About
With Bachelor of Music, Master of Music, and Doctor of Music degrees from the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University, I am comfortable working with students in a variety of musical styles. I work with students as young as fourteen, and as old as ninety, those who have had training before, and those who haven't.
While much of what I teach is based on the Bel Canto style of classical singing, by no means do I force all of my students to sound like opera singers! I believe different styles of singing, including pop, jazz, musical theatre, and opera, actually have much in common. I believe singing in any genre should feel engaged and clear, and should be closely related to the way we speak.
I adore teaching. I started teaching during graduate school, while working as an associate instructor of voice at the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University, and immediately came to love sharing with others what I have learned about singing, and watching them grow as singers themselves. I am now based in New York City, and continue my vocal studies with renowned voice teacher Mark Schnaible.
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Frequently asked questions
What is your typical process for working with a new student?
I always want to meet every student where they are, whether they are already an advanced singer with several years' of experience, or very new to singing. It is important for me to assess every student's level. I also like to discuss goals and interests with new students, so I can fully understand why they are studying voice, and what they hope to gain. In our first lesson, we will start with vocalises (vocal exercises), to help me get an idea of your vocal range, your current strengths, and well as what we can work to improve.
What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
I have Bachelor of Music, Master of Music, and Doctor of Music degrees from the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University. During my time at IU, I performed many operatic roles, solos in oratorio and concert repertoire, and solo recitals. I also worked as associate instructor of voice, teaching private voice lessons to music majors and non-majors. I also served as the associate director of the undergraduate opera workshop and helped with repertoire selection, staging, language diction, and dramatic coaching.
I also maintained an active private voice studio during this time.
While at IU, I studied French, German, and Italian, as well as the International Phonetic Alphabet. I am also fluent in Spanish.
Do you have a standard pricing system for your lessons? If so, please share the details here.
60 minutes via Skype: $75
45 minutes via Skype: $60
30 minutes via Skype: $30
60 minutes in-person (NYC only): $90
45 minutes in-person (NYC only): $75
How did you get started teaching?
I was introduced to teaching while I was a graduate student at Indiana University. The very first lesson I taught was a part of a vocal pedagogy class I took as part of my coursework. Later in my studies, I received an assistantship which allowed me to gain much more experience teaching, as well as giving diction coachings in Italian, French, German, and Spanish. I instantly fell in love with teaching voice.
What types of students have you worked with?
I have worked with students as young as fourteen, as well as seniors, and every age in between. I have students who are pursuing classical singing, others who are pursuing musical theatre, and still others who are pursuing pop or rock music. While these musical styles may all be different from one another, I believe these styles of singing could - and should - actually have a lot in common, too.
Describe a recent event you are fond of.
I recently performed the bass solos in "Messiah" at First Presbyterian Church here in New York City. It was my first time getting to perform live in front of an audience again since before the COVID-19 pandemic. It was so rewarding to be back in front of a live audience again, sharing beautiful music.
What advice would you give a student looking to hire a teacher in your area of expertise?
My suggestion to every singer looking to study voice to look for a teacher who does not want to put you in a box. If you want to sing pop music, look for a teacher who will respect that. If you want to sing musical theatre, look for a teacher who will respect that. Stay away from teachers who want all of their students to sound exactly alike and sing all the exact same repertoire. The goal of studying voice should not be to make you sound like someone else; it should be to help you find your OWN individual sound.
What questions should students think through before talking to teachers about their needs?
Before starting voice lessons, I think it's important to think about what your goals are. Do you want to pursue a professional singing career? If so, in what genre? Or, do you want to sing as a hobby? If you don't yet know what your goals are, that's okay, too. But, I think it's a good idea to give some thought to this before your first lesson, so you and your teacher can be sure you are on the same page!