Dr. Maggie Garrett (BM, MM, DMA)
Dr. Maggie Garrett has more than 25 years of teaching experience and 35+ years of performing experience. For 17 years, she taught at Ouachita Baptist University in Arkansas, where she was a tenured Professor of Music and the Vocal Area Coordinator. Other previous teaching appointments were at Lindsey Wilson College, Boyce College, and the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, all in Kentucky.
She earned degrees in Vocal Performance from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts (BM), Indiana University – Bloomington (MM) and the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (DMA). While a doctoral candidate, she won the Kentucky NATSAA competition and received a Young Leaders Award from the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS). As an undergraduate, Dr. Garrett spent her junior year attending the music conservatory in Dresden, Germany. Following college graduation, she attended the Aspen Music Festival and School in Aspen, Colorado.
She has performed in musicals, recitals, plays, operas, symphonic works, rock bands, opera outreach tours, radio recitals, chamber ensembles, jazz ensembles, worship teams, and oratorios. Dr. Garrett is well-versed in the repertoire and pedagogy of several genres, including musical theatre, art song, opera, oratorio, praise and worship, hymns, jazz, rock, and R&B. Her studio includes a Bluetooth speaker for playing background tracks from portable devices, as well as a microphone and speaker system for working on microphone technique.
As a teacher, her focus is on helping students achieve their goals. Toward that end, she and the student work together to select repertoire that will be pedagogically meaningful and fun to sing. Dr. Garrett has prepared students for musical and operatic roles, EP releases, degree recitals, praise teams, pageants, and auditions.
In addition to the Academy of Music in Norfolk, Dr. Garrett also teaches at the Chesapeake School of Music and her home studio in Virginia Beach, Bella Voce. When she is not teaching, Dr. Garrett enjoys reading, coloring, and traveling. She currently resides in Virginia Beach with her husband, son, and their dog, Daisy.