She mentors vocology students, and is an active lecturer at Westminster Choir College in Princeton, New Jersey, as well as the New York Singing Teachers' Association.
Jackie Presti, M.A., CCC-SLP (www.jackiepresti.com) is a voice teacher and speech pathologist practicing in New York. Ms. Presti completed her undergraduate training in music at the University of Miami, and obtained her M.A. in Speech and language pathology at Columbia University. In addition to her work as as a speech and voice pathologist, Jackie is a professional singer who has worked on Broadway and in films. She is also in demand as a conductor and contractor. As a voice teacher and therapist, Ms.Presti specializes in combining the science of the voice with her practical, professional singing experience. Her studio is filled with working singers from all backgrounds, including theatre, jazz, recording artists, actors and on-camera personalities. She has taught on the faculties of New School of Social Research (1983-1989), and Manhattan School of Music (1994-2000).
Tom Cleveland, M.A., Ph. D., CCC-SLP Dr. Tom F. Cleveland is Director of Vocology at the Vanderbilt Voice Center and Associate Professor of Otolaryngology in the School of Medicine, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, where he conducts research, and is involved in team management and care of the singing voice. Dr. Cleveland holds a Ph.D. from the University of Southern California, and conducted graduate and postgraduate research with Dr. Johan Sundberg at the Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden, as a Fulbright Scholar, and as the recipient of a grant from the Voice Foundation of America. Dr. Cleveland has lectured in Australia, Brazil, England, France, Italy, The Netherlands, Portugal, Sweden, Turkey, and the United States. He is the author of over 70 articles and research papers.
Singer, actor, and master vocal coach Leontine Hass (www.leontinehass.co.uk) completed her undergraduate training in her native Australia, and her graduate studies in London, where she now works and resides. She is the Artistic Director/Founder of the Associated Studios Group. Leontine facilitates and devises the development of new writing in plays, musical theatre and opera. Leontine is producing two shows in 2011: 'Londonstani' (Book by Gautam Malkani, Music by Rishi Rich) and 'I'm a rainbow too',' (Book by Benjamin Zephanaia and Clintand ITV. She also played the lead-role in a Chanel 4 sitcom called 'Extra, comprising 13 episodes, which won a Bafta and an RTS award. As a vocal coach, Leontine teaches workshops and lectures internationally. She has given numerous lectures/workshops on voice and performance, including at the Old Bailey, to an audience of High Court judges and QCs, at La Salle in Singapore and at the VCA, Melbourne. Leontine is vocal consultant to various music management companies . She is the regular Voice Clinic columnist at www.voicecouncil.com.
Joan Lader, M.A.
For the past 30 years the go-to resource for Broadway performers, New York voice coach Joan Lader has worked with the top performers in musical theater in New York. Her client list is a Who's Who of international musical theater stars. Trained as a Master's level Speech and Language Pathologist, Ms. Lader specialises in working with professional singers and, in collaboration with New York's top otolaryngologists, the rehabilitation of injured voices.
Anthony Laciura
American tenor Anthony Laciura has an international reputation as an operatic comprimario . Born in New Orleans, he studied voice there with Charles Paddock.. He made his operatic debut as a boy soprano in New Orleans in 1965. In 1982 he joined the Metropolitan Opera in New York. After his first performance, as the Major-domo in Der Rosenkavalier, with Dame Kiri Te Kanawa he continued a distinguished career that spans over 3 decades, giving over 800 performances. Among other credits, Laciura lists his performances in La forza del destino (directed by John Dexter, 1984), Francesca da Rimini (with Renata Scotto and Plácido Domingo, 1984), Tosca (1985), Le nozze di Figaro (opposite Ruggero Raimondi, and produced by Jean-Pierre Ponnelle, 1985), Die Fledermaus (1987), Carmen (in Sir Peter Hall's production, 1987), Turandot (conducted by James Levine, 1987), Les contes d'Hoffmann (1988), Ariadne auf Naxos (with Jessye Norman, 1988), La fanciulla del West (1992), Falstaff (with Paul Plishka, Mirella Freni, and Marilyn Horne, 1992), I lombardi alla prima crociata (opposite Luciano Pavarotti, 1993), Billy Budd (1997), Le nozze di Figaro (1998), and Wozzeck (2001). Several of these productions have been published on DVD. The tenor's final appearance at the Met was in The Gambler (2008). Laciura has also appeared with companies in Geneva, Amsterdam, Montreal, Mexico City, Tokyo, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago, and, especially, Santa Fe. He teaches and gives workshops throughout the USA. In recent seasons, Mr. Laciura has turned to stage direction, as well. As of 2010, he is seen in the Emmy-nominated HBO television series, Boardwalk Empire, which is produced by Martin Scorsese.
Marni Nixon
Singer and actor Marni Nixon (www.marninixon.com) is an American soprano and playback singer for featured actresses in movie musicals. Among her many other credits, Marni will always be known as the voice of Audrey Hepburn in the film version of My Fair Lady. She has also spent much of her career performing in concerts with major symphony orchestras around the world and in operas and musicals throughout the United States. She taught at the California Institute of Arts from 1969-1971 and joined the faculty of the Music Academy of the West, Santa Barbara, in 1980 where she taught for many years.
