Skip navigation

Elizabeth Anker, Contralto

Teaching

Watch a video of Elizabeth teaching senior citizens:

Link to the page on the Boston Globe

Elizabeth Anker is a dynamic voice teacher who enjoys working with professionals, avid amateurs and enthusiastic beginners. Her voice classes at the Longy School are legendary, she has an active private studio and many students who sing professionally. Equally comfortable in classical and non-classical styles, Elizabeth knows how to bring out each student’s strengths. With extensive experience as both a soloist and ensemble singer, she can help students develop skills to excel in the genre they prefer. She is a member of the National Association of Teachers of Singing.

"You were with me on Yom Kippur. I breathed; I remembered your teachings; I let go-and it all flowed…and then the joy carried me through and left me with a voice the next day—and with a true feeling of gratitude. Thank you, thank you."
- Lorel Zar-Kessler, Cantor of Congregation Beth ElThis is what Elizabeth has to say about her teaching philosophy:

"All my students sound different, and none sound like me. There is, however, a consistency among them in that they each produce a free, clean, authentic tone.

"While grounding students in a solid technique based on classical principles, I encourage them to bring in their own choice of music and sing in styles that reflect their interests.

"We start with the student’s strengths and build upon them. Usually, that involves comparing speech to singing and developing a sense of how it feels to use the breath freely."

Education
  • Bachelor of Arts, University of California, Berkeley
  • Private studies with Lillian Loran, Elwood Thornton, James Schwabacher, Jessica Cash, Edward Zambara, Robert Honeysucker
  • Coaching with Tony Legge, Allen Rogers, Monroe Kanouse
  • Master Classes with Max van Egmond, Ian Partridge, Judith Nelson, René Jacobs, William Parker
  1984

Additional Training
  • Vocal Improvisation studies with Rhiannon
  • Theater training at American Conservatory Theater, San Francisco
  • Alexander Technique
  • Sound and Healing with Dr. Molly Scott
  • Jazz piano with Ben Schwendener
  • Creative Aging Through the Arts with the National Guild of Community Schools of the Arts
    

Faculty Positions
  1987-present
  1990-present
  • San Francisco Community Music Center
   1977-1985

A Selected List of Courses Taught

Graduate Level
  • Baroque Oratorio and Sacred Song
  • Improvisation for the Classical Singer (Baroque Arias and Popular Song)
  • Vocal Pedagogy
  • Voice Class for Instrumentalists
  • Performing Bach Arias
  • Handel and His World
Continuing Education
  • Beginning Voice Class
  • Intermediate Voice Class
  • Vocal Chamber Music
  • Tools for Singing (Musicianship)
  • Taking a Chorus Audition
  • Singing for Seniors
Seminars, Workshops, and Master Classes
  • Improvisation
    Presenter at National Association of Teachers of Singing Regional Conference
  • Singing and Imagination
  • Taking an Audition
  • Teaching Beginners
  • How to Teach Singing to Seniors
    Teacher Training at ABCD Boston
  • What Singers Need from Speech Language Pathologists
    Emerson College
  • Singing in English
  • Pretending It's Your Language