Singer
Music Artist
Vocal Empowerment Guide
Meet
free heart,
free voice
MJ
Leading, Performing, and Creating Music since 1999
Hey there, I'm Mary Jane
ON A MISSION TO OFFER MUSIC AS MEDITATION, ONE SONG AND ONE VOICE AT A TIME
I didn’t start out thinking I’d spend my life helping people reclaim their voices. I started out as a small-town Iowa kid obsessed with playing the piano and singing at the top of my lungs.
By high school, I was the girl they called when they needed someone to sing at the Governor’s Mansion. (Yes, that really happened!) I performed for the Iowa House of Representatives and even sang for Laura Bush back when she was still the Texas Governor’s wife.
I also found myself leading music for Sunday School, directing Christmas programs, and teaching in the music classrooms. Leading people in song became second nature. Then the stars aligned.
During my senior year, I played Maria in the community production of The Sound of Music—and it felt like pure magic. Maria brought music and singing to a family that desperately needed healing, and although I couldn’t name it at the time, I knew my purpose lived somewhere within that.
So I followed the call—earning a Bachelor’s degree in Vocal Music Education from Simpson College, teaching, leading music in churches, and completing a Master’s in Vocal Performance from the University of Nebraska. Then I did what you do with two degrees in singing, go out and use it.
the voice can heal the soul
authentic storytelling
The Professional Years (When I Conquered the Midwest)
I didn’t just dip my toes into professional singing. I dove in headfirst.
Opera Memphis, Theatre Memphis, Quad Cities Opera, Theatre Cedar Rapids, Revival Theatre, Riverside Theatre. If there was an opera or musical theatre stage in the cities I lived, I’ve probably sung on it.
I’ve been Ruth Bader Ginsburg in Scalia/Ginsburg, Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni, and the Girl in Once. I’ve tackled everything from Zulma in Italian Girl in Algiers to Mary in Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812—which, if you know anything about musical theatre, you know is not for the faint of heart.
When I wasn’t busy on dramatic stages, I loved singing in concert halls. I’ve soloed in everything from Vivaldi’s “Magnificat” to Handel’s “Dixit Dominus.” I’ve sung with the Memphis Symphony, for the Bach Festival Society of Winter Park, Florida, performed at Carnegie Hall, and even did a live film score performance of Joan of Arc with the composer. And I proudly performed in a regional premiere of Jennifer Higdon’s Ruminations that ended up on PBS.
vocal midwife and guide
The Plot Twist: Creative Renaissance
I discovered that the magic and power I found on stage and teaching singers could help other people find their voices, too.
Now I take everything I learned on professional stages and in classrooms and use it to help people heal. I’m composing and recording original music and regularly performing in concert. But now I’m also the person you call when you need to remember that your voice matters.
I’ve distilled all of my experience into Voices of Healing, my online community of people healing through the voice, and Knightingale Voice, my Iowa City vocal studio. I offer voice lessons, classes, and vocal meditation singing circles. Because turns out, when you’ve spent decades mastering your craft, the next step isn’t retirement—it’s revolution.
Sometimes the most revolutionary thing a classically trained opera singer can do is teach regular people that they deserve to be heard. And sometimes, if you’re really lucky, you get to build a whole life around that revolution.
A Glimpse Into My Life
My Favorite Place to Perform:
Riverside Theatre in Iowa City
Favorite people to hang with:
My husband and my two brilliant, beautiful teenagers
You’d Be Surprised to Learn:
I love camping and I own a travel trailer
Best Way to Unwind:
Reruns of Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman or Outlander
I Never Leave home without:
Water, a singer’s best friend
I write songs because:
It’s my heart’s calling
I’m Most Proud Of:
My children, my album and book, and my home: the historical Emma Harvat house.
Morning or Nights:
Enjoying the morning sun with a cup of tea on my porch or in my sunroom
My Offerings
Whether you’re a music fan, a musician, or a curious seeker, my offerings are for you.
all offerings are from my heart
If you're here, I want to hear from you.
performance + music + community
Whether you’re interested in listening to my music, booking me for a performance or workshop, attending one of my classes, or simply feel called to reach out and connect, I’d love to hear from you.