Marita Stryker is an Assistant Professor of Music (Contemporary Voice and Musical Theatre) at St. Olaf College, PAVA-recognized Vocologist, and movement specialist. After a long and varied career on the stage, her teaching brings together a passion for contemporary singing styles, accessible voice science, and the mind-body connection that keeps the artist balanced, aware, and receptive. Prior to St. Olaf, Marita was the founding voice teacher for the Contemporary Musicianship and Entrepreneur Development program at Shenandoah Conservatory. She has also held positions at Oklahoma City University and Senzoku Gakuen College of Music in Tokyo. She is the Vocal Director for Texas Arts Project, and has presented papers and workshops at the The Voice Foundation Symposium, the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS), Musical Theatre Educators Alliance (MTEA), Texas Thespian State Festival, and the Pan-American Vocology Association (PAVA). Her research explores how to best support singers navigating chronic conditions such as hypermobility and postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) in both the voice studio and rehearsal. She also has interest in the landscape of musical theatre across the world and translation practices.
As an award-winning performer, credits include the national tour of John Doyle’s Sweeney Todd, where she was a swing for Johanna, the Beggar Woman, and Pirelli (playing cello and flute), and other favorite roles including Chess (Florence), The Last Five Years (Cathy), Crazy for You (Polly), Evita (Peron’s Mistress), The Who’s Tommy (Gypsy/Acid Queen), Charlie Brown (Lucy), Oklahoma (Laurey), Oliver (playing Bet to Stephanie J. Block’s Nancy). She has had the pleasure of performing with Music Theatre Wichita, Zach Theatre, Austin Playhouse, Austin Musical Theatre, Zilker Theatre Productions, and The State Theatre, and spent many years traveling the world as a Lead Singer on Celebrity and Holland America Cruise Lines.
Marita holds degrees from Oklahoma City University (BM and MM), where she studied with the legendary Florence Birdwell, and a DMA in Voice Pedagogy (Voice Science) from Shenandoah Conservatory. She is an active member of National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS Intern 2022), Music Theatre Educators Alliance, Pan-American Vocology Association, The Voice Foundation, and Actors Equity Association. In addition to her collegiate studio, she maintains a small virtual voice studio with working artists in New York City, Austin, LA, and Tokyo. For more information, please visit www.bodymindvoice.studio and www.maritastryker.com