Meet Katrina Van Maanen

We recently connected with Katrina Van Maanen and have shared our conversation below.

Katrina, so great to have you with us and we want to jump right into a really important question. In recent years, it’s become so clear that we’re living through a time where so many folks are lacking self-confidence and self-esteem. So, we’d love to hear about your journey and how you developed your self-confidence and self-esteem.

The more time I spent studying singing, the more confident I became in myself. Not because I was necessarily improving my skills in the craft, but because I was able to gain a deeper understanding of humanity through the characters and stories I was singing. Whether it was through operas, art songs, or even collaborations with other instrumentalists, music gave me the opportunity to step out of myself and into another world. It introduced me to emotions I had never allowed myself to feel. Singing is such a deeply personal act- it is a “whole body” event- that the words I sang became experiences that I carry with me as my own, and shaped how I respond to the world around me off stage.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

I like to call myself a “teaching artist”. Most of my time is spent in the teaching studio, whether I am at Oakland University, where I am on faculty, or at my private studio in Berkley, MI, Van Maanen Studios.

I love to perform, and was able to find a performing “home” in a community of artists in Detroit, Opera MODO, which was committed to creating opportunities for emerging artists through intriguing and modern productions of classical to contemporary operas. While I am classically trained, I love performing many genres, including jazz and Contemporary Commercial Music (aka pop).

While most of the performing I do is live, I was honored to be featured in the world premiere recording
of Shawn Okpebholo’s new work, Three Psalmic Meditations, featured on Kenneth Thompkins’ album, Compelling Portraits, available to stream on Apple Music, Spotify, and Amazon.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

1. Trust your skill set. At the beginning of my journey, I was a “yes” person, meaning that if I was presented with an opportunity, my response was not, “Can I do this?” or “Am I ready for this?”- instead it was “Yes!”, and then I would figure out how to make it work. That idea of boldly jumping in to opportunities is a huge part of my success as a performer and a small business owner.
2. Have a specific vision. Whether you call it “manifesting” or “dream board”-ing, knowing exactly what you want is paramount. When I have a specific vision of how I want to expand my business, it isn’t long until the right answer comes along!
3. Consistency is key. Success does not happen overnight, rather, success comes with slow and steady commitment to whatever you’re doing. I started my business with one student, and now I have a roster of about 200 students who I have worked with since I opened my private studio in 2015.

Okay, so before we go we always love to ask if you are looking for folks to partner or collaborate with?

I am always looking to collaborate and connect with other creatives, especially those who work in education and music. I think it is important for private teachers and coaches to work together in our communities so that we can set a standard of fair pricing, which is where my community is sorely behind.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

Killer Creations Media

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