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About MeHave you ever been frustrated to tears by your voice? Do you cringe when you hear your voice--like when you hear a recording of yourself? Do people make fun of your voice?
That used to be me years ago. This is me now - click here! I am the #1 Jazz Artist in Korea on Reverbnation! My passion for singing, and struggle with my own voice, have led me to over a dozen voice instructors--including Roberta Davis (Berklee School of Music) and Dr. Oren Brown (Juilliard), researching various methods--including Seth Riggs' Speech Level Singing and Dr. Morton Cooper's ("The Voice Doctor"), various holistic health workers, and 20 years of voice coaching. Because of all this research and experience, I have been recognized as a voice expert by eHow.com, EzineArticles.com, VocalDisorders.org (formerly VoiceMatters.net), TRCB.com, TheModernVocalistWorld.com, StarTribune.com, Asian American Press, and the Pioneer Press. Additionally, I am an international member of the Voice and Speech Trainers Association. I love to share what I've learned, and have inspired over 500 students to improve their voices! I have helped absolute beginners to untrained pro singers, speakers and actors, from students age 8 to 80 since 1997. I started singing professionally in 1993, and have explored all kinds of voice solutions since 1989. Born in Seoul, Korea, I grew up with my hard-working, health-conscious immigrant family in California, Texas, and Minnesota, got my Jazz Studies degree in Vocal Performance at Cornell College in Iowa, and also lived in Nashville, Tennessee. I now enjoy living back in Seoul, South Korea, and I've been fortunate to travel and perform in the US, South Korea, Europe, Southeast Asia, Central America, and Brazil. An award-winning artist, over the years, I have been fortunate to be a member of Fresh Jazz, Global Jazz, Karen Lyu Quartet, Robert Robinson's Minneapolis Community College Gospel Choir, Morris Wilson Band, Pacha Mamas, Via Brasil, Bomba, Jazz Transit, Eddie Piccard Trio, and have sung as a solo vocalist since 1993. My singing has been featured on National Public Radio, documentary film, TV, radio, cable, and on all kinds of stages . In 2010, I received a NashvilleMuse songwriting award and a MusiCares/Grammy Foundation emergency grant. In 2007, Minnesota State Arts Board cultural collaboration grant was given to me and Maryam Yusefzadeh to create and put on an original musical. Also, I have experience acting for DVDs, theater and online video (www.backstage.com/u/karenlyu). And, I am the first Korean-American jazz singer ever to record in the US. In Minnesota, I became widely known for my 5 years at West Bank School of Music as the head voice instructor, and for also becoming a board member, then board chair, then Executive Director at the age of 33. At that time, there were 30 faculty members and over 500 music students. I was honored to serve as the Executive Director for 2 years and to help save the beloved, legendary community music school from closing. |
