Marquis Who's Who Millennium Magazine

239 A Marquis Who's Who Magazine A merican pianist Herbert Jeffrey “Herbie” Hancock once said, “A great teacher is one who realizes that he himself is also a student and whose goal is not to dictate the answers, but to stimulate his students’ creativity enough so that they go out and find the answers themselves.” The career of Rachel L. Lebon, a professor and coordinator of jazz voice at the University of Miami, has been a reflection of that. She received a Bachelor of Music and Master of Music Education at Texas State University and continued her education at the University of Miami, where she received a Ph.D. Her career teaching music began with her serving as an associate professor at Belmont College. She explored her musical abilities when she joined the United States Air Force in 1973, touring with Tops in Blue, a group formed with other active duty members. After leaving the Air Force, she became a visiting professor at Leeds College of Music in England. Rachel has reached many achievements throughout her fruitful career as a musician and teacher. She has rehearsed and performed on television and industrial shows, recorded back-up vocal tracks for Six Flags entertainment parks, and taught and presented master’s classes and workshops in Europe. Ms. Lebon has also used her expertise to write and publish two books, “The Professional Vocalist: A Handbook for Commercial Singers and Teachers” and “The Versatile Vocalist: Singing Authentically in Contrasting Styles and Idioms.” In addition to her books, Ms. Lebon has also published articles in the journal of the National Association of Teachers of Singing, of which she remains a member, along with the International Association for Jazz Education. Her hope is to teach students to express themselves regardless of the type of music that interests them. Rachel L. Lebon Musician, Educator Coral Gables, FL