Tell the Story

Over the past couple of years, I have changed my approach to learning music. I used to always play through a piece on the piano and then sang along with more thought to producing a final product than working through the details. I usually found there was a feeling of disconnect between the text and the music. We have always been told to translate foreign language pieces and speak through the text, but I never fully took this to heart. I have a quick ear for languages and am a fast study so I, perhaps unconsciously, decided that I didn’t need to do all the meticulous work. However, I quickly realized that you can only get so far on talent. You must put in the work. Once I accepted this fact, I started to love the process of working through technical issues and creating authentic characters.

What really helped me was when I read “The Naked Voice” by W. Stephen Smith. His wholistic approach to singing is enlightening, and his “text first” method to learning music is amazing. When I purposefully tried this system, I discovered that the musical text setting made so much more sense. For the first time I truly felt I was saying real words, not just syllables and sounds I had memorized. Speaking of memorizing; with this method I can learn songs and arias much faster because I piece them together in a logical order. Also, my tone flows better because I have practiced speaking the text with well-defined vowels and consonants that are free from muscular entanglement. I now use this method all the time for myself as well as my students.

Classical Training

I am an opera singer as well as voice teacher. In addition to operatic repertoire, I also enjoy singing “legit” musical theater, art songs, and folk songs. I strongly believe a foundation in classical vocal training can be applied to any genre of music. When you know how your body functions when you sing you are much more likely to produce a beautiful tone that is expressive and free from tension. I encourage all my students to be individuals in their singing. It is important to have high quality vocal role models, but not to copy someone else’s results. We have already heard that other person; we want to hear your unique sound. A technique that focuses on a balance between the body, breath energy, resonance, tone, and most importantly, a clear and specific mental image of what you want to achieve, will enable you to have the most success in your singing endeavors.

My Teaching Philosophy

I enjoy working with adults on any level of expertise; especially beginning to intermediate students. I help my students reach a deeper understanding of how their voices function by asking questions: “How did that feel?”, “What did you notice?”, “What were you thinking and/or doing to achieve that sound?”. I often find that students will arrive at the same observation I have, but perhaps phrase it differently. This allows for both of our “vocal vocabulary” to grow. Providing a student with the necessary vocabulary for expressing what they are doing, thinking, and feeling while singing is crucial. The student gains confidence in his/her abilities and ultimately independence.

 It is such a joy to watch the “break throughs” occur. Sometimes these “ah-ha” moments happen in the lessons, and you can just feel the excitement in the room, but often it takes place during a practice session when the student has time to synthesize the information acquired in the lesson.

Believable Characters

My voice teacher once called me a “creature of the stage”. I love performing and delving deep into every character I play. When I am fully engaged in the story-telling my singing is much more dynamic, and most often my technique improves. I encourage my students to always be fully connected to the text. It’s not just about getting the pitches and rhythms correct but creating believe characters that are emotionally connected to what they say. I guide my students through a “character development” process by asking them: “Who they are, as the character”, “what do they want/what are their goals”, “What is the obstacle to their goals”, and “What tactic/action are they going to employ to overcome that obstacle”. I do this same process in my own singing and find it immensely beneficial and rewarding.