My career is a unique blend of musical and administrative experience. Known primarily as a collaborative pianist/organist and teacher, I "added another keyboard" in 2019, transitioning from an established career in music to an administrative position at a non-profit foundation. Although my daily workplace, schedule, and job description changed, the organizational skills required, my personal values, and my commitment to our consistent brand of excellence, integrity, and care for people remained the same. In fact, assisting my supervisor and other staff in an administrative capacity was surprisingly similar to supporting choral directors, vocal and instrumental students, and faculty colleagues as an accompanist! (for further details, see below*)

Prior to my career shift, for 10 years, I was regularly engaged as a self-employed musician/independent contractor by colleges, schools, music academies, and churches as a collaborative pianist/organist and private and group piano instructor. For 14 years, I was an Instructor and the Staff Accompanist at Providence College, where I taught group Piano classes for non-Music majors and adults, and accompanied all student recitals and three choral ensembles.

A patient and encouraging music teacher and collaborator, I offer instruction in Beginning Piano/Music Fundamentals and Sibelius notation software, which I use for my own compositions and arrangements. I provide transcription services for musicians needing high-quality printed scores for publication or performance. For vocalists or instrumentalists, I also make digital accompaniment tracks for rehearsal or performance.

Even during my most 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 14 albums of original songs and arrangements and created Paraclete Collaborative, a website for my music and blog.

I invite you to visit, listen, enjoy, subscribe, and share!

www.paracletecollaborative.com

*After effectively working as a Virtual Assistant for more than half of those four years, I am equipped to offer remote help to individuals, couples, families, and seniors with email and calendar management, online document and file organization, basic budget setup, and record-keeping, travel research, or assistance navigating computer programs. Self-motivated, proactive, and detail-oriented, I specialize in start-to-finish projects and can assist self-employed/small business owners and non-profit organizations in establishing and streamlining systems for greater productivity, digital filing and organization, database management, editing, and proofreading. Intuitive, and a supportive team member, I am fluent in Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, Teams, and the standard online meeting platforms, and have a facility for learning new applications and programs as needed. In addition, my long-term experience as a music instructor has also proven to be transferrable when training others in Microsoft Office applications, GivingData (grants management system), and general administrative skills. Please use the contact form to request Virtual/Personal Assistant services.

About: Services

Elizabeth Norfrey

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 love for people. 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, and through my friendships with native Spanish speakers from several countries.

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 and earned a second bachelor's degree and then a master's degree in Music. 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.

Through my 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 nine years with an online tutoring company, I have completed over 4,500 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.

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. While unpacking and practicing grammar concepts, we also highlight the long-term benefits of learning a second language. My specialty in Medical Spanish has come from a desire to equip medical professionals to directly communicate with their patients. Through my work as a medical interpreter and a bilingual assistant to therapists, I witnessed firsthand the value of the ability to speak with patients in their native language. My students of Conversational Spanish have experienced marked improvement in their ability to communicate. 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.

Music Theory can be an intimidating subject for many gifted, artistic musicians. Using the same teaching approach, I proceed systematically, while encouraging the student, relating concepts to familiar music. My experience as a voice teacher is valuable for students of Ear Training, enabling them to reproduce with their voice the tones that they hear. 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.

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!

About: Services