My Work

Performer | Teacher | Researcher

I am a soprano with a penchant for French mélodie as well as the treasured compositions of Gershwin, Porter, Berlin, and Weill. Although my early roots were established in training programs such as Central City Opera and The Santa Fe Opera, over the course of my career I have found my greatest satisfaction in the intimacy of the recital venue. 

I am a believer that art is a reflection of ourselves and artists must continue to affect change by promoting music as a cultural force. Art cannot exist in a vacuum, and so our charge is to bring music to the communities, to the concert halls, to the stages, to the schools--in these places, we can bring people together in a common and transcending moment of art. 

Listen to soprano Alissa Deeter, baritone Robert Peavler, and pianist Arlene Shrut perform
It Was A Lover and Her Lad by composer Timothy Hoekman.

Hier: Mélodies of Francis Poulenc
Alissa Deeter, soprano
Arlene Shrut, piano

I have been a voice teacher for over twenty years, holding various academic positions across the country as well as maintaining a private studio. Additionally, I have been the vocal program coordinator for the Broadway By The Bay's summer Theatre Academy in Redwood City, CA. My students have performed all over the world, including AIMS in Graz, SongFest, the Kennedy Center, The Jimmy Awards, Natchez Festival of Music, Bronx Opera, Tri-Cities Opera, Opera Carolina, Children's Theatre Charlotte, San Francisco Opera, San Francisco Symphony Chorus, San Jose Opera, San Diego Opera, Disney World, Windy City Opera, Waffle Opera, Ray of Light Theater, Broadway by the Bay, Festival International Musique Actuelle Victoriaville, and off- and on-Broadway. 

I work with students at all stages of development. In addition to vocal technique, instruction includes diction, song selection and interpretation, audition skills, and professional etiquette. 

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Research is where I hone my teaching--here I continue to develop my skills, update my methodologies, and stay in step with current performance practices. As a person who advocates for life-long learning, being a role model in scholarship and study is as important as being a dependable voice teacher. My work continues to morph as my topics of interest change, and I am excited to see where the next project takes me!

Recent Projects

recordings

Poulenc, F. (2018) Hier: Mélodies of Francis Poulenc. [Recorded by Deeter, A., & Shrut, A.], [CD: Centaur Records-CRC3577]. Baton Rouge, LA: Centaur Records.

Hoekman, T. (2012) “There Was a Lover and Her Lad.” [Recorded by Peavler, R., Shrut, A., & Deeter, A.] On From the Heartland [CD: Albany Records-TR1349]. Albany, NY: Albany Records.

Translations

Deeter, A., (in progress) New English translation, A German Requiem by Johannes Brahms.

Peer-Reviewed Book Publications

Deeter, A., & Peavler, R. (2014). The Mélodies of Francis Poulenc: A Study Guide. New York: Scarecrow Press. 

Peer-Reviewed Journal Publications

Deeter, Alissa, and Miriam van Mersbergen. 2014. "Busting the Myth: The Real Scoop on Tea." Journal Of Singing 70, no. 3: 309-319.

Deeter, Alissa. 2013. "Tennis Ball Massage to Alleviate Trigger Point Pain." Journal Of Singing 70, no. 2: 157-163.

Deeter, Alissa. 2006. "Understanding Massage: How Massage Therapy Can Enhance Self-Care and Vocal Health." Journal Of Singing 62, no. 5: 541-545.

Deeter, Alissa Walters, and Robert Peavler. 2008. "Studio Class-New Directions: Teach Teaching for Studio Class Success."Journal Of Singing 65, no. 1: 37-39.

Deeter, Alissa Walters. 2005. "Overlooked and Undermining: A Look into Some of the Causes, Effects, and Preventatives to the Dysfunctions Generated by Excessive Tension." Journal Of Singing 62, no. 1: 27-31.

Peer-Reviewed Conference Presentations

Deeter, A., & Peavler, R. (2015) The Gender Gap in Francis Poulenc's Mélodies. Lecture Recital presented at the College of Music Society 2015 International Conference in Scandanavia, Helsinki, Finland.

Deeter, A., & Peavler, R. (2015) The Gender Gap in Francis Poulenc's Mélodies. Lecture Recital presented at the 2015 College of Music Society 2015 Great Lakes Regional Conference, Lansing, MI.

Deeter, A. (2015) Tennis Ball Massage to Alleviate Trigger Points. Workshop presented at the National Opera Association’s 60th Annual National Convention, Greensboro, NC.

Deeter, A., Dragon, D., & Murray, E. (2014) Somatic Education, Embodied Learning, and Multimodality: Interdisciplinary Collaborations. Paper presented at the National Dance Educators Organization’s 16th Annual National Conference, Chicago, IL.

Deeter, A., & Spano, F. (2013). Teachers of Voice: Identifying Roles & Defining Boundaries. Paper presented at the Specialty Training Symposium hosted by the National Center for Voice & Speech, Salt Lake City, UT.

Deeter, A., & Van Mersbergen-Gleesen, M. (2009) Therapy Techniques for Tongue Tension. Session presented to the Greater Milwaukee Chapter of the Voice Foundation Annual Meeting, Milwaukee, WI.

Deeter, A., & Cookman, S. (2008). Combining Therapeutic Approaches for Muscle Tension Dysphonia. Paper presented at the University of California–San Francisco Voice Conference, San Francisco, CA.

Deeter, A. (2006). Tongue Tied? Massage and Manipulation Techniques to Manage Tongue-based Tension. Paper & workshop presented at the University of California – San Francisco Voice Conference, San Francisco, CA.

Deeter, A. (2005). Therapeutic Massage as a Means to Vocal Health. Paper presented at the University of California–San Francisco Voice Conference, San Francisco, CA.

Deeter, A. (2005). Massage Therapy Techniques to Solve Vocal Problems. Workshop presented at the University of California–San Francisco Voice Conference, San Francisco, CA.

Deeter, A. (2002). Tension: Overlooked & Undermining. Paper presented at Missouri Music Educators Association, Tan-Tar-A, MO. 

Walters, A (1999) Therapeutic Massage & its Benefits for Vocalists. Session & workshop presented at the National Association of Teachers of Singing Vocal Pedagogy Workshop, Baton Rouge, LA.