Maria Svan
Finnish-American soprano Maria Svan has performed in Finland, United States, Greece and Italy. Svan has also sang in many stage productions including Mefistofele (Boito) and Aida (Verdi) in the Savonlinna Opera Festival choir in 2008.
She was the assistant stage director for the opera Kitusuon Sofia in 2017 in the art city of Mänttä-Vilppula (Panula & Jantsikene, dir. Tapio Parkkinen) and sang the roles of Miina Kitusuo and the Orenburgian Bird soprano. Svan has coached singers in theaters, such as Heinähattu, Vilttitossu ja Rubensin veljekset at the Kokkola City Theater in 2005 and musical Virgo in Jämsä 2012.
Her vocal studies began at Northern Michigan University in 2002, continued with Sirkka Haavisto at Centria University of Applied Sciences graduating with a degree in music pedagogy in 2007, and with Turkka Manninen at Jyväskylä University of Applied Sciences.
She was the assistant stage director for the opera Kitusuon Sofia in 2017 in the art city of Mänttä-Vilppula (Panula & Jantsikene, dir. Tapio Parkkinen) and sang the roles of Miina Kitusuo and the Orenburgian Bird soprano. Svan has coached singers in theaters, such as Heinähattu, Vilttitossu ja Rubensin veljekset at the Kokkola City Theater in 2005 and musical Virgo in Jämsä 2012.
Her vocal studies began at Northern Michigan University in 2002, continued with Sirkka Haavisto at Centria University of Applied Sciences graduating with a degree in music pedagogy in 2007, and with Turkka Manninen at Jyväskylä University of Applied Sciences.
After her formal training she studied with Margareta Haverinen and Jaakko Ryhänen. Since 2019 she has studied in the Belcanto Academy master classes in Finland and in the full year opera training programs of the Belcanto Academy in Trentino, Italy with Francesca Micarelli, Massimo Lambertini and William Matteuzzi.
Maria’s repertoire includes roles such as: Lucia (Lucia di Lammermoor, Donizetti), Gilda (Rigoletto, Verdi), Violetta (La Traviata, Verdi), Medora (Il Corsaro, Verdi), Susanna (Le nozze di Figaro, Mozart), Aminta (Il Re Pastore, Mozart) Amina, (La Sonnambula, Bellini) Giulietta (I Capuleti e I Montecchi). She also enjoys performing 20th century Lied music. Due to her background as a Church musician / substitute organist she has a wide repertoire
Maria’s repertoire includes roles such as: Lucia (Lucia di Lammermoor, Donizetti), Gilda (Rigoletto, Verdi), Violetta (La Traviata, Verdi), Medora (Il Corsaro, Verdi), Susanna (Le nozze di Figaro, Mozart), Aminta (Il Re Pastore, Mozart) Amina, (La Sonnambula, Bellini) Giulietta (I Capuleti e I Montecchi). She also enjoys performing 20th century Lied music. Due to her background as a Church musician / substitute organist she has a wide repertoire
of sacred music.
Svan graduated from the University of Jyväskylä (2011) with master's thesis in the psychophysiology of voice teaching. She is a Dance-movement Therapist (2014) from Eino Roiha -Institute's four-year program, and keeps her specialization in somatic methods, psychophysiology and wellness up to date by continuing to take courses.
Since 2004 Maria has been teaching voice students and movement first in Karstula Adult Education Centre (later AEC) and Saarijärvi AEC, where she was in charge of organizing all the music training 2007-2012. Later also at Orivesi region and Jämsä AEC:s (2011-2018), Autere AEC (2012-2018) and Orivesi College of Arts (2012-2013).
In 2017 she was cofounder of the online voice coaching service aanikurssit.fi . Since 2013 she has been a freelancer singer / voice teacher, a somatic methods, embodiment, psychophysiology coach and done workshop tours on fascial release self-help techniques through her business MBody. Her somatic wellness blog MBody.info has over 350 000 views per year and more than 30 000 readers get her email newsletter with videos and instructions for holistic wellbeing.
Maria is an intuitive teacher and coach who has gained recognition for being able to help singers work through mental and physical blocks prohibiting the free flow of their authentic voice and expression. For those who are interested in working with Maria, feel free to contact her and ask more.