ABOUT ME
Patricia P. Pineda has been teaching for over 15 years. She splits her time between Central NJ and NYC. After working in the family non-profit (Pineda Conservatory) for many years, she opened her own private studio that caters to all ages, from amateur to professional. She is musical director at the First United Methodist Church of Scotch Plains, NJ, where she directs their choir. She's also a professional headshot and portrait photographer, and offers hair and makeup services and instruction for both performance and personal use. Ms. Pineda received her Bachelors of Music degree in Voice Performance from Virginia Commonwealth University (Cynthia Donnell), where she also studied Fashion Merchandising. She worked with Charles Lynam at UNC Greensboro, where she was honored as the Farrow (Voice) Scholar. Performance credits include the Plays in the Park, Cranford Dramatic Club, the Forum Theatre, Little Opera Company of NJ, UNCG Opera, Greensboro Opera, soloist with the Richmond Symphony Orchestra, and other various gigs in and around NY, NJ, and VA. Production credits include producing, directing, musical directing, costuming (NJACT Perry Award Nom), hair/makeup design and advertising. Ms. Pineda is a proud member of the National Association for Teachers of Singing (NATS.)
OUR HISTORY - HUMBLE BEGINNINGS
In the fall of 2000, Valerie Pineda and her long time voice teacher, Sonia Lewis, decided Central New Jersey deserved a venue for local opera. Their goal was to create a company that would appeal to seasoned opera goers while also cultivating new audiences.
What started out as a simple concert performance of Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro soon blossomed into a staged concert with full orchestra, conductor, chorus, costumes and a star narrator, legendary stage and movie actress, Celeste Holm.
In a nod to these “humble” beginnings, Valerie dubbed her new endeavor Little Opera Company of New Jersey. Within a few years, LOC was presenting fully-staged productions of standard repertory works with full orchestra employing a mix of professional opera singers and local talent.
WHAT'S IN A NAME?
By 2008, LOC's husband and wife producing team, Juan and Valerie Pineda along with siblings Fausto and Patricia, wanted to expand on the opera company’s original mission. Having already worked locally as a producing/directing team, the quartet decided to develop their own unique program for outstanding middle and high school students that would complement the opera company; thus, Pineda Conservatory of the Performing Arts was formed. The 501(c)(3) non-profit entity would now serve as an umbrella organization encompassing a range of music and theatre programs and performance opportunities including the newly christened Pineda Lyric Opera (formerly Little Opera Company of NJ).
In the spring of 2008, Pineda Lyric presented its first all-student opera, The Pirates of Penzance. These all-student productions presented by our Young Artists became a much-anticipated part of Pineda Lyric's regular season.
In June of 2008, Pineda Conservatory launched its Summer Conservatory Program, a five-week intensive musical theatre immersion program. On top of a rigorous schedule of classes, in just three short weeks conservatory students learn a show from script and score to full production and performance. That first summer, the conservatory hosted sold-out productions of the epic Les Miserable and Rodgers & Hammerstein's classic, Cinderella.
The inaugural summer boasted an enrollment of over 70 students and distributed over $14,000 in talent and need-based scholarships. Instructors came from all levels of professional experience (Broadway, national tours, regional theatre, opera and conservatory graduates).
MAKING HISTORY
In the fall of 2008, Pineda Lyric premiered its first professional production, The Merry Widow.
The 2010-11 season marked the opera company’s tenth anniversary. With a gala champagne reception at the historic James Ward Mansion in Westfield, NJ, friends and supporters of Pineda Conservatory welcomed the company into its second decade.
2012 was the Summer Conservatory’s fifth season at Cranford Dramatic Club, with an enrollment of over 100 students with a waiting list for all its programs. In four short years, the summer professional faculty doubled in size to keep up with an overwhelming enrollment demand.
2014's Summer Center Stage production of RENT was one of the very first high school productions in the country to present the unedited adult version of the show. Students raise over $2200 for Broadway Cares Equity Fights AIDS by collecting donations at each show and through a silent auction of Broadway themed items.
ENDINGS AND BEGINNINGS
In Fall 2016, Pineda Conservatory opened its first satellite location in Richmond, VA. Juan and Val began private voice, piano, and guitar lessons while Trish, Fausto, and the rest of the NJ staff continued lessons and classes.
In 2017, Fausto and Trish offered one final summer, featuring all new programming and venues for middle and high schoolers only. The Church of Our Lady of Lourdes in Mountainside provided a wonderful rehearsal and performance venue for the smaller, more intimate workshop-based programs. Our high schoolers were able to claim Off-Broadway debuts as their summer culminated in performances of their original cabaret show at the famous Players Theatre, in Greenwich Village, NYC!
2018 brought the official close to the non-profit Pineda Conservatory, but ushered in the new Pineda Studio, owned and operated by Patricia P. Pineda. Pineda Studio's one-on-one lessons and coachings continue the Pineda family's long tradition of promoting healthy vocal technique, fearless performance, and always passing The Love!
MILESTONES
2000
First LOC Production, The Marriage of Figaro, a staged concert
October
2001
LOC presents its first fully staged production, L'Elisir d'Amore, which tours to local theatres
May
2002
February
LOC hosts its first annual Vocal Excellence Awards, a vocal competition for students and professional singers
2007
LOC presents its first and only all student opera, Hansel & Gretel
February
2008
May
June
November
Pineda Conservatory of the Arts is formed & its first all student opera, The Pirates of Penzance, produced
Pineda Conservatory launches its Summer Conservatory
Pineda Lyric Opera (formerly Little Opera Company) produces its first professional opera, The Merry Widow
2009
June
The Summer Conservatory adds Starlight Theatre, an elementary school program, to its summer roster of programs.
2010
Pineda Lyric celebrates its 10th Anniversary Season with a Gala fundraiser at the James Ward Mansion
November
2012
July
The Great Pineda Chill-Out raises over $16,000 to install central air for the CDC Theatre and the Pineda Summer Conservatory.
2016
Pineda Conservatory Richmond begins offering classes and lessons in the Richmond, VA area.
September