Laura Beth Couch (mezzo-soprano) is a passionate and vivacious performer from Central Jersey.  Now living in the D.C. area, she sings diverse selections of opera, art song, legit musical theater and contemporary classical music.  Throughout her undergraduate and graduate degree, she has studied with world-renowned soprano, Nancy Gustafson. 

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Laura is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Voice Performance at Shenandoah Conservatory, and she earned her Bachelor’s degree in Music Education from Rutgers University.  At Shenandoah Conservatory, she coaches with Jan Wagner, and she had the pleasure of performing under the direction of Michael Ehrman as Dorabella in Così fan tutte.

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In addition to Dorabella, some of her favorite roles include La Chatte in L’Enfant et les Sortilèges, Sister Antoine in Dialogues des Carmélites and Kate Monster in Avenue Q.  This Spring at Shenandoah Conservatory, Laura is thrilled to be singing Hannah after in As One and Veronique in Doctor Miracle.  Additionally, this Summer she looks forward to travelling to Hawaii as a performer and student of the Hawaii Performing Arts Festival.  In Hawaii, she will perform in the festival's production of The Threepenny Opera as the Ballad Singer and Jenny Diver (cover). 

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Laura is an avid singer of American contemporary classical music. For this reason, Laura attended SongFest at the Colburn School for two Summers and performed in the inaugural voice program of the Mostly Modern Festival in Saratoga Springs, New York.  Laura has also traveled abroad for The University of Miami’s Frost School of Music Salzburg Program.  She loved her time performing in Salzburg, Austria and hopes to return to Europe soon.

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As well as performing, Laura is a devoted music teacher of over five years.  She has taught private voice, beginning piano, chorus, music theory, music technology, classroom piano and drama classes.  For the past two Summers, Laura was the stage/ music director, choreographer and co-librettist of the camp musical at Oak Crest Day Camp in Somerset, NJ.  Laura cares deeply about her students and strives to help them find their best selves through music.  Laura wants her students to think of her as their biggest supporter. 

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Laura is also a compassionate music therapy singer for Nancy Gustafson’s nationwide foundation, Songs by Heart.  The Songs by Heart Foundation strives to create connection and joy through song for those suffering from dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.  Each music therapy session is an interactive sing-along of songs the residents would have learned in childhood.  This helps to activate long-term memory and positively stimulates the residents.  Every week, Laura is reminded of the truly transformative nature of music as she engages these seniors in song.