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 an Assistant Professor and Director of Contemporary Voice and Performance Artistry at the Frost School of Music at the University of Miami. She received her Bachelor's in Voice and a Master's 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. She imparts key concepts of branding, self-expression, and truth in art through knowledge, professionalism, and example. 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, NASM, NAfME, FMEA, 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, keyboardist, and musical director for clients including Ana Cristina Carter Cash, Sandi Kelly, and Jon Secada’s Vanessa D and as a studio and live vocalist for many artists including Pharrell WIlliams, Jelly Roll, Bob Pressner, Sandy Kelly, Paola Proctor, Jordan Brown, MELD and Daniel Landers as well as vocals for the biopic Piece By Piece by Pharrell Williams.
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 Positive Psychology for Music Professionals: Character Strengths for Routledg Taylor & Francis publishing and Music Theory Fundamentals textbook for Tophat publishing and has several online courses available through FrostOnline at 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. |