Dr. Leesa Levy is one of the 16 new faculty members to join Wilkes University for the 2019- 2020 academic year.

Levy is a visiting professor of music in the department of the performing arts.

At the university, Levy is in charge of directing two choral ensembles. She has taught individual voice lessons for the musical theatre program at the university since 2013.

Levy also teaches lessons through the Wilkes Conservatory, a program that teaches dance, music and instrumental lessons to community members of all ages.

Levy grew up in northeastern Pennsylvania, where she received her undergraduate degree in music education from Mansfield University. She then taught junior and senior high school music classes until she traveled south to the University of Texas at Austin to get her master’s in vocal performance and pedagogy.

After receiving her master’s, Levy relocated to Germany because she was, at the time, married to a United States Army personnel. There, Levy taught at the Department of Defense and Dependent School System and the Franz Grothe Musik Schule in Weiden, Germany where she met her current husband.

After 13 years in Germany, she and her family moved back to the United States where she taught at Valley City State University in North Dakota. She later received her doctorate in vocal performance and literature at North Dakota University.

It was after she moved back to Pennsylvania with her family when she received an opportunity to work as an adjunct professor at Wilkes.

“When I was young, there were a few things I wanted to do with my life. On that list was to become a collegiate level music teacher,” said Levy.

She further elaborated on what it means to her to be a music professor and talked about the connection she develops with her students of all ages.

“Making a difference in someone else’s life is what it’s about. In music, it is wonderful to be able to do that every day. Every day when you come to work you have the chance to do that,” she added.

In her free time, Levy enjoys being outdoors and gardening, which allows her to be creative. She has also started taking online classes at the University of Massachusetts to get a certificate in arts administration. She hopes to be a benefit to the community by helping encourage the arts where she resides. 

Levy loves to work in her community by becoming involved with her husband’s church and hopes to start a community garden in Scranton to benefit different food pantries in the areas.

She also enjoys listening to Celtic music and the famous composer Mozart.