Marla Mayson - Alto
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Originally from Montreal, Marla’s musical training began with the piano at the age of six. While attending high school, she added the clarinet and flute to her studies, but it was in the choral program that she discovered a love of singing. This led to more formal training at Vanier College, and finally to McGill University, where she studied voice performance under the tutelage of Jo-Anne Bentley. Upon leaving university, Marla was an active soloist and ensemble singer, performing with such organizations as the Tudor Singers, Studio de Musique Ancienne de Montreal, and the professional core of the Montreal Symphony Orchestra. In conjunction with a growing solo career, she began a teaching studio and continued her own studies with respected vocal pedagogue Marie Daveluy. In 1990, she met and became engaged to well known Vancouver vocal arranger Ron Smail, and returned with him to Vancouver where they were married. Shortly thereafter, Marla became a member of the Vancouver Chamber Choir. Since coming to the west coast, Marla has maintained a busy private studio, and continues in her position as senior vocal instructor at the Western Conservatory of Music in Langley. In 2005, Marla accepted a position at l’Ecole Bilingue Elementary School in Vancouver, fulfilling a longstanding desire to teach singing to children in a choral context. Since that appointment, she has also been engaged to develop choral programs for Quilchena Elementary School, and Pebble Hill Traditional School in Also active as a clinician and festival adjudicator, Marla is a passionate proponent of the importance of choral music in education, and has given several workshops on the value and long term benefits of the inclusion of choir, particularly in the elementary grades. Current projects include the ongoing development of her choral programs, as well as the continuing studies in choral conducting, vocal pedagogy, and being a mom to her son Aaron, also a soprano. |