About The Kitchen Quartet

Maya Levy grew up to Israeli and French parents in New York City. When she was young, her teachers used to call her Maya Papaya, which she hated, because she hated papayas. Now, however, she loves papayas and thinks her teachers were rather clever. 

She has lived in London since 2005. Her mother has been asking her to move back to NY since 2006.

Maya is a professional singer, songwriter, actor and theatre deviser/writer, with a Bachelor of Music from the prestigious Oberlin Conservatory (in piano and voice), a Bachelor of Arts in English and Theatre from Oberlin College, as well as an MA in Performance from the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama. 

Trained as a classical pianist and classical singer at Oberlin, she is also the Cantorial Soloist and Community Musician of West London Synagogue.

Maya's focus has been on composing pieces of music theatre, song writing, choir leading and working as a professional performer. Her one-woman show The Adventures of Nellie Bly,  about the 19th century American reporter and daredevil, Nellie Bly, received a “Highly Recommended Show” by Fringe Review. Other projects include: The Damsels Most Daring Present ‘The Bravery of Miss Anne and Other Tales of Splendorous Adventures', a piece of comedic, musical, storytelling theatre. She is the voice of several NPC characters in the video game Tom Clancy's The Division 2, which she auditioned for three weeks after giving birth to her daughter.

Saraid Dodd's best skill is being able to befriend two professional musicians who let her sing with them. From a massive, musical Irish (and Somersetty) family; singing has always been part of her life. 

Her earliest memories consist of sitting around having a sing-song with the grown-ups and eventually learning to pick out a harmony. By the age of 17 this had evolved to playing keys and singing in a family band with her twin sister, Dad, next-door neighbour, future brother-in-law and Dave the bassist (the family bassist). 

The family band kept its flame alive throughout the University years and well beyond. Saraid studied Drama with English and Education at Cambridge University. This was where she met Nadia Kamil who later met Maya Levy, who got them all singing together. It was at the raucous monthly music night (the busk factor), hosted by the Dodd family band, that the Kitchen Quartet first started flexing their collective vocal muscles. They'd go to the pub kitchen for a quick rehearsal with Daddy Dodd on the guitar and then, smelling of chips, perform to a happy crowd.  

Saraid is delighted to have grown as a musician with The Kitchen Quartet. Some of the more ridiculous and incoherent numbers are arranged by her. When she's not singing she's an English teacher and a parent of two, which is pretty hard, so the singing always feels great! Saraid also creates musical comedy with her twin sister, comedian Siobhan Dodd, and sings in the band The Maverick Detectives alongside an Elvis impersonator. She struggles not to add a harmony during Happy Birthday, which has alienated her from some of her children's friends' parents. But never mind. 

Sara Feldmann Brummer (was Cluderay) studied classical singing at Trinity College of Music, and then in an unexpected but enjoyable move, she toured the UK singing operatic backing vocals with rock band The Clint Boon Experience, including a live session for BBC Radio One and an appearance at the Reading and Leeds Rock Festivals. 

When Sara's rock 'n' roll years were over, she sang the roles of Olympia, Antonia and Giulietta in a touring opera and circus production, Cirque D'Hoffmann (based on Offenbach's operetta The Tales of Hoffmann). Sara was very happy to be based on the ground during this show, while her talented circus aerialist colleagues flew high overhead. 

Sara's main focus in the past few years has been choral singing. One highlight was the UK tour of Danny Elfman's film music, with the BBC Concert Orchestra and The Maida Vale Singers, including concerts at the Royal Albert Hall, singing all the lovely oohs and ahs from films like Edward Scissorhands and Beetlejuice. 

Cabaret shows with Ismena Collective and Two Dumb Blondes kept Sara out of trouble, took her to Brighton and the West End and allowed her to show off her sparkly shoe collection. She also sang at the famous Don't Tell Mama cabaret club in NYC.

Sara is a regular soloist at Westminster Synagogue and an occasional chorister at West London Synagogue. Her favourite Kitchen Quartet song is The Brain Song because it's full of interesting science-y stuff.

Sara's toddler daughter likes to join in with her singing practice, but prefers The Wheels on the Bus Go Round and Round.*

(*This is not a Kitchen Quartet song. Yet.)