Meet Debra Poulter

What did you do or do for work?

In college I studied music and after attending graduate school in conducting, a sojourn in Los Angeles, and a return to graduate school in voice, I made the move to New York, and I’ve been here ever since.    

After I had spent almost 30 years of singing and teaching, the Fates decided that I needed a good health insurance policy which could probably only be sustained by a good job in the corporate world.  I had fairly good office skills and was lucky to find a job as an Executive Assistant for a Nobel Laureate Neuroscientist at The Rockefeller University. 

It was a marvelously creative job and I quickly realized that working for a bona fide genius was as exciting as singing the Brahms Requiem with the NY Philharmonic.  I retired from Rockefeller in the year following my boss’s passing and now relish spending my time writing and painting and, well, thinking about music.

How would you describe your style as a teenager?

I was talking to a friend about this and we both agreed we basically just wore what our mothers bought for us. I know I liked vibrant, saturated colors, especially purples.  We weren’t allowed to wear slacks to school, so, like everyone else’s, my usual outfits were dresses and skirts. I was always tall and “big-boned” for my age so when I could, I tried to choose things that camouflaged my figure rather than showed it off. Not always easy because I sure did enjoy those big vibrant colors.

How would you describe your style now?

What would you do if you had the whole day for yourself?

If I had the whole day with no obligations, I would definitely clean out my watercolor palette and paint… probably listening to Bach and the odd numbered Beethoven symphonies.  If time remained, I would listen to art songs by French composers. 

Who gave you the most valuable piece of advice and what was it? 

I was pretty shy in high school with not a great deal of self-confidence.  I struggled with the decision of where to go for college and what to major in… I wanted to study music but didn’t think I was good enough and so I decided to go to a state college and major in English. 

As senior year progressed, I became pretty stressed about my decision. Luckily, my high school music teacher who had been an important mentor to me, took me aside and said that I needed to “break out of my shell”—that I had what it took to be a successful musician.  He thought that the small private school he had gone to in Illinois, that had a very good reputation in music, would be a good place for me to go. 

He offered to help me get a last minute audition there. I jumped at his offer – I was accepted – and the rest is history!  His interest and support changed my life. 

What 3 words would you use to describe how you feel in Alembika?

Elegant, artistic, and classic.

We agree Debra! Thank you for being an Alembika Woman!

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