Soprano Rachel (Brager) Goldenberg consults on vocal health and leads “Breathe, Sing, Move!” at Breathe Well Physio, and maintains a private studio. She previously taught applied voice, pedagogy and speech at Ambrose University, and beginning in fall 2021 will pursue her Master of Clinical Science degree in speech-language pathology at Western University in London, Ontario. Dr. Goldenberg received her Doctor of Musical Arts in vocal pedagogy from Shenandoah University where she was the recipient of the Dean’s Graduate Scholar Award for “exceptional aptitude for research and scholarship.” She also holds undergraduate and graduate degrees in voice performance and pedagogy from the Westminster Choir College in Princeton, New Jersey.
Dr. Goldenberg is a leading expert in singing and lung disease. Her doctoral dissertation focused on the use of singing lessons as an adjunctive airway clearance technique for cystic fibrosis. She has presented her dissertation research and continuing research in the use of singing for respiratory ailments across the United States, Canada and Europe. Her article, “Singing for Respiratory Health: A Literature Review” was published in 2018 in the peer-reviewed Journal of Voice. Recently she has focused her work on helping people with lung disease to better coordinate their breath with the voice through individual lessons and the “Breathe, Sing, Move!” program. As an active and trained singing voice specialist, Dr. Goldenberg frequently assists injured singers, actors and other voice users referred to her from medical professionals and the voice community.
Dr. Goldenberg has been privileged to study with some of the major authorities on voice of our time including Scott McCoy, Marvin Keenze, Jeanette LoVetri, Wendy LeBorgne, Katherine Green and Johan Sundberg. She has studied voice with Lindsey Christiansen, Gran Wilson, Charlotte Aiosa and Carmen Tellier. Additionally, she was selected to participate in the prestigious 2011 NATS Intern program at the University of Wisconsin: Eau Claire. She has adjudicated at multiple festivals and has been in demand as a guest lecturer, particularly on subjects relating to voice science, vocal health and vocal pedagogy.
A winner of numerous awards and scholarships, she has sung with The Banff Summer Arts Festival, Opera Nuova, Westminster Opera Theatre, Cowtown Opera and Chesapeake Concert Opera. Her singing has been praised as “outstanding” by the Calgary Herald. As a chorister, she has sung with many of the US’ top orchestras including the New York Philharmonic under such conductors as Sir Neville Mariner, Sir Colin Davis, and Lorin Maazel. She was the regional runner up in the 2012 in the Intermountain NATS Artist Awards (NATSAA) and a national semi-finalist in the 2014 competition. Most recently, she teamed with pianist Edwin Gnandt to perform the complete vocal works of Fryderyk Chopin.
Dr. Goldenberg currently serves as Past President of the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) in Southern Alberta. She is a member of the Registered Music Teacher’s Association (ARMTA) and Pan-American Vocology Association (PAVA).
Rachel Brager Goldenberg 