Devotion to SELF-EXPRESSION & FREEDOM
“I'm on an endless quest to speak truth in art and free the artist from their self-limitations. I do this as a teacher and in my own creativity and expression. ”
BIO
Dr. Raina Murnak is a New York trained professional singer, educator and vocal coach who has taught collegiate music for over 20 years. She is Assistant Professor and Director of Contemporary Voice and Performance Artistry at the Frost School of Music at the University of Miami. She received her Bachelors in Voice and a Masters in Classical Composition from SUNY Stony Brook, her Doctorate in Music Theory/Composition and Vocal Pedagogy from the Frost School of Music at the University of Miami and her Certificate in E-Learning Instructional Design & Development from Oregon Stage.
Dr. Murnak does not only teach artistry and performance, she personifies it. Through knowledge, professionalism and by example, she imparts key concepts of branding, self-expression and truth in art. Raina has designed and developed a unique experiential musicianship model that marks the intersection of the creative process of expressive songwriting and the business acumen and skill base needed for success in today’s music industry. A dedicated music education speaker/thought leader and a multi-genre composer/musician, she may be best known amongst her students, clients and educational peers for her exuberant joy and enthusiasm for all she teaches and her ability to almost psychically connect and quickly make adjustments that radically improve performance, tone and technique.
She has been invited to moderate, present and empower at top educational conferences including the CMS Future of Music Schools Summit and APME. She is a master clinician on Vocal Pedagogy, Performance Artistry & Positive Psychology in the Arts.
Along with being a star on conference stages, she has starred on the live music stage and television performing as a lead vocalist, a keyboardist and musical director for clients including Latin artist Ana Cristina Carter Cash and Jon Secada’s Vanessa D and as a backing vocalist live and in studio for many artists including Bob Pressner, Sandy Kelly, Paola Proctor, Jordan Brown, MELD and Daniel Landers.
As a professionally trained dancer she has also choreographed countless musical theater productions and contemporary choir performances such as her work on the Okeechobee Pow Wow stage alongside the legendary Michael McDonald, GriZ and Solange Knowles.
Dr. Murnak has recently published a Music Theory Fundamentals textbook available on the educational platform Tophat and has several online courses available through the University of Miami .
Before the popularity of music talent shows and social media stars hit the mainstream, Dr. Murnak devoted herself to training her students in contemporary music.
“I realized that there was often a gap between the type of music being taught in schools and the type students were singing outside of them. Oftentimes students would be preparing arias for competitions but spend the most of their time singing in a completely different genre. As a formally trained classical singer who was concurrently performing in musicals and bands, I myself had to figure out a flexible and sustainable technique that allowed me to maintain vocal health and integrity across all styles.”
“I realized that there was often a gap between the type of music being taught in schools and the type students were singing outside of them. Oftentimes students would be preparing arias for competitions but spend the most of their time singing in a completely different genre. As a formally trained classical singer who was concurrently performing in musicals and bands, I myself had to figure out a flexible and sustainable technique that allowed me to maintain vocal health and integrity across all styles.”
From this she developed her proprietary FREE technique (Finding Resonance through Empathic Energy) which she employs in her teaching today. |
