Michelle Hawkins 

is a highly sought after jazz vocalist and educator in the San Francisco Bay Area.  She performs an eclectic mix of  "straight ahead" and Brazilian jazz at clubs and restaurants with some of the top jazz musicians in the area including Rick Vandivier, Jeff Buenz, Jeff Massanari, Marc Van Wageningen, and Scott Sorkin.  Her personal style grew out a love for a wide variety of  music from artists like Kurt Elling, Chet Baker, Luciana Souza, Wayne Shorter, and Ivan Lins, Michael Jackson and Sting.

Due to her love of jazz harmonies, Michelle also has a passion for ensemble jazz singing.  She currently sings lead soprano with the Bay Area vocal quartet, Sing Theory.  Michelle is also a dedicated  and award-winning choral director and music educator.  Her choirs consistently rank among the top vocal jazz ensembles in the state and country.  Michelle's group, "Synchronicity," from West Valley College has been named "Best Vocal Jazz Group" for three years in a row by Downbeat Magazine.  

Michelle holds a MM in Jazz Studies from the University of Southern California where she studied with jazz greats, Tierney Sutton, Jennifer Barnes, and Shelly Berg.  She received her BA in Music from the University of California at Berkeley where she was principal flutist of the Berkeley Symphony and studied conducting with Dr. David Milnes, and flute with Timothy Day (San Francisco Conservatory).  Michelle credits much of her current musicianship to her classical instrumental training.  

Room 107