Opera

 

Stephanie inhabits her stage characters with vividness and tenderness—and a good dose of humor. Past roles have included Cherubino (Le Nozze di Figaro), Gretel (Hänsel und Gretel), Zerlina (Don Giovanni), and Papagena (Die Zauberflöte). A lover of the magical worlds that opera creates, Stephanie considers it a privilege to sing the stories of people whose voices are often silenced or forgotten, shining their light and compassionately wrestling with their darkness.

Voice Lessons

 

Stephanie maintains a private voice studio with singers of varied experience levels, ages, and genres. Stephanie’s aim is to help singers find vocal freedom and joy in their singing.

  • I am continually amazed by the voice. Each person is like no other, changing and growing by the day — and so is their voice. Singing is a powerful path towards self-discovery and exploring what we’re capable of. Voice lessons also teach discipline, allow one to express oneself more freely, and are just plain fun!  My own music teachers were essential to my growth as a musician and a person. As a teacher myself, I strive to help my students grow in technique and musicianship, but my deepest hope is for my students to find their true voice, to be brave and use it, and to shine! Whatever your experience or your goals, I aim to create a brave space for you to play, explore, and express yourself.

  • Curious about lessons for yourself or a family member? I invite you to schedule a 45-minute trial lesson. This is an opportunity for me to learn about your hopes and goals, for you to learn about my teaching style, and to walk through a sample lesson to see if we might be a good fit for one another.

    I also offer voice lesson packages for folks dipping their toes in for the first time; artists who have a specific goal they wish to work on; or busy persons with limited availability.

    Lessons are paid for on a weekly or monthly basis, mutually agreed upon by the family and teacher. To make lessons as accessible as possible, I offer a sliding scale. Please inquire by email if you would like to learn more about remuneration, cancellation policies, and more.

  • “Stephanie has been great for me! She is passionate and encouraging and alway makes me feel good about what I’m doing and this builds in me a confidence to explore what I can really do. She is always attentive to what I’m doing and always explains in a very easy way why we are doing it.” — Jana, 22

    “Stephanie has been wonderful with my daughter. They definitely made a connection quickly. Stephanie is an incredible talent and I am so fortunate to have found her. Most of all, she's warm, caring. She really got to know and understand my child quickly.” — Mother of Luka, 14

    “Stephanie is a wonderful voice instructor! I can already notice a significant difference in the way I approach singing. She allows you to bring your goals to the table and meets you exactly where you're at. Her price is beyond reasonable and she has been nothing but responsive and punctual. Definitely give the trial lesson a shot, you will not regret it!” — John, 25

    “I’ve wanted to take voice lessons for many years. I was a student teacher once and had to sing with the third graders and they laughed. Ever since then I really haven’t sung, though I wanted to. Stephanie moved next-door and offered to give me voice lessons. She was great. We did it for a couple of months and then there was a get-together of musicians where she was living. We practiced a song and then in front of about 20 people, I sang! I will definitely keep my day job, but Stephanie helped me to be able to put a checkmark on one of my many bucket lists.” — Paul, septuagenarian

    "When I went to Stephanie for voice lessons, I already knew a little something about how to sing. But while I knew how to do the notes right, I didn’t know how to express myself with a spirit of freedom or joy. Stephanie opened the door for me to discover who I am and can become as a singer. Now I feel I can embody the songs I’ve started to write.” — Deborah, quinquagenarian

  • Don’t be shy to reach out with your curiosities and questions!

Student performances with LB Music School, Medford, MA

Masterclass in England

Masterclass at Goshen College

Performance Projects

 

Sonic Blossom at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Boston, MA

Performance projects outside of the theater have included intimate and interactive recitals of art song and musical theater; Sonic Blossom, an art exhibit at the Isabella Stewart Gardener Museum, exploring the gifting of song; Songful Artists, an innovative a cappella group performing both classic and contemporary arrangements of winter holiday favorites across the Greater Boston area; and Music Street, bringing high quality Classical music performances to audiences at Rosie’s Place, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospitals, retirement homes, and more.

Spiritual Care

 

Stephanie has over a decade of experience of leadership in church and worship spaces. Between 2016 and 2024 she served the Mennonite Congregation of Boston in various capacities, led monthly Taizé services of prayer and contemplation with the Swedenborg Chapel in Harvard Square, and served as Song Leader with Hillside Community Church in Medford, MA.

In May of 2024 Stephanie completed a Master of Divinity degree from Harvard Divinity School, where she trained as a chaplain and explored the intersection between music and spiritual care. Learn about her thesis project, a one-act chamber musical entitled At Love’s Hearth, below.

Crossover

 

Folk music is literally “music of the people,” and Stephanie has found joy discovering the strong community spirit that lives in these traditions. She works closely with UK-renowned singer-songwriter Luke Concannon (Nizlopi) with whom she tours, records and hosts workshops. She appears on Luke’s albums In the Sea and Ecstatic Bird in the Burning, and an album forthcoming in 2025.

A talented harmony writer and interpreter of songs, Stephanie also records vocals (topline and harmonies) for artists seeking help on their projects. Inquire here or via SoundBetter to discuss how she might help bring your project to life.

At Love's Hearth

 

At Love’s Hearth, an original one-act chamber musical, weaves together themes of joy, grief, and human connection. This project was originally crafted in fulfillment of Stephanie’s Master of Divinity thesis at Harvard Divinity School. Performed as a concert piece in March 2024, the rehearsal process also explored the intersection of music and spiritual care.

Music can be wildly healing and transcendent, helping audiences make meaning; hold grief and terror; touch beauty and joy; and reconnect to a sense of Something Greater in the midst of inner and outer chaos. Musicians thus often find themselves (whether they know it or not) in a priestly role, ushering audiences into and through experiences of beauty and transcendence. In a culture that has privatized expressions of spirituality, how do we support musicians in this sacred work? How do musicians stay grounded in their own sense of what’s meaningful so that they can continue the generous and generative work of music-making and performing, particularly in a culture that underfunds and undervalues artists’ work? At Love’s Hearth envisions a world in which the skills of chaplains are available not only in hospitals, at hospice bedsides and on college campuses, but to artists and in all spaces where work of the soul can be found.

Synopsis: Tragedy strikes on Rosie’s sixth birthday when her mother, Rachel, falls ill. As the family gathers around the hospital bed, reeling as they try to metabolize the situation, a visitor slips in and offers a simple but profound gift. Inspired by a true story.

Music by Stephanie Hollenberg and Singaporean composer Jonathan Shin. Libretto by Stephanie Hollenberg. Scored for voices and string quartet.

Excerpts from At Love’s Hearth: “Come Home” (Hannah Meloy) and “Rosie’s Song” (Justine Boonstra).