Background:
BM in Voice Performance from the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM)
MM in Voice Performance from the Manhattan School of Music
In addition to enjoying a diverse "gigging" career that includes work as a soloist in opera, concert, recital, chamber music and film, I have been teaching voice for over 20 years, including more than 10 years at the college level. I am currently teaching lessons both privately, and also at Florida State University College of Music, previously having taught for many years at Grinnell College (Iowa) and before that at the New World School of the Arts (Miami, FL). In addition to one-to-one voice lessons for students at many ages and stages (high school, college and mature) and from beginning to more advanced students, I have taught singers’ lyric diction/IPA in French, German, Italian, and English. I have a great enthusiasm for listening to and working with students on music in a variety of styles and from a variety of time periods, including but not limited to classical and contemporary song, opera, musical theater, pop, jazz, rock, indie, and folk.
Why take voice lessons?
I recognize that there are many reasons why a student would seek one-to-one voice instruction, not only in pursuit of a music degree or to gain entrance into a college music program, but perhaps to learn more about their voice and how it works, to prepare for performances or auditions, because they are fascinated by the wonderful range of colors and techniques that the human voice can be trained to employ for expression, and because they love music. Perhaps they wish to augment talents which they already have either as a singer or other musician, to try different techniques and explore different styles of music, to have fun, and to use singing as therapy.
Some thoughts on teaching...
I believe that the best teachers are eternal students themselves, always eager to learn more. I have sought out my own voice teachers for their combination of technical understanding and prowess, enthusiasm for music and poetry, personality, rapport, and demonstrated student success rather than ego. This has served me well.
Being a teacher has helped me organize my thinking about what I know and how I sing. I have gained a wealth of valuable information from studying singing with a variety of voice types, and from working with conductors and coaches in the US, UK, Europe and Canada and have experienced firsthand that similar information can be conveyed in so many different ways. Because what “clicks” with one student doesn’t always make sense to another, finding a different way to explain a concept can make all of the difference to a student’s understanding.
There is a goal that I strive for with all of my students: to help them find their own unique voice through a healthy singing technique. There is so much that the voice can do when tensions are released and efficient breath and healthy resonance is achieved. I try to create an atmosphere that encourages curiosity and healthy vocal experimentation.
In simplest terms, I define good technique as an effective use of breath and the healthy placement of tone/resonance appropriate to the repertoire and intent. A relaxed but engaged posture, a free-flowing/flexible/buoyant use of breath, and developing an understanding of pure vowels and efficiently placed consonants is a good place to start and also an essential step towards beautiful diction. My goal is for my students to sound like themselves, not like each other, not like someone they heard on a recording, and not like me. Every voice is unique!