Lisa Browne Barksdale has served on the voice faculty at Furman University for 20 years. She is passionate about teaching her students to communicate expressively and to sing healthily. To Mrs. Barksdale, the study of song is a privilege, and the sharing of such powerful repertoire an opportunity to bring great beauty to the community.

A native of Macon, Georgia, Mrs. Barksdale has been singing since she was a child, and teaching voice more than 30 years. Nine of her teaching years were spent as the Junior High and High School Choral Director at Pace Academy in Atlanta. Mrs. Barksdale was heavily involved in Atlanta’s music community, singing with Robert Shaw in the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Chorus and Chamber Chorus for 10 years

Still committed to her craft, Mrs. Barksdale is a frequent soloist with the Greenville Chorale and Herring Chamber Ensemble. Since moving to Greenville, South Carolina, she has presented solo recitals and has been featured as a soloist at Furman and with the Greenville Chorale and Chamber Choir, performing in such works as Carl Orff's Carmina Burana, Dan Forrest’s Requiem for the Living, Francis Poulenc’s Gloria, and Vaughn Williams’ Hodie. Lisa’s voice teachers through the years have included Gail Schoonmaker, Elizabeth Fisher, Jeanné Brown, and Bonnie Pomfret.

In 2006, Mrs. Barksdale certified to teach with the McClosky Institute of Voice, and recently became a Master Teacher for the institute. The appeal of the McClosky Technique fit in with her focus on vocal health as it incorporates relaxation with coordination of alignment and breath to promote healthy singing and speaking. Since certifying, she has taught workshops in places such as Boston, MA; Hilton Head, SC; Atlanta, GA; Las Vegas, NV; Asheville, NC; Redlands, CA; Cleveland, TN; at the 2019 Classical Singer convention, the 2019 SCSHA convention, and at the South Carolina National Association of Teachers of Singing. In January of 2020, due to a grant from the Metropolitan Arts Council, Mrs. Barksdale traveled to the Philippines to teach in a McClosky certification course.

Mrs. Barksdale's interest in vocal health motivated her to complete the Master of Communication Disorders degree at the University of South Carolina in August of 2014. She became a team member at Greenville Ear, Nose, and Throat Associates as a speech pathologist specializing in singing voice and swallowing therapy in 2015, and now divides her time between students and patients. She enjoys helping her students learn about career options in Healthcare, even with degrees in music.

Lisa lives with her husband and son in Travelers Rest, South Carolina, and is a member at Trinity Presbyterian Church, where she directs a multi-generational handbell choir.

Honors

• Grant recipient of Fall 2019 Metropolitan Arts Council
• Member of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Chorus for 6 of the Grammy Awards for Best Choral Performance and 2 for Best Classical Album

Education

• Furman University, B.M. Vocal Performance
• Northwestern University, M.M. Vocal Performance
• University of South Carolina, M.C.D., Communication Disorders