Born in Lithuania, Aldona Vilcci calls her native land “the most beautiful country on the Baltic sea in Central Europe.†In her childhood, she was very involved in many activities - piano, ballet, acting - and eventually she discovered her singing voice. After hearing a live performance by La Scala on television, she decided to became a professional singer.
Aldona earned her bachelors degree from Lithuania’s Music Academy, and went on to receive her masters degree from the Rimsky-Korsakov National Conservatory in Leningrad, where she concentrated in voice style and interpretation of Russian vocal compositions. In 1975 she won a competition to continue her studies at the Young Opera Singers Studio in Sofia, Bulgaria, studying with the most renowned Bellcanto masters in Europe. She also completed her doctoral degree at the Conservatory there.
“Along with my singing career I became a professor at Lithuania’s Music Academy, where I prepared 17 accomplished professional singers. Many of them have won International Voice Competitions. Since 1991 I have resided in the USA.â€
Aldona, who has been teaching voice for the past 30 years, joined the Conservatory faculty in 2006. She was formerly a Visiting Scholar at Columbia University, Artist in Residence and voice instructor at the King’s College in Briarcliff Manor, and voice instructor at Northern Westchester Center for the Arts in Mount Kisco.
“My teaching philosophy has evolved from my early career. I try to develop each student to a point of maturity and sophistication, to help each one develop his or her own unique talents and qualities as a singer.†Over the years she has taught all types of students, including many serious students who gained entrance to the Julliard School, Berkeley College of Music in Boston and many university music departments.