Today we’d like to introduce you to Laya Field.
Hi Laya, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Laya Field, a retired musician, began volunteering at Christ Anglican Church in Carefree, Arizona in 2007. Her mission was to start a children’s choir that would sing at services once a month. Very quickly she realized that there was a need for musical instruction for children in the community and has been working to create a program that would include young children to adults. The Jubilate program began with a few students learning to match pitch on Saturdays. The program has expanded to include classes such as Music Theory, Jubilate Violin Orchestra, Beginning String Ensemble, Advanced String Ensemble, Jubilate Chorus, Recorder Ensemble, and Percussion and Piano classes. Private lessons for violin, viola, cello, piano, recorder, percussion, and voice, along with a Summer Performing Arts Workshops are also included.
Jubilate Conservatory of Music classes are traditional. Recitals are small and intimate with a focus on communication. Jubilate teaches the fundamentals of music theory and reading music as well as performance techniques. The intention of Jubilate Conservatory of Music is to enrich the lives of children and young adults, strengthening their hearts and minds through music and thereby support musicians in our community.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
This journey has not been easy. Finding a location has been very challenging. We have held classes outdoors, in living rooms, in a very small music studio, and mainly the Desert Foothills Library until recently. We are now situated in Spanish Village in Carefree which is wonderful.
Funding is always an issue. We provide a lot of scholarships. Kiwanis has been very helpful and both the Town of Cave Creek and the Town of Carefree have offered much needed assistance. As a non-profit we are always appreciative of the very important support from our fellow residents.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Laya Challice Field studied music in Northern California with a double major in voice and violin. Her private studies in violin included teachers Louis Krasner, and Kato Havas. Her operatic studies were primarily spent with Mezzo Soprano, Blanche Thebom, in San Francisco.
Laya sang community opera and oratorio in the 1980s. Some of her favorite roles at that time were: Baba in “The Medium” by Menotti; Dinah in “Trouble in Tahiti” by Bernstein; The Mother Superior in “Dialogue of the Carmelites” by Poulenc; Suzuki in “Madame Butterfly” by Puccini; and Zita in “Gianni Schicci” by Puccini.
Her vocal instruction included the art of teaching as well as singing the Bel Canto method taught by Blanche Thebom which comes from the line of teachers through Pauline Viardot, daughter of the Bel Canto Master Manuel Garcia the Elder and his wife, Josephine Garcia. This technique is very different from the method described and instructed by their son, Manuel Garcia II, who developed the laryngoscope and focused on a more scientific approach to singing. As the focal point is very high and forward in this technique, it is safe for young voices.
Laya’s foundation as a voice teacher rests in her belief that anyone can sing. “Unless there is a serious impairment in a person’s hearing, they can be taught to both sing in tune, and sing with expression.” Laya has instructed privately, in schools and in churches and found that this is absolutely true in her experience.
Laya’s approach to teaching strings primarily stems from the teachings of Kato Havas, her main influence for violin. This approach emphasizes both psychological and physical freedom. It is a method of teaching brought forward by Kato Havas, and has its roots in Hungarian gypsy violin, combined with the instruction Kato received at the Royal Academy of Music in Budapest.
Although Laya created Jubilate Conservatory, she is not the only instructor. There are eleven accomplished musicians currently instructing. At Jubilate Conservatory of Music, our faculty are more than teachers, they are mentors, performers, and passionate advocates for each student’s musical journey. With diverse backgrounds in performance, education, and composition, our instructors bring a wealth of experience and a shared commitment to nurturing creativity, excellence, and confidence in every student. Whether guiding a beginner’s first notes or challenging advanced musicians to grow, they embody Jubilate’s mission to strengthen hearts and minds through the language of music.
Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
Laya was raised on a 7,000 acre sheep ranch.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://jubilateconservatoryofmusic.org
- Instagram: @jubilate_conservatory_of_music
