Chairperson: Maria has a varied musical background, with performances in rock to opera and everything in between, and has performed in a variety of venues. She joined the CMS faculty in 1995 and currently serves as chair of the CMS Voice Department, a position she has held since 2009. At CMS, Maria teaches private voice lessons and a variety of classes for children, teens and adults. Maria received her Bachelor’s and master’s degrees in vocal performance with a concentration in vocal pedagogy from the State University of New York at Buffalo, studying under Muriel Wolf. After graduation, she studied voice with Genia Las, former chair of the CMS Voice Department. While living in Michigan, Maria was a faculty member at Mid-Michigan Community College and Central Michigan University, where she taught private voice as well as other related subjects. She also studied conducting while in Michigan.