Linda Slavin

Inducted 2024

 

Linda Slavin was born on August 14th, 1952, in Miami, Florida. The family moved to West Orange, N.J.  Linda took piano lessons and voice lessons from a young age, and was selected for the All-State Chorus in Atlantic City and sang in the chorus of the New Jersey Opera in Aida. After graduating from West Orange High School in 1970, she attended Ithaca College, where she graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor’s degree in Music Education with a major in voice and a minor in piano. She continued with graduate studies while working for the Rome City School District, with a special fondness for courses taken at Chautauqua Institute over the summers.

Linda taught vocal and general music in Rome from 1974 until her retirement in 2007. At Harvey Alter Elementary School, she started a lifelong love of children’s musicals producing and directing The Wizard of Oz with colleagues Mary Hardees and Larry Migliori.

Most of her career was spent at Staley Junior High, teaching chorus and general music. She collaborated with Tom Foster, another Rome Arts Hall of Fame member, for many years and many performances of children’s musicals at Staley. She created a select chorus for 9th graders called the Ninth Notes at Rome Free Academy. She finished her career at RFA teaching chorus, general music and voice lessons.

Under Tom’s direction, she performed in musical revues at the Capitol Theatre and was introduced to the Rome Community Theater. She became active as the musical director of adult and children’s musicals, as well as on stage as an actor and singer.  Linda has been involved with music at Temple Emanu-El in Utica since she came to this area. She has taught Sunday school music, has helped as a lay person for services, created “The Templations “ to assist musically with special services, and serves on the Board and on the Ritual Committee. Linda has also been active in New York State School Music Association (NYSSMA), All-County, Area All State, Rome Teachers Association, Retired Teachers Association, Wednesday Morning Club, Wednesday Morning Club Singers (as director for 7 years and as a singer), and Oneida Area Civic Chorale.

Since her retirement, she serves on the Munson Performing Arts Advisory Committee and is on the board of the Chamber Music Society of Utica serving as the Program Chairman. Linda, along with fellow retired colleagues Twyla Edwards, Valerie Wood-MacRae and Kimberly Nethaway (as well as Gary Williams) performs in a cabaret style group, The Broadway Babes.
Although music still takes up a lot of her time and interest, she enjoys the Syracuse Orange, the New York Knicks, and tennis, tennis, tennis!