Today we’d like to introduce you to Jennifer Caraluzzi.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
It all started for me when I submitted a cassette tape to sing the national anthem for the Mets at Shea Stadium. I was 10 at the time and had been singing every song from every Disney movie since I could speak! I grew up in a very musical family, where both my parents play guitar and also sing. My older cousins are also multi-instrumentalists and responsible for inspiring me as I grew up. My first official gig at 10 years old ended up being that national anthem at Shea Stadium and I continued to sing for them at least once a year until I was around 19. From around 11, my mom started taking me to study voice lessons in NY every week and from there the passion grew. I loved singing everything, from musical theater, to Neapolitan classics and pop songs on the radio. My musical journey took me through dance lessons, piano lessons, and more continued voice lessons through college. I had begun exploring writing my own music in high school and took some twists and turns in discovering all the different kinds of music I wanted to get my hands on. From studying classical vocal performance and singing with jazz groups in college, I had found I loved performing Susanna in The Marriage of Figaro just as much as I loved singing with a trio on a jazz standard. I began teaching voice while I was in undergrad and this was a big shift in how I felt about music. Through teaching music, I could see the changes in my students and the ways in which music enriched their lives. To this day, I am passionate about teaching and still remember one of my teachers telling me that we have an important job as singers. That job is to tell a story and to communicate a message through the text and music. Throughout the years, I’ve been driven to be on stage to communicate a story, to make others feel something. We can evoke sadness, happiness and everything in between by communicating through music. Throughout my journey as a vocalist and musician, this lesson has stuck with me and drove me to continue to perform and learn more about the music business. I currently perform with Boston Opera Collaborative, Opera on Tap and various other projects including voice over and recording work in and around New England. I also teach for the New England Conservatory Preparatory School and School of Continuing Ed and am nearing the end of my MBA studies in music business with Berklee and Southern NH University.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
There’s that great picture that shows this big squiggly line that goes up and down and around and says something like, “The road to success.” This is how I feel about my continued journey in music! Through physical injuries that have taken me out of commission to the moments where I can’t believe I am standing in front of a packed house ready to perform, the journey has been up and down for sure. Would I change any of it? Absolutely not because I do believe all the twists and turns have brought me to where I am today for a reason. I’m grateful for every day I get to make music and communicate through that music. Through obstacles and challenges, I’ve been fortunate to have loving and supportive family and friends in my corner.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Jennifer Caraluzzi story. Tell us more about the business.
Being a vocalist mostly trained in classical and musical theater technique, I sing most in these genres. However, in the past year, I’ve gone back to some pop roots which has been exciting! I’ve teamed up with the songwriting, piano driven duo the Barton Brothers recording some feel good pop tunes. I like to think of myself as fairly versatile and am most recently set to record a second children’s opera in CT. Our recording of Little Red Riding Hood was reviewed by Opera News to great acclaim so we’re excited to gear up for a second children’s opera!
Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
I don’t think luck has had anything to do with where I am now in my life and career! I’ve made decisions along the way that have brought me here and honestly, there are some decisions I would revisit, but I don’t think the roller coaster has been due to luck or lack thereof.
Contact Info:
- Address: https://www.jennifercaraluzzi.com/
Image Credit:
Asher and Oak Photography; Dan Busler Photography; Carina Patrizia Photography
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