Courtney Bowles
Jan 31, 2009 04:00PM ● By Super Admin
In fifth grade Courtney Bowles just wanted to hang out with her friends. They joined the choir, so she tagged along. Before she knew it, her natural talent had caught the eye of the choir director and Bowles was asked to sing a solo for a school event. At such a young age, this normally shy girl found her voice and her life’s passion.
“Singing is natural for me,” Bowles says. “It’s not just something that I do, it’s who I am.” And it continues to be effortless and fun for her. She made up her mind in high school that singing was going to be her lifelong career. She majored in Vocal Performance at San Diego State and graduated with a Bachelor’s degree. After completing her intense study she returned home to El Dorado Hills. She now sings for weddings, funerals, and performs concerts in the local area. “Although singing at funerals is difficult,” she explains, “it feels good helping families find a sense of peace.”
While formally trained as a lyric soprano and opera singer, she wants to focus more on a mix of classical and pop music, like popular singer Josh Groban. “I want to use my voice to touch people.” Bowles says. She feels it is important to connect personally with every song, so that the listener feels the meaning of the lyrics. “Music is always changing,” she explains, “but the one thing that remains constant is the raw emotion that comes [out] through it.”
Bowles does not advertise and relies on word-of-mouth referrals to get singing jobs. So, to supplement her income she teaches singing part-time. She loves to share the secrets to healthy and better singing in hopes that her students can enjoy singing forever. She also promotes fun and comfort with their voices, and themselves. “I want each of my students,” Bowles says, “to have a wonderful mental image of themselves.”
One student, sixth grader Haley Tangen, loves singing with Bowles. “Practicing with Courtney,” Tangen says, “is one of my most favorite after school activities.” A student at St. John Notre Dame School in Folsom, Tangen says Bowles is teaching her to sing “right,” showing her breathing exercises and helping her to prepare for auditions. “I look forward to our sessions very much,” Tangen explains.
One of Bowles’ voice teachers, Mary MacKenzie, is an accomplished singer and has performed at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City. She knew Bowles had an extraordinary gift. “I found Courtney to be an exceptional talent and I am not surprised to see her start her professional career at such an early age,” MacKenzie says. “Her amazing ability to connect to the song emotionally enhances an audience’s appreciation of the performance.”
Bowles also works as a waitress, but knows it is just temporary and is not where she will end up. “I’m okay with not being famous right now,” she admits, “as long as I get to perform the music I love.”
For more information on the artist or to hear her music, visit courtneybowles.com.
“Singing is natural for me,” Bowles says. “It’s not just something that I do, it’s who I am.” And it continues to be effortless and fun for her. She made up her mind in high school that singing was going to be her lifelong career. She majored in Vocal Performance at San Diego State and graduated with a Bachelor’s degree. After completing her intense study she returned home to El Dorado Hills. She now sings for weddings, funerals, and performs concerts in the local area. “Although singing at funerals is difficult,” she explains, “it feels good helping families find a sense of peace.”
While formally trained as a lyric soprano and opera singer, she wants to focus more on a mix of classical and pop music, like popular singer Josh Groban. “I want to use my voice to touch people.” Bowles says. She feels it is important to connect personally with every song, so that the listener feels the meaning of the lyrics. “Music is always changing,” she explains, “but the one thing that remains constant is the raw emotion that comes [out] through it.”
Bowles does not advertise and relies on word-of-mouth referrals to get singing jobs. So, to supplement her income she teaches singing part-time. She loves to share the secrets to healthy and better singing in hopes that her students can enjoy singing forever. She also promotes fun and comfort with their voices, and themselves. “I want each of my students,” Bowles says, “to have a wonderful mental image of themselves.”
One student, sixth grader Haley Tangen, loves singing with Bowles. “Practicing with Courtney,” Tangen says, “is one of my most favorite after school activities.” A student at St. John Notre Dame School in Folsom, Tangen says Bowles is teaching her to sing “right,” showing her breathing exercises and helping her to prepare for auditions. “I look forward to our sessions very much,” Tangen explains.
One of Bowles’ voice teachers, Mary MacKenzie, is an accomplished singer and has performed at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City. She knew Bowles had an extraordinary gift. “I found Courtney to be an exceptional talent and I am not surprised to see her start her professional career at such an early age,” MacKenzie says. “Her amazing ability to connect to the song emotionally enhances an audience’s appreciation of the performance.”
Bowles also works as a waitress, but knows it is just temporary and is not where she will end up. “I’m okay with not being famous right now,” she admits, “as long as I get to perform the music I love.”
For more information on the artist or to hear her music, visit courtneybowles.com.