Slowly but very surely, Elca Maranzana has been working towards her dream of becoming a singer. Blessed with a naturally lovely voice, she has, from her early years, been making the most of her gift. As a teenager, she cut a disc, and gave recitals. When famed Spanish tenor Jose Carreras came here, she sang Gershwin?s ?Summertime? on the same stage.

Since enrolling in the Berkshire Hills Music Academy two years ago, Miss Maranzana has fulfilled a series of engagements at various venues in Massachusetts and elsewhere as part of her development, including what she describes as her ?most wonderful? engagement: an invitation from the Best Buddies organisation, which is headed by the Shriver, Schwarzenegger and Kennedy families, to sing the American national anthem before a cycle race, and then proceed to Ted Kennedy?s Cape Cod compound. Her success led to a second ?command performance? at a major fund-raising gala Best Buddies held at the Playboy mansion in California.

?It was fantastic, and I met one of my favourite actors, Val Kilmer, who said I had done a wonderful job,? the young singer says. Other Stateside singing engagements have included an Academy gala, and a Ralph Lauren Fall Collection fashion show. Along with fellow students, she regularly performs at veterans? and seniors? rest homes.

During Miss Maranzana?s studies, which include composition and musical appreciation, she has discovered that she has a far deeper voice range than she realised (or what she calls her ?chest voice?). She has been encouraged to sing in French and German, and greatly expanded her repertoire and musical interests.

In addition she has mastered singing and playing piano simultaneously. ?It is really a difficult art,? she notes.

Whereas once Miss Maranzana?s focus was on classical music, including opera (both of which she still loves), she has now branched out into jazz, improvisational and popular music, and R&B as well. In addition, she has begun writing her own songs and music.

Saying she ?loves? composing her own songs, she confesses that her approach is unusual in that she first writes the music and then the words. Already, her talent has aroused the interest of a producer and recording engineer who is investigating compiling and distributing a portfolio of her work.

So it appears that the future is bright for a young singer who, sight impaired from birth, cannot read music but learns everything by memory.

Indeed, pianist Deon Flash, who will accompany Miss Maranzana at her recital, has, like many others, described her talent and professionalism as ?amazing?.

Meanwhile, while home on her summer break, she has decided to give a recital, part proceeds of which help the cancer charity PALS. The date is June 24, the venue is St. John?s church, Pembroke, and it begins at 7.30 p.m. The programme will be a mixture of classical and non-classical pieces, and include her own composition, ?Unfair Love?. Tickets for the recital ($35) are available at the Visitors Service Bureau box office from June 19 to 23 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and also the Portofino restaurant.