Voice Lessons

Q. If you were a customer, what do you wish you knew about your trade? Any inside secrets to share?

A. Once I get comfortable singing, what's next? Where can I perform?

Great question! It is really important to start auditioning as soon as you are comfortable enough to think about it. Auditions are NOT easy but they do become very natural after a couple tries. It's like going to the gym, I wouldn't try for anything to far out of your league but start with some community theaters and talent shows in your area. Some coffee shops have open mic nights and even Karaoke is a great way to try singing in front of people. If you are more experienced and wanting to further your education, try looking for summer programs or colleges with vocal departments. There are so many choices!

Q. Why does your work stand out from others who do what you do?

A. I am a classically trained singer with a strong background in Vocal Pedagogy as well as a Singer Songwriter who loves to sing every style of music. I respect a singer's choice of genre and I teach healthy ways of approaching each vocal style. Each lesson is personalized for the individual student and the goals of that student.

Q. What do you like most about your job?

A. I love music. Teaching allows me to help others realize their dreams. (Even if that just means finding enough courage to sing in the car) It is so fun to see progress and comfort ease into new singers, and their excitement as they begin to see their own progress!

Q. What questions do customers most commonly ask you? What's your answer?

A. How much should I practice?

The simple answer is it varies for each student. If you want to sing at the Met, you better be practicing every single day! If your venue of choice holds an audience of Shampoo, Soap, and a Loofah, you can get by with minimal practicing. That said, singing once a week with a teacher telling you what to do is not the best way to improve. When you take the time to practice on your own, you'll forget some of the things your teacher makes you do and you develop questions. When you talk to your teacher about your practicing, your knowledge and understanding of the voice deepens and the next time you sing, you'll feel more confident.

Q. Do you have a favorite story from your work?

A. Recently, I was the Music Director at a summer camp in Petaluma, CA. The kids were so much fun to work with. One day, we were having a difficult time getting the preteens to show enthusiasm. For some reason, that age group thinks it is cool to look bored and uninterested. We played a game where a couple kids at a time would come up and do their scene with super low energy and then turn it around and do it with super high energy! It was so fun to watch them figure out that they have more fun when they commit to the scene. Even the "low energy" versions of their scenes had higher energy than they were giving it initially; this is due to the fact that just engaging in an activity can give it energy.

Q. What do you wish customers knew about you or your profession?

A. It is hard work. Singing is not an easy choice. You are constantly judged on your creative and artistic outlets. That said, it is one of the greatest feelings ever to immerse yourself in music and surround yourself with friends and colleagues who understand your creativity and support your work. If you have the drive to succeed, you will.