Gina's Page
Bio
Gina Donello, one of the founding members of the award winning Socially Conscious, Indie Rock band '2 SUNS', is a vocalist, tanpura player, keyboardist, guitarist, songwriter, producer and recording engineer. She does radio and TV voice-overs. Gina was a native New Yorker before moving to Sedona in 1996 and took full advantage of the creative resources available in New York City to enrich her music and performance arts education.
Education
Gina was given her first voice lesson at the age of five by her great aunt Rita De Simone, who was a protégé of Enrico Caruso. After studying classical ballet with the Long Island Ballet Theater for 12 years, her focus shifted to Italian Opera. She studied with world renowned Master Opera Coach Chloe Owen associated with the Metropolitan Opera and Lincoln Center. Gina attended the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, then went on to study two more years of classical music as a vocal performance major at the City University of New York's special program designed for the 802 union musicians.
Gina feels some of her greatest insights have come from her 22 years of cumulative private study which include Opera, Broadway, Cabaret, Radio and TV Voice-overs, Jazz, Ancient Classical Indian Singing , Rock, Vocal Therapy, and the yoga of sound, breath and voice. She spent countless hours performing these styles in various venues in New York, Arizona and Los Angeles. She is also a certified Hatha Yoga Teacher.
Teaching Experience
Gina has been teaching music privately for 23 years and has been a student of music for over 35 years. She feels very blessed to be able to dedicate her life to the art of music. Teaching music in Sedona for the last 21 years has given her the opportunity to pass on valuable knowledge to students who are having great success in the world. Some of those students include Grammy Award winner Michelle Branch, Cassandra Delaney (John Denver's wife), TV & Film actor, director, producer and owner of Sedona Now Network Glenn Scarpelli, Laura Olson-Adams, Jordan Bonner, Pamela Kaskiw, Dave & Luke Harvey, Summer Cygal, Erin Seymour, Nathan Trujillo, Laura Harness, Lisa Dahl, Max Giles, Elaine Edelson and with great honor, Master Sculptor Eugenia Everett. Gina also taught voice/singing/music lessons at Verde Valley High School . Gina gives vocal therapy workshops called "Yoga For The Voice" for large groups all over the United States.
Teaching Approach
Gina's approach to teaching music, voice, songwriting and performing, is very unique and gentle. She combines all her years of experience with western classical music as well as ancient classical Indian music and yoga. She works with each student based on their individual needs. Students from the ages of 3 to 12 are taught with a wide variety of instruments and musical games without the pressure of intense training, just lots of joy and fun so they will continue to want to play music. Adults are inspired to go deeper into their musical journey through self reflection and by learning a deeper level of relaxation and self confidence through many techniques drawn from Gina's background of musical experiences. Gina feels a big part of her mission on planet Earth is to help people take good care of their beautiful voices and if they feel they have lost their true voice somewhere along the way Gina will help them find it again.
Continuing Education
Gina has the privilege of studying with Katie Agresta, vocal coach to Cyndi Lauper, Annie Lennox and many more. Gina feels her life and musical career transformed after studying with Katie. www.katieagresta.com
In June of 2008, Gina completed her 200 hour Hatha yoga teacher certification at '7 Centers Yoga Arts' in Sedona, AZ. In February of 2017 Gina completed a course on Citizen Diplomacy with Rama Jyoti Vernon at '7 Centers Yoga Arts'. www.7centers.com
Gina is currently studying Naada Kriya Yoga, Southern India Carnatic Music, Ragas, Indian Rhythms, Indian Melodies and Sanskrit Sounds with Ashok Kumara. www.creativelyempower.com
Gina has also worked with and studied Holotropic Breathwork with Joan Forest in Sedona AZ and with Byron Metcalf, PhD with HoloShamanic Breathwork in Prescott AZ. www.holoshamanicstrategies.org/home
Gina is currently studying voice with master vocal coach and student of Seth Riggs for 35 years Greg Enriquez in Las Vegas NV. www.gregenriquez.com
Gina's Socially Conscious Rock Band '2 SUNS '
Presently, Gina is using her knowledge and experience to support her first love and musical style of choice, Rock and Roll. Gina loves writing, producing and recording her own original music with her very talented husband Gary Bettum. Gina's band 2 SUNS' sophomore album “Love Revolution”, is creating quite the revolution. www.2sunsmusic.com
“Love Revolution” was recorded with Producers Lee Curreri (best known for his role in the film and TV series “Fame")
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001087/?ref_=nmexst_exst_nm
and Gavin Christopher http://www.imdb.com/name/nm5329752/ at Urban Beach Studio in Marina Del Rey California.
2 SUNS' first video "Beyond the Veil"
//www.youtube.com/watch?v=KRUuEvp60rs
had a worldwide debut release on November 30, 2009,
and on April 30th, 2011, 2 SUNS
won a Phoenix Music Award for "2011 Video Of The Year"