Meet our teachers

Dr. Valentine Baron

Founder and Voice Teacher

Dr. Valentine Baron (soprano) is a native of France, after a Bachelor and a Master in Musicology received in Montpellier, France, she moved to New York to pursue a Master of Music in Voice Performance and Pedagogy at New York University in the studio of the tenor Dr. Scott Murphree. While studying at NYU she taught voice as an adjunct in the same institution. In 2018, she opened her own voice studio in Paris where she taught voice to more than 40 students (Classical, Musical Theater, CCM). A passionate about writing, vocal science and vocal pedagogy she moved back to the United States and received her Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) at the University of Nevada Las Vegas in the studio of the soprano Dr. Linda Lister. Her doctoral document entitled “Developing Vocal Agility of Light Lyric Coloratura Soprano Voices Through the Neglected Repertoire of French Opéra Comique” is a pedagogical guide encouraging light soprano voices reconnecting with the opera comique repertoire for technical development of vocal agility. In 2022 she is the winner of the National Opera Association dissertation competition. Valentine is a member of the National Opera Association, Pan American Vocology Association, and the National Association of Teachers of Singing. She presented two posters of research at the NATS Cal-Western Regional Conference, one on the use of SOVTP exercises to heal voice disorders and one on breathing techniques by female pedagogues. In 2021, Valentine placed third at the Regional NATSAA (NATS Artist Award) competition in Provo, UT. As a performer she performed with Regina Opera Company, FAVA Opera, UNLV Opera, Opera Las Vegas and Vegas City Opera. Currently living in Las Vegas, Valentine is a faculty member at the University of Nevada Las Vegas where she teaches voice pedagogy and French melodies.

Keaton Delmar John

Voice Teacher

Keaton Delmar Johns is a graduate from Southern Utah University with a BFA in Musical Theatre (Summa Cum Laude), and is a proud alumnus of Las Vegas Academy for the Arts. He is currently playing Robin Gibb in Australian Bee Gees (Excalibur Las Vegas), and The Rose in The Golden Gays (USA/Europe). Previous credits include Gabe in Next to Normal (Southern Utah University), Hanschen in Spring Awakening (Majestic Repertory Theatre; 2019 Valley Award Winner for Best Supporting Actor), Riff in West Side Story (Signature Productions), Dr. Falke in Die Fledermaus (Southern Utah University), Malcolm in Macbeth (Bard at the Bar), Sheriff Joe Sutter in The Spitfire Grill (Las Vegas Little Theatre), and Bobby Strong in Urinetown (Southern Utah University). He is also a professional singing drag queen in Las Vegas known as Kitty Del Mar, and a singing gondolier at the Venetian hotel. His debut album, Cedar Sunsets, will come out summer 2024.

Jessica Vargo

Voice and Piano Teacher

Jessica Vargo is a passionate and dedicated music educator from Columbus, Ohio with over 20 years of experience in teaching students of all ages and skill levels. A graduate of Otterbein University with a degree in Vocal Performance, she studied under Dr. Janet Proodian and Dr. Craig Johnson. Jessica has had the opportunity to embark on a concert tour of Chicago, Vienna and Prague, and perform in some of the most world-renowned concert halls in Europe. She has also performed in many opera and musical theater productions, including La Boheme, The Mikado, Handel’s Messiah, Oklahoma andLes Miserables. As one of the founding members of Opera Project Columbus she performed under Maestro Alessandro Siciliani in their inaugural production of Suor Angelica. Through her performing career, Jessica has honed a deep understanding of both the technical and emotional aspects of music. Specializing in

voice and piano, she strives to inspire a lifelong love of music in each student.

Throughout her teaching career, Jessica has worked with students in various settings, including private studio lessons and group choir classes . Her approach is student-centered, focusing on individual learning styles and goals. Whether helping beginners find their footing or guiding advanced students toward mastery, Jessica creates a supportive and engaging environment that encourages growth, creativity, and confidence. In addition to her technical expertise, Jessica emphasizes the importance of music as a means of expression and communication. She encourages her students to explore their musical voice and develop a deep, personal connection to the pieces they study. This holistic approach ensures that students not only become proficient musicians but also develop a profound appreciation for the art form.

When not teaching, Jessica enjoys reading, cooking and traveling with her family, which further enriches her understanding of the arts and culture. Jessica is excited to continue sharing her love of music with students, helping them reach their full potential and enjoy the journey of learning music.

Kelci Johnson

Voice and Song Writing Teacher

Kelci Johnson (Kelci J) is a 30 year old singer, songwriter and recording artist originally from New Bedford, MA. Kelci has performed in multiple bands and productions across the country including a regional production of “Hairspray” in Boiling Springs, PA. Kelci actively works with established recording artists contributing to their vocal production, melody composition, and lyric composition. She has 11 years of experience as a voice teacher, teaching the fundamentals of singing to young students and adults alike. Kelci has eighteen years of on-stage performance experience and is a well-respected figure in her hometown of New Bedford, MA.

Emily Kurcan Stephenson

Voice and Piano Teacher

Soprano Emily Kurcan Stephenson is thrilled to be joining the team and cannot wait to share her passion for song with the students of Vegas Singing School! A lifelong musician, Emily has extensive experience teaching private and group vocal instruction and choir to singers of all ages. She loves sharing her knowledge and expertise to help singers of all abilities find a love for music and their inner voice. She has performed throughout the Vegas Valley with groups like Vegas City Opera, Opera on Tap Las Vegas, Mondays Dark, and Kenny Davidson’s Bowtie Cabaret. In addition to her regular concert work, recent favorite roles include La Ciesca in Gianni Schicchi, Geraldine in Hand of Bridge, and Musetta in La Boheme. In addition to her work teaching and singing, Emily also works as a stage and production manager. Emily holds an MM in Vocal Performance and an MA in Musicology from the University of Denver’s Lamont School of Music. Her research has been presented to the Southwest Chapter of the Society for Ethnomusicology and published on Operagasm.com. She holds a BM in Vocal Performance from Baldwin-Wallace.

Gabrielle Goudard

Voice Teacher (online only)

Gabrielle Goudard is an operatic soprano and multidisciplinary artist who has appeared on numerous stages around the world, including festivals in France, Italy, Norway, Spain, Lebanon, Oman, Turkey, China, Taiwan, Peru and the US. Over the course of her career, she has studied and performed Opera, Western classical music, Jazz, Balinese music, Middle Eastern music, Turkish music and Gospel music. Notable operatic roles include Dorabella and Despina (Cosi Fan Tutte), Paoluccia (La Cecchina), Zerlina (Don Giovanni), Gianetta (l’Elisir d’Amore), Lola (Cavalleria Rusticana), Amital (Betulia Liberata), and Cherubino (Three Little Pigs feat. music of W.A. Mozart). Parallel to her path as a classical vocalist, Gabrielle has cultivated a deep interest in other genres, including Indonesian, Middle Eastern, and Turkish music, Gospel, and Jazz. She also has extensive performance experience as a percussionist and Gamelan musician. Her interest in non-Western music led her to study Middle Eastern music at the National Superior Conservatory of Beirut and perform throughout the region, in Lebanon, Oman and Turkey. In 2020, she founded a jazz project, Gabrielle Goudard and the French Quarter, which performs a repertoire of translated and original songs in her native language, French. This group has performed across the Chicago area and Perú at venues including Andy’s Jazz Club, the Ivy Room, 360 CloudBar and the Jazz Zone, for the French Consulate of Chicago and the French American Chamber of Commerce of Chicago. In the Chicago area, she is an active classical soloist, ensemble musician and Jazz bandleader. Gabrielle is an active voice teacher and also serves as temporary faculty at Universities in the Chicago area where she teaches French diction for singers.