Dr. McQueen is a voice and piano teacher in Livermore, specializing in Early Childhood Music Education. Additionally, she offers lessons in Speech and Dramatic Arts and provides exams through the Royal Conservatory in these disciplines. She is a member of the Royal Conservatory of Music, the Music Teachers Association of California (MTAC), and the President of Minding Music (MindingMusic.org).. Minding Music is a program that helps low-income children receive private lessons and instruments at reduced cost. Dr. McQueen has vocal and piano pedagogy training, including the Suzuki and Kodaly music methods. She has been performing and teaching children and adult beginners for over twenty years. Additionally, she has performed in various venues, including opera, musical theater, choral, church, stage, dinner theater, revues, commercials, radio, TV, and film. She has trained for over forty years in vocals, acting, and dance.
Dr. McQueen holds an undergraduate degree in Music from the University of Massachusetts and an MA in Music from California State University, and a MA in Christian Studies, and a PhD in Leadership from the University of the Cumberlands, Kentucky. Dr. McQueen is a caring and devoted teacher of children and young adults, and has substantial experience helping individuals with Dyslexia and Spectrum traits access their musical talents. She has helped hundreds of children in the Tri-Valley gain a deeper understanding of piano, voice, elocution, acting, film, opera, and theater.
Dr. McQueen has experience directing and producing operas, workshops, small independent films, & large recitals. Her students have performed with the Tassajara Symphony and Opera Singer Frederica von Stade, The Heritage Estates Retirement Community, Rosewood Gardens. Many of her students have become professionals in acting, singing, and piano playing. Dr. McQueen has helped produce fundraisers for Fremont Bank, Livermore Valley Opera, Valley Concert Chorale, and Del Valle Fine Arts. Her musical theater credits include Hope in “Anything Goes”, Alice in “Secret Garden”, Alaura/Carla in “City of Angels”, Lelume in “Kismet”, and Lucianna in “The Boys from Syracuse”. She has additionally performed as Giovanna in “Rigoletto”, and Andres, Cochenille, and Pitichinaccio in “Tales of Hoffman”, and chorus in (Tosca, Carmen, Lucia D’ Lammermoor, Madame Butterfly, Flying Dutchman, The Marriage of Figaro, Don Pasquale, & Un Ballo in Maschera) with Livermore Valley Opera. She sang with Valley Concert Chorale for ten years under the conducting leadership of John Bush. Her directing credits include Hansel and Gretel, Annie, The Magic Flute, Camelot, Into the Woods, Willy Wonka, Alice in Wonderland, Pirates of Penzance, Beauty and the Beast, and Aladdin. She has also directed numerous music theater workshops and revues over the past 20 years. In 2014, she downsized SmARTSunlimited from its 9000 sq. ft. studios, but continues her work privately from her home studio in Livermore. Dr. McQueen is a dedicated communitarian and enjoys working on community projects that help improve the quality of life for all of Livermore’s citizens whenever possible.
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