Voice, Piano
Azrielle (Azzie) Marino, an accomplished vocalist, pianist, actress, and teacher, has been surrounded by music since birth. Her parents will tell you that even as a baby, she would enthusiastically bob around to musical theatre songs played for her, and by age three, she had already begun piano lessons. Azzie's innate music aptitude revealed itself early. Her perfect pitch was discovered around five years old, when she surprised her mother by saying, "I keep trying to sing an E sharp, but all I hear is an F!"
Azzie moved to North Carolina at the age of eight and built her jazz piano skills and continued to foster a love for show tunes. Due to her perfect pitch, Azzie stubbornly preferred playing by ear and sticking to popular songs and musicals, but her horizons broadened when she entered high school.
During her four years in high school choir, Azzie's music-reading skills blossomed. She discovered a genuine love for music theory while taking AP Music Theory in her sophomore year, and began studying piano with Dr. Richard McKee. Dr. McKee nurtured her interest in classical repertoire by introducing her to contemporary composers, and Azzie soon found herself practicing Hanon with zeal, excited for what she could play next!
In her junior year, Azzie began voice lessons with Dr. Jeanie Wozencraft-Ornellas (Dr. W-O) at Meredith College. Those lessons proved transformative, inspiring her to apply early to Meredith's music program. Although her senior year in 2020 was cut short, Azzie continued to take voice and piano lessons virtually, adapting and gaining skills to the challenges presented with online learning.
In college, Azzie thrived in the collaborative and supportive environment Meredith fostered. She was top of her class, excelled in music theory, and participated in multiple productions and ensembles, including eight semesters in the elite-level Meredith Chorale. Azzie took voice lessons with Dr. WO and later trained with Lisbeth Carter, with whom she flourished, performing two solo recitals with repertoire covering a multitude of genres. In the summer before her junior year, Azzie started teaching, coaching her voice and keyboard students on technique, performance, and theory.
Azzie graduated summa cum laude in May of 2024, earning a Bachelor of Music degree with a concentration in Vocal Performance. She immediately began teaching both voice and piano. She was able to develop her curriculum and teaching style, and further cemented her love for teaching and her belief in the power of music education.
She is deeply committed to creating a warm, supportive environment and building a bond with each student so they feel genuinely heard and that their voice matters. She believes that teachers are guides, not judges, and that students deserve tools that empower them to pursue their own personal goals. Azzie enjoys teaching music theory and reading sheet music, and she strives to connect students' interests with the curriculum she teaches. She emphasizes expression and emotion when playing and wants every student to truly enjoy their instrument!
Azzie comes to every lesson with an open mind and a positive, supportive attitude so that every student has fun, learns a lot, and makes music!