Heather Ann Watkins

Heather has been studying voice for 15 years, including receiving her BM in Music Education/Choral   Concentration and Vocal Performance Certificate from Shenandoah University.  She has studied with various voice teachers including Pat Close (Falls Church, Va.) and Aime Sposato (Shenandoah University). 

She has spent many years, since she was very young, singing and dancing in various music theatre productions.  She taught for six years in Berkeley County Schools while building her voice studio on the side.  At heart, Heather is a true singer, but combines her experience on the music theatre stage, in the classroom and as professional singer to help students become fabulous well-rounded musicians. 

Some of Heather’s current music experiences include:  Music director of the “Artistic Endeavors” Summer music Theatre Camp where she works with students ages 7-14. She has had several fabulous shows, including, ‘Godspell Jr.’ , ‘Cinderella Jr.’ and ‘Suessical Jr.’ She sings trio/big band work with the “Cosmopolitian Sisters” in the DC/Metro Area, performing for a range of people including corporate offices, war veterans, WWII monument dedication and foreign ambassadors. 

Some of her local music theatre roles include, Mary, “Two From Galilee” (Apollo Theatre), Pam in “Baby”, Isabel in “Scrooge” and Reno in “Anything Goes” (Old Opera House).  Heather has performed in many other music theatre productions in the past and continues to add to her performing experience through her many venues! 

One of Heather’s other passions is travel! She has combined her love of travel and music by touring through Europe studying and performing music.  She has performed in renowned cathedrals, such as Notre Dame and Chartres Cathedral in France, and has toured all over Europe singing in various communities.  Heather’s favorite place to perform is in her local community.

Rebecca Kellerman Petretta

Rebecca has studied voice for more than 20 years and has both a BM and MM in Vocal Performance from Shenandoah University. She has studied and performed throughout the United States and Europe from the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC to the Opera House in Spoleto, Italy.  Rebecca has been teaching private voice lessons for over 10 years and has also spent 4 years teaching music in Jefferson County public schools.

She combines her experience as a professional performer, teacher and numerous years of vocal study to help produce healthy, educated singers of all ages, genres and levels.   Her voice teachers have included Jackson Sheats and Medea Ruhadze both from Shenandoah University.  She has also worked with Judith Coen, teacher of Metropolitan Opera’s Sharon Sweet, and famed Italian coach Enza Ferrari.  Rebecca spent a summer in Spoleto, Italy studying the bel canto style of singing and also studied privately for a summer at the Hochschule fur Musik in Stuttgart, Germany.

Rebecca currently performs regularly with The Washington Bach Consort, Opera Lafayette and the National Gallery Vocal Ensemble as both soloist and chorister.  She is also a founding member of one of DC’s newest choral ventures; Voci per l’Arte.  She has performed at venues such as The Kennedy Center, The National Cathedral, Lincoln Center, The Vatican, Strathmore Music Center, The White House and many other local concert halls.  Her career has taken her to many countries throughout Europe as a soloist and chorister including England, France, Italy, Austria, The Czech Republic and Germany.

Rebecca also enjoys performing in local musical theatre productions.  She has performed such roles as Grace in the Old Opera House’s production of “Annie”, Electra in “Gypsy” and Hope Harcourt in the OOH production of “Anything Goes”.  Other musical theatre credits include Maria in “The Sound of Music”, Rizzo in “Grease” and The Bakers Wife in “Into the Woods”.  Some of her opera roles include Mother in “Amahl and the Night Visitors” with DC opera company Bel Cantanti and also Ino in “Semele” and Mrs. Gobineau in “The Medium”.

Several of Rebecca’s past students have gone on to study music at schools such as Shenandoah University, Marshall University and Longwood College.  She is the founding director of Zion Episcopal’s Children’s Choir and teaches music for the Small Scholars Academy in Charles Town.  She was also the Musical Theatre Instructor at Allegro School of Dance and Performing Arts from 2009-2011.  Rebecca is excited to be realizing her dream of starting her own Performing Arts Academy!