I worked with Karen Wieland for many years in the programs at St. Joseph’s Collegiate Institute, as well as an affiliate, friend, and advisor, when I was teaching at the State University of New York at Buffalo and Niagara University, and when I was working in professional and semi-professional theater in Buffalo. Paraphrasing the words of opera singer Nadine Asher Washington, who workshopped with Karen’s students at St. Joe’s in 1990, Karen is the best teacher she’s known, particularly for young people; all came out in beautiful shape, with varied abilities to sing various genres of music, and with absolutely exceptional technique, freedom, and health. Karen was the vocal coach for the St. Joe’s Swing Choir and for all the musicals I have done (more than twenty). With her work, we (St. Joe’s) became without a doubt the place to go to seek excellence in musical theater voice, in both classical levels, popular levels, and classical literature. Karen is versed in many languages; she can teach the literature necessary in for classical voice in French, Italian, German, Spanish, Latin, and English. She has an expertise in both the natural singing voice, which is used in musical theater singing as well as lieder singing, oratorio singing, and the operatic genre. I would not hesitate to give Karen Wieland, as both a vocal teacher and reading specialist, the highest recommendation.