Deborah Birnbaum

The Metropolitan Opera’s top vocal coaches, Deborah Birnbaum is an internationally established voice teacher. Widely sought after as a breath specialist and technician, Ms. Birnbaum has a unique ability to help singers assimilate the mechanics of Bel Canto Breath Support while working within the context of their existing vocal technique. Her expertise in breath technique originates from her own private voice studies with renowned soprano, Montserrat Caballé. Ms. Birnbaum is regularly scheduled for guest teaching engagements at the Metropolitan Opera (Lindemann Young Artist Development Program, Educational Outreach and National Council Auditions), San Francisco Opera (Merola Opera Program and Adler Fellowship Program), Carnegie Hall, the Lyric Opera Of Chicago (The Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Opera Center), Houston Grand Opera Studio, Wolf Trap Opera, Arizona Opera, Los Angeles Opera Domingo-Thornton Young Artist Program and the Washington Opera Domingo-Cafritz Young Artist Program.

Ms. Birnbaum has conducted master classes at The Mannes College of Music, Rice University, Indiana University, University of Austin, Tanglewood (BUTI), Boston University Opera Institute, University of Maryland, Northwestern University, Boston Conservatory, San Francisco Conservatory, Westminster Choir College (Rider University), Portland Opera, Florida Grand Opera and at several NATS Regional Conventions. In addition, she was the Master Teacher at World Voice Day sponsored by NATS, at Columbia University.

Internationally, Ms. Birnbaum has taught at the Shanghai and Beijing Music Conservatories, Nagano Japan Summer Vocal Institute, SIVAM Mexico City, Tel Aviv’s International Vocal Arts Institute, and the Western Australia Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA) in Perth. For many years, she was a member of the voice faculty of Barnard College, Columbia University and Brooklyn College.