Meet the JAM Fam
It is our joy to watch our artists evolve, grow, and flourish and we can’t wait to work with you!
What Makes Janesville Academy of Music Different?
“Jennifer Shanin values the importance of vocal anatomy and vocal health when she approaches the art of singing. Performers can be confident that the skills and approaches taught in their lessons are rooted in research-based techniques designed to cultivate a healthy voice built to last a lifetime. I'm deeply impressed and would recommend her to anyone seeking voice lessons.”
- Meg Burkart, M.A., CCC-SLP
Meet Jen Shanin
Founder and Lead Vocal Coach
Jen Shanin (she/her) is proudly the Founder and Singing Artistry Coach for Janesville Academy of Music in Janesville, WI. An accomplished singer, she has been seen on stages across the country including singing backup for The Rolling Stones and as an Advanced Artist for OperaWorks in Los Angeles.
Jen is a founding executive team member for Pride Theatre Productions where she serves as the Vocal Director. Pride Theatre Productions is committed to bringing resilient, rebellious productions to the stage while celebrating representation of all people. Previous vocal direction includes the all-LGBTQ+ casts of RENT and LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS. Each production produced nearly $15,000 in donations to DEFY Domestic Abuse of Rock County.
Jen has a Master of Music in Vocal Performance of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and a Bachelor of Arts in Music from the University of Wisconsin-Parkside. Jen is also certified to teach contemporary styles like pop, country, and rock vocals through The Contemporary Commercial Music Vocal Pedagogy Institute of Shenandoah Conservatory. She currently works as a Professor of Voice at University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.
Jen passionately pursues evidence-based vocal pedagogy to keep voices healthy, versatile, and functional. Borrowing concepts from speech therapy, Singing Voice Specialists, and well-studied vocal pedagogues, Jen enthusiastically celebrates all that her Artists can and have yet to do with their unique instruments. She believes that learning to sing diverse styles of music is the key to becoming a true versatile artist.
"I absolutely love working with all styles of singing. I welcome a little rebellion when it comes to the status quo and the “way we’ve always done things” especially around classical music. I value science-backed teaching for the voice that has been proven to keep voices healthy, versatile, and functional. " -Jen
Jacob Krueger
Janesville Academy of Music Teacher
Piano, Staff Accompanist
Jacob Krueger teaches piano, voice, and music fundamentals at Janesville Academy of Music. Jacob recently graduated from UW-Whitewater with a degree in Music Education. He is the Choir Director at Delavan-Darien High School. Jacob has been singing since he was in 6th grade, and has been playing piano since he was 7. Jacob is super passionate about music, and firmly believes everyone deserves a chance to figure out what music means to them. Jacob is so excited to work with you!
Sarah Parker
Janesville Academy of Music Teacher
Voice, Music Fundamentals
Sarah Parker, soprano, has been involved in music for her entire life. Sarah earned her degree in Music Education at UW-Whitewater where she was active in choirs, voice lessons, recitals, and more. Sarah looks forward to teaching middle school choir before pursuing her doctorate so she can train future musicians. Recently, Sarah was the Assistant Music Director for Little Shop of Horrors with PRIDE Theatre Productions and Co-Music Director for Willy Wonka at Spotlight on Kids. As an alumna of Parker High School, Sarah was involved in musicals, choir, and band. She is so excited to help Janesville Academy of Music students learn their voices, prepare them for auditions, and guide them on their vocal journeys.
Caitlyn Dickman
Janesville Academy of Music Teacher
Voice, Piano, Combo Voice/Piano
Caitlyn Dickman is an emerging musical theatre artist and entrepreneur from Janesville, Wisconsin. She is a junior pursuing a degree in Entrepreneurship with a minor in Musical Theatre at the University of Wisconsin–Whitewater. A lifelong musician, Caitlyn has been involved in both instrumental and vocal performance, and has fallen in love with every aspect of the theatre world.
Her recent experiences include serving as a swing in Theatre Unlimited Inc.'s production of Rock of Ages, portraying Linda English in UW-Whitewater’s Pal Joey, and working as the music director for Spotlight on Kids’ production of Schoolhouse Rock. Caitlyn is thrilled to be sharing her passion for music and performance at Janesville Academy of Music, where she looks forward to helping others discover the same joy and creativity that music has brought to her life.
Parker Rundquist
Janesville Academy of Music Teacher
Voice, Guitar
Parker Rundquist, tenor, teaches voice and guitar to students 9 and up at Janesville Academy of Music. He loves teaching a variety of genres, including pop, jazz, country, musical theater, and classical. Parker also enjoys accompanying students on guitar and piano during the performance season. In addition to voice and guitar, Parker plays drums, ukulele, piano, and trombone. Growing up in Janesville, Parker was heavily involved in band, choir, show choir, and musicals at Craig High School. He has been a staff member at the Parker Arts Academy for the last four years, serving as an audio track operator and pit orchestra musician. Recently, he played bass guitar for Hello, Dolly! and acoustic guitar for Hadestown: Teen Edition.
Parker has a bachelor’s degree in choral music education from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. At UW-W, Parker enjoyed performing in various ensembles, including Vocal Jazz, Chamber Singers, Hawk-Kor, and Opera Workshop. He considers it a privilege to help his students grow, build confidence in their voices, and guide them on their musical journey
Carly Cooper
Janesville Academy of Music Teacher
Songwriting
Carly Cooper is a singer/songwriter from southern Wisconsin. She debuted her solo music career with her album “Twisted Minds” in 2020, however she has been actively writing and performing solo and with various bands for well over a decade. Her newest album, “Pastel Houses” landed her a licensing deal with a conglomerate of Sony Music, APM Music in 2023. Carly now writes songs for movies/tv/film and gigs around the Wisconsin/Illinois border solo and with her band: Girls Inside.
Check out Carly’s music here: https://www.carlycoopermusic.com
Emma Clark
Janesville Academy of Music Teacher
Voice, Piano, Combo Voice/Piano
Emma Clark is a senior at UW-Whitewater studying Music Education with a Choral Emphasis. At UW-Whitewater, she participates in voice and piano lessons, choir, Vocal Jazz Ensemble, and performs lead roles in the UW-W Theatre Department.
While on break from school, Emma enjoys helping Mount Horeb music students prepare for musicals and Solo and Ensemble. Outside of music, Emma loves to thrift shop, explore nature and spend time with friends and family. As a budding music educator, Emma will work with you to grow as a musician, feel comfortable in your voice and find your musical spark!
Celebrating our Jam Fam Students
We are so proud of the accomplishments our students have made!
Check out our talent below, and see what you can be a part of!
The coaching I received here has helped with my confidence and my ability. And I feel more comfortable auditioning for roles. I am very grateful for all of the opportunities to come. I would 100% recommend taking voice lessons here. - Madeline M.