Blair School of Music was honored to recently host the fifth biennial Roger Vignoles Mentoring Program for Young Professional Vocal Coaches. Four emerging vocal coaches and four Blair voice students were selected to attend several days of instructional sessions with the acclaimed Vignoles, which included a special master class event in Blair’s Ingram Hall.
Roger Vignoles, a globally lauded pianist and accompanist, has performed with many of the world’s most beloved singers and instrumentalists — Kiri Te Kanawa, Thomas Allen, Anne Sofie von Otter, Thomas Hampson, and Joshua Bell, to name just a few — and his recordings have received international awards.
“I first met Roger Vignoles in 2012, when he came to work with student singer/pianist teams,” said Jennifer McGuire, Blair principal senior lecturer in collaborative piano, who organized the program. “I was a young coach at the time, and knew I needed some professional development. As I watched him work, I thought ‘that is the kind of teacher I want to be.’ He is present, kind, and cares about the student and the integrity of the music. Roger is truly a gift to the musical world!”
Participants in the 2025 Mentoring Program included vocal coaches Maggie Hinchliffe (Texas), Lauren Koszyk (Texas), Jiyeon Lee (Illinois), and Steven Naylor (Indiana). Blair voice students attending were Viji Burma (Georgia), Katie Ledford (Tennessee), Pierce Pearson (Maryland), and Evan Stuart (Ohio).
First hosted in 2014, the Roger Vignoles Mentoring series is made possible by the L. Michelson, B.Mus ’11, Fund for Collaborative Teaching and Performing.
Photos: John Amis / Vanderbilt University