Lauren White Arthur, Voice Teacher

My name is Lauren White Arthur and I am entering my 16th year of teaching in Round Rock ISD but have maintained a private voice studio since 2004. In addition to Cedar Valley, I also teach at Round Rock High School, Westwood High School, and Chisholm Trail Middle School. I received my undergraduate degree in Vocal Performance from Texas Tech University and my Masters’ degree in Opera Performance from The New England Conservatory of Music. In addition to teaching, I regularly perform with Chorus Austin, Austin Opera, and have various solo engagements throughout the year. I am also a cantor/section leader at St. John Neumann Catholic Church. As a teacher, I have had many students successfully participate in the TMEA all-state process, UIL Solo & Ensemble, National Association of Teachers of Singing competitions, as well as a range of other competitions and studio recitals.  Many of my students have gone on to receive various scholarships and awards and gain admission to prestigious universities such as San Francisco Conservatory,  the New England Conservatory of Music, the University of North Texas, and Southern Methodist University.  Whether or not students choose to pursue music into college, children who have studied music tend to excel in many different fields of study. I believe private study contributes to the musical growth as well as personal growth of a student. Therefore, I prepare my students in all aspects of musicality; from sight reading and tone production to dramatic interpretation and performance presentation. Everything the student learns in the voice studio can be directly applied to many other areas of their lives, making them a well-rounded and better human being!  Please feel free to email me if you have any questions at all about private lessons; I will be happy to answer them. I love teaching middle school students and I look forward to hopefully working with you in the future! 

laurenwhite82@gmail.com

Mikaela Pace, Voice Teacher

Ms.Pace is a rising Native American soprano with a passion for performing both operatic and musical theatre repertoire. She was born and raised in Carrollton, TX. She has performed with Red River Lyric Opera, Matador Opera Workshop, Music in the Marche, Baylor Opera Theatre, Texas Tech Opera Theatre, Waco Civic Theatre, Wild Imagings, Lubbock Moonlight Musicals, Lubbock Community Theatre, and more. Ms. Pace has participated in multiple voice competitions. In 2023, she participated with Baylor Opera Theatre in the Robert Hansen Collegiate Opera Scenes Competition and placed 1st in Opera Division II.  In 2022, she was a semi-finalist in the American Pops Orchestra Next Gen Competition. In the 2021 season of the John Alexander Vocal Competition, she was a finalist in both the Opera Student Artist and Musical Theatre Student Artist Categories. Ms. Pace is also the 2nd recipient of the Melody Claire Hall Voice Scholarship (2018) where she had the gracious opportunity to open the second act in the SoCo Women's Chorus concert at Martin Luther Cathedral in Austin, TX. Ms. Pace received her Master of Music degree in Vocal Performance (2023) at Baylor University in Waco, TX and her Bachelor of Music Performance - Voice degree (2021) at Texas Tech University in Lubbock, TX. She has recently moved to the Austin area to be closer to more performance opportunities. To learn more about Ms. Pace and her upcoming engagements, feel free to visit her website at www.mikaelapace.com. 

mikaelap115@gmail.com

Dr. Irida Herri, Voice Teacher

Dr. Irida Herri is an accomplished soprano renowned for her exceptional musicality and

impeccable vocal skills. She has enjoyed a successful career as both a soloist and chamber

musician, performing across the United States, Germany, and Japan. Her repertoire encompasses

a diverse array of operatic roles and solo performances in choral works, cantatas, oratorios, and

masses. Dr. Herri has collaborated with orchestras and choirs around the globe, including the

Baltimore Symphony, Columbia Pro Cantare, Concert Artists of Baltimore, Heidelberg

Bachchor, Theater of Heidelberg, United States Army Europe Band and Chorus, United

States Army Japan Band, Central Texas Philharmonic, and the Metropolitan Opera.

Originally from Albania, Dr. Herri's international journey has shaped her into the

versatile artist and educator she is today. She holds a Doctoral Degree in Vocal Pedagogy

from the University of Texas at Austin, where she also worked as a graduate Teaching

Assistant. Before her time in Austin, she was an ensemble member of the Theater of

Heidelberg in Germany for over a decade and managed a private studio in Germany and Japan,

teaching for over 15 years. She also earned a Master of Music in Opera Performance

from SUNY Purchase Conservatory of Music in New York and a Bachelor of Music in

Vocal Performance from Augusta State University in Georgia.

Dr. Herri is passionate about sharing her knowledge with the next generation of singers. She

emphasizes the importance of healthy singing practices and is committed to helping her students

develop their artistic interpretation, tone quality, and effective learning strategies. With a focus

on a variety of musical styles—ranging from classical to musical theater, jazz, gospel, and

contemporary commercial music—she tailors her approach to meet each student’s individual

preferences and needs, ensuring they feel supported in their musical journey. Additionally, her

fluency in languages like Italian, French, and German allows her to provide valuable guidance in

diction, encouraging her students to express themselves confidently. Dr. Herri’s students have

achieved great success, earning spots in the TMEA All-State and Region choirs, as well as

receiving high scores in state and local Solo and Ensemble competitions.

In Austin, Dr. Herri is deeply involved in a variety of collaborative projects with local

artists, churches, choral groups, and music organizations aiming to foster creative

partnerships and nurture ongoing collaborations within the community.