"This is My Story, This is My Song" - Meet Tamara
As founder and owner of Totty Studio of Vocal & Piano Artistry, Tamara Wise Totty has established an exceptional array of music-related offerings and commands a well-developed network.
Tamara is from a family rich in musical heritage. Her father played multiple instruments in a jazz band, directed choirs and musicals, and taught piano. She has vibrant memories of music filling their home that she credits for her wide appreciation of music genres. Because she was trying to “plunk out” songs by ear, her parents decided it was time to teach her to read music, and so at age three Tamara began her life-long commitment to and love of piano. Dance lessons of many styles soon followed as well as gymnastics. As a young teen Tamara’s love of music blossomed to include french horn and vocal training.
Tamara’s first stage role was 5-year old Ngana (South Pacific). She became a passionate musical theatre student every summer thereafter. Favorite adult roles include Madame de la Grande Bouche (Beauty and the Beast), Leading Player (Pippin), Eliza Doolittle (My Fair Lady), and Ragtime.
Tamara received her BFA (Vocal Performance, DePauw University). Here she also studied technical theatre areas such as lighting, set, and costume design. Tamara then continued training in New York City. She studied voice with renowned Broadway vocal coach, Joyce Hall, dance with Holly Lanoue, and acting at Lee Strasberg. Multi-Tony Award winning set and costume master designer, Tony Walton, invited Tamara to work as his intern. She assisted Mr. Walton and his team with Broadway shows such as “A Day in Hollywood, a Night in the Ukraine”, “Sophisticated Ladies”, “Pirates of Penzance”, and “Barnum”.
From New York City, Tamara returned to central Indiana to establish her music studio. One significant role is serving as vocal coach for contestants for national events such as Feinstein High School Vocal Competition, The Voice, American Idol, pageants, musical theatre, cabaret, and contemporary worship teams.
Tamara has also contributed to the directing team for scores of musicals, most recently, “Les Miserables”. She serves as the vocal coach for the lead actors and/or vocal director for the cast and has also played the piano and synthesizer for a myriad of musical productions.
Tamara’s piano skills have come full circle from the 3-year old on the big piano bench with telephone books stacked under her dangling feet, plunking out songs by ear … to many years of classical training … and back around to honing skills reading chord charts, lead sheets, and improvising. Playing piano and synthesizer in a worship band continues to provide the perfect medley of playing both classical and improvisational piano.
Outside the business world, Tamara has explored many countries through international travel. Her first foyer into Western Europe was as a vocalist with America’s Youth in Concert, launched with a concert at Lincoln Center in New York City.
Vocal training has broad application beyond singing. Tamara has coached vocal talents for audio books, public speaking, and recording. In fact, while in Modica, Sicily, Italy in 2017, Tamara was approached by the city’s Visitors’ Bureau to record the English narration for their Tourist Train. They had simply recognized her impressive diction and tone, and she ended up in the recording studio and ultimately on the Modica Tourist Train loud speaker! They also asked her to help translate and edit their printed tourist materials.
Tamara has also served multiple times as a co-team leader with Remember Nhu in Thailand and Cambodia to identify, intervene, and support children at-risk of being sold into the sex trade. Another travel highlight was backpacking with her son throughout Laos, Malaysia, South Korea, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam. These unique international experiences have allowed Tamara to have a much broader perspective with her students and their lifetime music goals.
Tamara's Expertise
Teacher and Coach
- In-Studio and Online
- Private Vocal Lessons
- Private Vocal Coaching
- Small Group Vocal Lessons
- Private Piano Lessons, Classical and Improvisational
- Private Music Theory Lessons
- Group Music Theory Lessons
Performer
- Accompanist: Choir, Musical Theatre, Vocal and Instrumental Soloists
- Event Pianist: Banquet, Corporate Event, Restaurant, Wedding
- Worship Team: Pianist and Vocalis
Director and Leader
- Adjudicator: Piano and Vocal
- Event Music Consultant: Wedding, Banquet Facility
- Vocal Clinician
- Vocal Director: Musical Theatre, Worship Team