Introduction
Like piano, I believe singing should be easy on the body and spirit. The work that a singer does to improve her tone, range, and flexibility is demanding, but it is natural and healthy. Singing that sounds good, feels good; it is free, powerful, playful, and resonant. My goal as a voice teacher is to guide the student in the study of voice technique and application, while creating lessons that are fun, natural, and interesting.
Vocal Study
Voice lessons are conducted in a warm, caring environment in which the individual is encouraged to explore and develop her true singing voice, regardless of age or previous experience. Lessons will begin with a warm-up that is tailored to the student, and we will move on to the application of technique by singing material that the student connects with!
Concepts that will be explored and applied include: breath; posture; tone; pitch; placement; core stability; vocal control; and vocal health. The anatomy of the vocal apparatus and the best ways to maintain vocal health will be frequent topics of discussion, and the integration of breathing and relaxation techniques will be an important avenue for accessing vocal health and a supported tone.
Students will also do work on selecting material that showcases their particular voice. While every individual will be asked to experiment with different genres, one of the great benefits of well-guided voice lessons is that the student will emerge with a strong idea of what kinds of songs work for him. In addition to well-chosen material, voice lessons will involve the exploration of phrasing, delivery and interpretation of lyrics.
Finally, basic musical concepts such as beat, rhythm, melody, song structure, and piano accompaniment will also be explored and voice students will be encouraged to gain a basic understanding of the way music is written and played so they can communicate with an accompanist during auditions and performances.
*Special Note on Performing Arts High School Auditions*
Auditions for NYC's performing arts high schools, such as LaGuardia, Frank Sinatra School of the Arts (FSSA), Professional Performing Arts High School (PPAS), Murrow, Talent Unlimited and others, test students in several musical areas. These areas include tonal memory, rhythm memory, sight singing, basic vocalization, evenness of tone and pitch, and acappella singing. And this is before the student has had a chance to perform the audition song he or she has prepared. The intensity and depth of these auditions means that if a student is to prepare well for them, he or she must spend a good amount of time in focused, contiguous training developing the voice, training the ear, building a good sense of rhythm and becoming generally familiar with the vocabulary of music.
I have found from my experience that trying to cram what should be months of audition preparation into a few weeks' time results in a stressful, rushed, harrowing experience for both teacher and student. This is especially true with students who have had no musical training whatsoever and begin studying only in order to prepare for the audition. There is too much to cover, and not enough time. The way this gap has been bridged in the past is by having the student "double-up" or even "triple-up" on lessons in the final weeks leading up to an audition, in other words, coming in for one or two extra lessons per week in addition to the regularly scheduled lesson. But this is a problematic route to follow, as new concepts need time to sink in, and as the cost and schedule commitment can become burdensome for families.
My strong recommendation is not to wait to begin the process of audition preparation. Beginning regular voice and music study in the summer or even the spring before the November and December audition period ensures that the student will have had good, solid training in the fundamental areas of music, and will have selected and perfected the audition pieces, before he or she walks into the audition room. If you or your child are thinking about beginning audition preparation for the performing arts high schools, please contact me sooner than later to set up a course of voice and music study!
Like piano, I believe singing should be easy on the body and spirit. The work that a singer does to improve her tone, range, and flexibility is demanding, but it is natural and healthy. Singing that sounds good, feels good; it is free, powerful, playful, and resonant. My goal as a voice teacher is to guide the student in the study of voice technique and application, while creating lessons that are fun, natural, and interesting.
Vocal Study
Voice lessons are conducted in a warm, caring environment in which the individual is encouraged to explore and develop her true singing voice, regardless of age or previous experience. Lessons will begin with a warm-up that is tailored to the student, and we will move on to the application of technique by singing material that the student connects with!
Concepts that will be explored and applied include: breath; posture; tone; pitch; placement; core stability; vocal control; and vocal health. The anatomy of the vocal apparatus and the best ways to maintain vocal health will be frequent topics of discussion, and the integration of breathing and relaxation techniques will be an important avenue for accessing vocal health and a supported tone.
Students will also do work on selecting material that showcases their particular voice. While every individual will be asked to experiment with different genres, one of the great benefits of well-guided voice lessons is that the student will emerge with a strong idea of what kinds of songs work for him. In addition to well-chosen material, voice lessons will involve the exploration of phrasing, delivery and interpretation of lyrics.
Finally, basic musical concepts such as beat, rhythm, melody, song structure, and piano accompaniment will also be explored and voice students will be encouraged to gain a basic understanding of the way music is written and played so they can communicate with an accompanist during auditions and performances.
*Special Note on Performing Arts High School Auditions*
Auditions for NYC's performing arts high schools, such as LaGuardia, Frank Sinatra School of the Arts (FSSA), Professional Performing Arts High School (PPAS), Murrow, Talent Unlimited and others, test students in several musical areas. These areas include tonal memory, rhythm memory, sight singing, basic vocalization, evenness of tone and pitch, and acappella singing. And this is before the student has had a chance to perform the audition song he or she has prepared. The intensity and depth of these auditions means that if a student is to prepare well for them, he or she must spend a good amount of time in focused, contiguous training developing the voice, training the ear, building a good sense of rhythm and becoming generally familiar with the vocabulary of music.
I have found from my experience that trying to cram what should be months of audition preparation into a few weeks' time results in a stressful, rushed, harrowing experience for both teacher and student. This is especially true with students who have had no musical training whatsoever and begin studying only in order to prepare for the audition. There is too much to cover, and not enough time. The way this gap has been bridged in the past is by having the student "double-up" or even "triple-up" on lessons in the final weeks leading up to an audition, in other words, coming in for one or two extra lessons per week in addition to the regularly scheduled lesson. But this is a problematic route to follow, as new concepts need time to sink in, and as the cost and schedule commitment can become burdensome for families.
My strong recommendation is not to wait to begin the process of audition preparation. Beginning regular voice and music study in the summer or even the spring before the November and December audition period ensures that the student will have had good, solid training in the fundamental areas of music, and will have selected and perfected the audition pieces, before he or she walks into the audition room. If you or your child are thinking about beginning audition preparation for the performing arts high schools, please contact me sooner than later to set up a course of voice and music study!