Adjunct Faculty
Areas of Expertise: Voice
Sarah K. Decker, soprano, is an honors graduate of the Greatbatch School of Music in Houghton, New York, where she earned a Bachelor of Music in vocal performance. Undergraduate teachers include Shirley M. Close, Dr. Benjamin R. King, and post-graduate, Dr. Susan M. Boardman, professor emeritus, the Pennsylvania State University.
As a vocal pedagogue, Ms. Decker maintains a private voice studio in Williamsport and places importance on continuing her education to best serve her students. A member of the National Association of Teachers of Singing, she was one of fourteen recipients of the 2018 Joan Frey Boytim Award for Independent Teachers, a fellowship awarding attendance to the NATS National Conference in Las Vegas. The summer of 2019 was spent learning pedagogy for contemporary commercial singing styles at the CCM Vocal Pedagogy Institute at Shenandoah University, prompting further work with faculty member Jessica Baldwin in a Teacher Development Group designed specifically for classically-trained teachers who work with CCM singers. She is a member of Songwriting for Music Education, a cohort dedicated to fostering creativity and furthering songwriting skills in the classroom and for personal growth. Her newest educational adventure begins in fall 2023 as she pursues a degree in music therapy from Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College.
No stranger to the stage, Ms. Decker’s versatility as a performer blends genres, eras, and performing situations. Favorite collegiate operatic credits include Mozart’s Impresario (Frau Silberklang) and Carlisle Floyd’s Susannah (title role). A supporter of local theatre, she impressed as Marian Paroo in the Community Theatre League’s The Music Man and recently as Madame de la Grande Bouche in CTL’s Beauty and the Beast at the Community Arts Center. Additional endeavors include soloing with the Lycoming College Community Orchestra, Williamsport Symphony Orchestra, Williamsport Civic Chorus, the Williamsport Music Club’s Annual Messiah, Victorian Christmas tours, and as a recitalist in the greater Williamsport area.
Sarah loves to champion young musicians, as evidenced in her latest projects – teaching theatre classes and summer camps for Community Theatre League, creating and leading City Harmony, a high energy music and movement class for pre-K, and contributing music and lyrics to a brand new children’s musical, Stoa, which is currently in development and heading toward the stage in 2023-2024.