Introduction: I bring 20 years of professional experience as singer, actress, director and producer into every lesson I teach. Being especially passionate about the intimate art of cabaret and jazz also means I'm really comfortable being face-to-face with my audiences and my students. There's a lot of depth to my teaching style but also a really rich sense of play. My training in classical voice and musical theater, and my passion for and experience with many different musical genre - jazz, blues, pop, folk-rock - are all available for my students to assist them in exploring their own story-telling, vulnerability, gesture and body language, vocal technique, mic technique and more. Here's what existing students say about my teaching style and what they've received from our time together:
"I learned how to make a song my own." --Sibyl, singer, Chicago
"Karen has a fantastic eye for theatre and detail. Working with her on my New York debut taught me so much about intimate theatre, and about my own strengths and instincts as a singer and actor. " -- Kim, cabaret artist, NYC
"Karen is an amazing coach for the stage. She has the unique ability to become any one of a hundred different audience members from one minute to the next, so you're immediately seen as one would hope to be as a stage performer - by a full house! There's one trick she uses repeatedly that has had an amazing effect and subtly transformed every single song in my show - it may even have positively effected my personal empathy. Every time we used it I did not recognize myself or my work, which had the incredibly valuable effect of having stepped out of it. I would even go as far to say that you go to her for stage coaching, and come away with life coaching." --Willem, singer-actor, Paris
"I can unequivocally say that being coached by Karen was a pure delight, not least in that it did not really feel like coaching but rather like an exciting and creative collaboration. Cabaret makes a performer so vulnerable and I felt very safe and protected. The best part of working with Karen is her trust and faith in her performers which allowed us to blossom. I would recommend Karen wholeheartedly and without reservation - not just in the field of cabaret, but for any actor/singer who is trying to tell a story and wants to communicate to their utmost abilities. So all I can say is - go for it, there is still so much to learn."
William, actor, London
"Karen is a teacher of few words. "Less is more" is her motto as she observes and guides us in bringing forth what is essential in us. Karen is very positive in her criticism which I found kept us all open to exploring and taking risks. A take-away for me is that when I'm enjoying myself, the audience is enjoying themselves too. Even when I make mistakes, they stay with me, and I find myself accessing a different creativity." Sebastian, singer, Berlin
"Karen Kohler is a cabaret singer's dream director. She directed me from the outside in. She's got a great eye for the vision of the stage as a whole, knows the fine art of building a dynamic and delicious evening of music and storytelling, and has excellent taste in song selection, patter, costumes, and stage movement. But more than all this Karen, a master singer herself, helped guide me towards what is most true in myself -- on stage, live and in the present moment." --Rebecca, actress/playwright, NYC
"The thing I found most useful was Karens appreciation of what's required to communicate with our audience, and her strong and enthusiastic affirmation of each participant." --Claudia, actress, Chicago
"I received an in-depth approach to the method of performance through the use of space, time, movement and storytelling. Whether singer, dancer or actor, I would highly recommend that everyone take this workshop as it would indeed be beneficial to every performer's goal to achieve their full potential of delivering a real, honest and truthful performance." -- Nicholas, dancer, Port of Spain
"An environment of trust was built beautifully. I love the way you started the session with everybody working on self body consciousness, the moves, and the postures. With each of the participants I could see you working so closely that at times some broke into tears or burst into laughter. You helped us draw closer to each other." --Supratik, public speaker, New Delhi
"I believe it's the hallmark of a true artiste not only to perform with all the heart and passion and love for music, but to be willing and able to share this with others too." --Doris, singer/teacher, New Delhi
I love to sing, act, move my body and communicate my experiences as a human being to my audiences worldwide, small and large. Equally, I love to guide other artists toward their own truthful and authentic performances. It is deeply gratifying to see them achieve comfort, power and mastery of their own stagecraft through my guidance and nurturing.
