About Liz

Liz Townsend is a vocalist, band leader, voice instructor, arranger, and clinician in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Liz is well-versed in many vocal styles including jazz, classical, musical theatre, and pop. She is the jazz voice professor at Kalamazoo College, on voice faculty at Southwestern Michigan College, and is serving as the Interim Professor of Jazz Voice at Western Michigan University (WMU) this fall while Greg Jasperse is on sabbatical.

Liz released her debut single, "Bye Bye Blackbird" this past February. She performs regularly, including as a soloist with the Lansing Symphony Orchestra and at the 2022 Edison Jazz Festival. She recently presented on vocal jazz at the Michigan Music Conference and has been invited as a guest clinician to work with collegiate and high school choirs across the state. Her arrangements have been featured on reading sessions including at the American Choral Directors Association National Conference and the Jazz Education Network Conference. Liz has had the opportunity to work with many esteemed musicians and pedagogues including Ben Folds, Michael Mayo, Marci Rosenberg, Tom Burke, Catherine Adams Walker, Lisa Thorson, and Matt Falker as well as the members of säje, New York Voices and the world-class faculty at Western Michigan University. She has additional training through Maddie Tarbox's Vocal Function 101 and Estill Voice Training and has completed all three levels of Somatic Voicework™ - The LoVetri Method.

Liz completed her Masters of Music in Jazz Vocal Performance at WMU where she studied with Greg Jasperse. During her time in graduate school she directed GCII, the beginning vocal jazz ensemble in the Gold Company program. She also holds a Bachelor's degree in Choral Music Education from WMU where she studied classical voice with Dr. Rhea Olivaccé. Liz is a member of the Jazz Education Network (JEN), National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS), The Voice Foundation, and Pi Kappa Lambda National Music Honor Society.