David Norfrey
Virtual Assistant (small businesses/non-profit organizations)
GivingData Grants Management System (foundations)
Personal Assistant (individuals)
Coaching/Training (administrative staff)
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B. Mus., Oberlin Conservatory
M. Mus., Westminster Choir College
Elizabeth Norfrey
Academic Spanish (high school/college)
Music Theory, Ear Training, and Music History
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B. A., Spanish, University of Albany, SUNY
B. Mus., M. Mus., Westminster Choir College
My vocational life has encompassed a unique blend of musical and non-profit administrative experiences. In 2019, I pivoted from an established career as a collaborative pianist/organist and teacher to an administrative role (adding another keyboard!) at a private foundation. While the workplace, schedule, and job description were new, my organizational skills and personal commitment to excellence, integrity, and care for people were transferable. Assisting my supervisor and other staff in an administrative capacity was quite similar to supporting choral directors, vocal and instrumental students, and faculty colleagues as an accompanist!
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As Grants Administration Assistant for four years, my main responsibility was the organization and accuracy of all program-related documents and information within our GivingData online grants management system. Having effectively worked as a Virtual Assistant for more than half of that time, I am equipped to offer remote and in-person administrative help to non-profit organizations and foundations or small businesses, arts-related or otherwise, as well as individuals. In 2023, when we founded DavidnEliz.com, I coordinated and designed the website, and continue with its oversight and upkeep.
Self-motivated, proactive, and detail-oriented by nature, I specialize in start-to-finish projects, and can assist with:
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establishing and streamlining systems for greater productivity and increased efficiency
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digital filing and organization
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database/calendar/email management
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editing and proofreading
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basic budget setup
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travel research
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other household details
Fluent in Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, Teams, and the standard online meeting platforms, I have a facility for learning new applications and programs as needed. As a supportive team member and an experienced and patient teacher, I am available for training/on-boarding administrative staff in Microsoft Office applications, GivingData, and general administrative skills.
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For 10 years prior to my career shift, I was a self-employed musician/independent contractor, regularly engaged by colleges, schools, music academies, and churches as a collaborative pianist/organist and private and group piano instructor. Before launching my own business, I was an Instructor and the Staff Accompanist at Providence College for 14 years, where I taught group Piano classes for non-Music majors and adults, and accompanied all student recitals and three choral ensembles.*
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During this more recent season of administrative employment, music has continued to be an integral part of my life. Using Sibelius notation and Studio One recording software to print scores and record all vocal/instrumental tracks, I have released 15 albums of original songs and arrangements, and created Paraclete Collaborative, a website for my music, blog, and audiobooks. I invite you to visit, listen, enjoy, subscribe, and share! (www.paracletecollaborative.com)
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*Additional Music services
I offer instruction in Beginning Piano/Music Fundamentals and Sibelius notation software, which I use for my own compositions and arrangements. I also provide transcription services for musicians needing high-quality printed scores for publication or performance, and prepare digital rehearsal or performance accompaniment tracks for vocalists or instrumentalists. Please use the contact form for more information.​​
My expertise as a Spanish language and Music tutor/teacher is built on the firm foundation of excellent education, extensive experience in both fields, and a love for people.
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Spanish language and culture were part of my growing-up years, as my mother was a Spanish teacher by profession. My B.A. in Spanish included one year of study abroad in Madrid, Spain. I have maintained near-native fluency through my work as a teacher, tutor, freelance medical interpreter, and assistant counselor for Latino families, as well as through friendships with native Spanish speakers from various countries, and through travel. In 2024-25, David and I spent over eight months on a journey of "slow travel" - spending extended time in four different Spanish-speaking countries: Spain, the Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, and Ecuador. It was an invaluable experience of continuing education in the variations in language and culture as we lived among the locals for weeks or months in each location.
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As a tutor of Academic Spanish, I encourage and empower both struggling and motivated high school and college students to improve their skills, confidence, and grades, highlighting the long-term benefits of learning a second language. For adults, through my specialty in Medical Spanish, I equip medical professionals to communicate directly with their patients. In 2024, I taught a 12-session online course to a group of Rheumatology Fellows at the University of California at Irvine School of Medicine. I also offer all levels of Conversational Spanish to help adult students communicate while traveling or interacting with friends, family, and business associates. For all students, I incorporate practice in all four language areas: input (listening, reading) and output (speaking, writing). I am fully bilingual in English and Spanish and have also studied French, Portuguese, Italian, and Latin, allowing me to make comparisons between Spanish and the other Romance languages for students with prior experience in those languages.
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Music lessons and participation in choirs were also central to my childhood, youth, and early adulthood. After working in international business for a few years, I returned to school to study Music, earning bachelor’s and master’s degrees. Both programs included excellent training, professional performing experiences, and teaching methods/techniques courses. For many years, I was a choral director and private voice and piano teacher, training singers and musicians of all levels of ability. I have also designed and led workshops in vocal/choral techniques and music appreciation: original seminars that link music history, compositional elements, and texts, enhancing the experiences of both listeners and performers.
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When tutoring students in Music Theory, an intimidating subject for many gifted, artistic musicians, I proceed systematically, while encouraging the student, relating concepts to familiar music. We use the piano keyboard to visualize and build intervals, scales, and chords. In Music History, we compare trends in art, architecture, and culture of the period and look at the biographical information on composers, their influencers, and their contributions to style trends.
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Through my many years of helping students of Spanish and Music, I have honed the ability to break down and explain concepts clearly and sequentially while making the learning experience enjoyable and personalized to the individual's interests, goals, and learning style. Following each lesson, I provide links to online practice exercises, articles, and videos related to that lesson. Over the past eleven+ years with an online tutoring company, I have completed over 5,500 hours and earned a 5-star rating. Students of both subjects describe me as “knowledgeable,” “patient,” “encouraging,” and "the best." They feel free to ask questions and build their skills in a non-intimidating setting, excelling beyond their expectations. The reviews posted here on DavidnEliz.com are from adult, college, and high school students whom I have tutored through WyzAnt, Inc.​
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It would be my joy to share my love and knowledge of both Spanish and Music with you, wherever you are in your journey and wherever you are in the world!