mary monroe

What is your favorite part of coaching at ROC Star Academy?

Watching my students blossom and shine bright, like the stars that they are! I am also very blessed to have built friendships with the families of the students.

 

Hometown: Rochester, NY

 

Your musical focus/instruments you play: 

The instruments I perform out with mostly are voice, guitar, and harp, although I play the ukulele, piano, and violin.

 

What is your musical background? 

I started performing professionally when I was 14 years old on the WXXI multimedia production, an award winning radio and television series Out Into the Garden. My mother Mary Ellen Durante-Monroe created the series of stories and poems with music. We often performed live at large venues. I am also a songwriter and recording artist. I have recorded three EPs of my own music and recorded an EP with my current band the World Music Quartet. My band includes Nate Coffey on bass and guitar, Tommy Gravino on alto flute, and Steve Imburgia on drums/percussion. Most recently I recorded a harp track on Chris Stephens album Dwell. I have performed throughout New York State including NYC and in several states including California.

 

What are your musical influences/favorite bands? 

Tori Amos, Dire Straits, Joni Michelle, Bob Marley, Bob Dylan, Billie Holiday, Julie Andrews, Led Zeppelin, Whitney Houston, Lionel Richie

 

What one album would you choose if you were stranded on a deserted island?

"The Christmas Rose" by my parents Dennis and Mary Ellen Monroe

 

What is your favorite venue or event that you’ve performed? 

One of my memorable performances was when I performed with my family group The Monroes at the Nazareth arts center for the Out Into the Garden series. It was a magical experience to be on stage with my parents and my brother Nicholas in front of such a lovely receptive audience. It also was the first time that anyone ever asked for my autograph.

 

What’s the craziest thing that ever happened to you on-stage?

I was performing a very intricate Beatles song that I had just finished memorizing on classical guitar sitting down but ended up playing on my steel string standing up, against my own intuition and expertise, that was telling me to have the music on the side and  sit down with the guitar. Because I did not feel comfortable performing this way. I ended up strumming the entire song and messing up the timing on the bridge. I just had to laugh it off and continue on to the outro. At least the beginning and ending was nice. When these things happen, it's hard not to be upset and disappointed in yourself, but we're only human and making mistakes is how we grow.

 

What’s the best piece of musical advice you’ve received in your career thus far? 

My father helped me overcome my insecurities, and be able to turn those negative voices in my head to positive ones especially well performing onstage. The Inner Game of Music is a fabulous book, so we'll help you with that.