Kathy Sankey

Kathy Sankey studied five years with Eileen Manzin, a Juillard graduate from Beverly Johnson's studio; she also studied with Tonne-Broe Parkin of the Danish Opera, and recently completed a course in Voice Movement Therapy with Paul Newham in London, England, exploring creative techniques for opening the natural voice.

A Master of Science in occupational therapy, Kathy created the VoiceWorks studio in 1998 to incorporate her wide expertise in occupational therapy with teaching vocal technique, using the Voice Movement Therapy method. She teaches out of her home in Ballard, as well as on Vashon Island, and has instructed students at Seattle Pacific University and the Creative Theatre Artists academy.

In addition, she is a piano accompanist for vocal soloists, instrumentalists, and small groups, and previously accompanied voice students for lessons and juries at the Boulder School of Music in Boulder, Colorado. Currently, she is the staff accompanist and soloist at a Seattle church.

A founding member of Ars Nova Chamber Singers, an internationally acclaimed chorus from Boulder, she has also been a member of the Boulder Bach Festival Choir 1986-89, under the direction of Margaret Hillis of the Chicago Symphony Chorale (among others). She was also a founding member of the City Singers, a professional singing group in Seattle, and has performed numerous solos for churches, weddings, and benefit recitals in the Seattle area.

Kathy is a gifted pianist and accompanist; currently, she performs in the Northwest Chamber Chorus, a 40-voice choir; Canzonetta, an a capella close-harmony group; and The Sisters. With Philharmonia Northwest, Kathy recently performed for the compact disk production of Mendelsohn's Lobgesang, under the direction of Roupen Shakarian. She recently took in a rescue dog, Harriet, and relaxes by gardening and creating costumes for the Sisters.