SPIRIT LIVE

Carolyn “Amala” Viola’s musical journey has been richly vast and varied. She is a Music for People graduate of both the Music Leadership and Musicianship programs. She joyfully proclaims, “Finding Music for People, where spirit, breath, body, and intention, are core to the practice, was like a second home coming!” Since 2007, when performing, recording, coaching, or facilitating workshops, she has delighted in spreading the connection of sound healing joy, ease, and freedom through music improvisation in all styles to communities young and young at heart. It is her life’s work in the world to honor the sound self in us all: musicians and non-musician alike!  

Amala began her professional work after graduating with a concentration in operatic studies and musical theatre from The College of New Jersey. She performed numerous roles with The NJ Trenton Civic Opera Company and The Bucks County Playhouse, in New Hope, PA. She taught K-8 vocal music and drama for several years in NJ public and private schools. After the birth of her two daughters, she continued coaching private voice and drama from her home studio, Mountain Point, incorporating her training as a Kripalu Yoga Instructor and Trager Psychophysical Release Practitioner into her work; two fundamental practices which continue to enhance the artistic facilitation of her musicianship as well as her students’ growth as performing artists. Amala taught the very first holistic classes: Relaxation and Yoga for the Performing Artist, Yoga for the Practice Room, and Breath Awareness for Balance and Stress Relief, at Westminster Choir College, Princeton, NJ and at the Mason Gross School of the Performing Arts, Rutgers University. In 1997 she founded the Amwell Community Troupe, a multigenerational musical theatre company, directing original and Broadway shows. She toured with the Sanskrit Chanting and Kirtan Ensemble, The Enchanters, until 1999 when she became the enlivened vocal soloist for Princeton’s Dance Improv Live! band. Here, improvisational music in the moment synergistically inspires the dancers to move and be moved, as the musicians create their inspired sound by visually connecting to the dancers release! For ten years she conducted the United First Presbyterian Church Choir and Chime Choir, and served as Coordinator for both the Mercer and Hunterdon Counties’ Teen Arts Festivals, serving over 6,000 students. 

Currently, Amala divides her time between her private voice and drama students in Naples, FL and Ringoes, NJ, where she also facilitates musical improv gatherings for children and adults, and Spirit LIVE Jams for improvisational musicians and dancers in several cities en route! She leads Kirtan at the Circle of Miracles in New Britan, PA, Mount Eden Retreat Center in Washington, NJ and is recording spiritually inspired original music in her home studio, Mountain Point in Ringoes, NJ and with the SW FL Community Kirtan Wallahs, in Naples, FL. Please feel free to open a dialog, post your work, book a workshop, or even Skype a lesson, through her on Facebook site, by sending a friend request to Carolyn Viola. In her words, “It is an honor to open the sound door of authentic improvisational music techniques and sound healing for people everywhere! Together we promote Self-Expression at it’s BEST: a tried and true pathway to foster lifelong learning, health, and well being! 

I Love Trusting the Unknown to Sing Forth My Truth in the Moment!

>>>>PLEASE JOIN ME: 

Come explore a Sound Improvisational Journey: AWAKEN Your Story In Your Music!”