Founder's Profile at Naperville Music Academy

Founder's Profile

BIOGRAPHY

Dr. Sonja Mihelcic founded Naperville Music Academy, LLC, in 2009, after two decades of individual teaching experience. She received a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in vocal performance from the University of North Texas and a Masters of Music degree in vocal performance from Southern Methodist University. Dr. Mihelcic has been a teacher for the past 36 years, teaching students on elementary, high school, and college levels, as well as adults. In addition to teaching privately in the western suburbs of Chicago, she was on the faculty of Southern Methodist University, University of North Texas and St. Mary’s College. She is a distinguished voice and piano teacher with great expertise in the areas of technique and style, and she continuously studies both disciplines in order to stay current with the latest developments. In vocal music, Dr. Mihelcic is an expert technician in all styles of vocal music and achieves fast and audible results with each student. In piano, Dr. Mihelcic devotes her attention to developing solid technique, musicianship, and a sense of musical style. She tailors her teaching style to the specific needs and goals of each individual student relying on the latest developments in vocal science, and piano pedagogy. In addition to helping her younger students to be accepted and to receive scholarships from some of the most prestigious schools in the country, Dr. Mihelcic helped a number of professional pop, country, classical, rock, folk, and musical theater singers to maximize their vocal potential, and confidently embark upon their professional music careers. Dr. Mihelcic is the creator of syllabi for IMS Annual Exams in voice and piano. Dr. Mihelcic had a 15-year international singing career as a principal soloist, performing on the concert and operatic stages in the USA, Japan, Germany, Slovakia, Mexico, and Serbia. Dr. Mihelcic’s professional singing career included appearances as a principal soloist with the Dallas Opera, Forth Worth Opera, Florentine Opera, Ash Lawn Opera Festival, Pacific Music Festival in Japan, East Slovak National Opera in Slovakia and Belgrade Opera in Serbia. She also appeared as a principal soloist with the South Bend Symphony, San Antonio Symphony, Wichita Symphony, Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra, East Texas Symphony, Downer Grove Choral Society and Northwest Indiana Symphony. She is a member of various professional organizations, and currently serves as the Chair for AIM Voice exams for the State of Illinois. She is on the board of the Naperville Music Teacher Association, and Illinois Music Association. In the past she served on the board of Chicago Chapter NATS, and she is a frequent judge at vocal and piano competitions. Dr. Mihelcic is the author of AIM Voice Exam Syllabus. Naperville Music Academy has special programs offered exclusively to NMA students. These programs include competitions such as IMA Contest, IMS Annual Competition, Music Fun Fest, etc.; exams such as IL state exams (AIM exams) in piano, violin and voice, Trinity College London Exams, classical and rock/pop categories, such as guitar, drums, voice, violin and piano, National Music Theory Honor Roll Exams, IMS Annual Exams in guitar, drums, piano and voice. NMA also offers three performances per year. These programs are not only fun and confidence building, but also helpful in future college application process, giving students the chance to be admitted to a better college and receive scholarships.

Dr. Sonja Mihelcic

Dr. Sonja Mihelcic
Voice and Piano Teacher

Founder and CEO of
Naperville Music Academy, LLC

NMA Manuel de Falla: El amor brujo,
1st mvt, with Wichita Symphony

NMA G.F. Handel: O Thou That Tellest,
from The Messiah with South Bend Symphony

Dr. Sonja MihelcicVoice and Piano Teacher

Founder and CEO ofNaperville Music Academy, LLC

Dr. Sonja Mihelcic
Voice and Piano Teacher

Founder and CEO of
Naperville Music Academy, LLC