About
I was fortunate to grow up in a musical family and would like to share the joy of music with others. My background is primarily classical music, but I have done many variety shows where I sing Broadway ,pop, and operatic arias. I have played violin in orchestras most of my life.
Vocal technique helps to increase range, beauty of tone and ease of singing. I love lteaching beginning violinists, but some of my students play violin concertos. Most of them are quite active in their school music program. Although many of my students have pursued careers in music, most of them study for enrichment.
I believe that anyone can learn to sing better and pitch can be improved. If someone would like to become proficient on either violin or voice, it takes many years of study. Muscles have to be build up and students should practice about a half hour hour per day. Regular, daily practice is much better than practicing in spurts. I firmly believe that students should learn to read music. Although some pop stars become famous without being able to read a note of music, I try to encourage singers to be well rounded so that they they can endeavour many types of singing, including singing in a community chorus.
Although I was trained as a soloist, I have enjoyed many years of singing in church and community choirs. It is a great way to to make lasting friendships and enjoy singing at the same time. Knowing to read music is not a hinderance, so I encourage my vocal students to take beginning level paino lessons so that they they can pick out the notes of a song on a piano. Many times pop artists do not sing the same notes as the written sheet music, but knowing how to play the notes as a guide is very helpufl. Also, it is important to be able to play vocal exercises on a piano or keyboard to check the pitches. Voice students who do not have an instrumental background are encourage to take 45 minute lessons so that I can include piano lessons in the lessons.
The voice lessons include breathing exercises, the singinging of scales, and the formation of consonants and vowels in a method that creates less tension.
It is also recommended that violin students have a keyboard or piano background before taking violin. I can also teach both violin and piano in my violin lessons. I believe in working on bowing before working on the notes of the left hand. Progress is slow, but the students improve over a long period of time.
As a youngster I studied music theory, sight singing, piano, voice and violin. I also have a strong background in theater and studied ballet. My focus on singing is encouraging my students to sing without an accompaniment. Although I play piano, I am not a piano accompanists, and voice students will have to seek an accompanist elsewhere.
I have studied voice in New York City, Italy and Germany and privately in the Cleveland area with master teachers. I have also studied violin with members of The Cleveland Orchestra and other highly professional orchestas. Most of my violin tachers were Concert Masters. I have served as Concert Master of several community orchestras, but now devote my time to teaching. I have sung operatic roles and in opera choruses on a professional level. My music degree is in Vocal Performance from The Colleege of Wooster. I have a profile on Linkeldn.
I have been teaching voice and violin for 47 years. Every students is different, and i teat each student as an individual.
I a m a member of the Musicians Union and the musicians' club, Cecilian Club. My awards includes scholarships at Chautauqua Institution and the College of Wooster. Many of my students get I's and II's at solo and Ensemble Contest.
Although I have had students pursue music as a career I prefer planting a seed for my students to develp a lifelong love of music. I come from a long heritage of musicians and my father founded Willoughby Fine Arts where I taught for years. I have also taught at Ashtabula Arts Center and Arrowhead Music . Presently , I teach virtually online, and in my home studio. When coronavirus subsides, I will teach at Shore Cultural Center in Euclid and plan to teach at a location in Lake County. For now I am only teaching virtually and outdoors in my home in Euclid.
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Frequently asked questions
What is your typical process for working with a new student?
Voice: beginning piano lessons so students can learn their music on their own, breathing exercises, scales, and songs
Violin: beginning piano lessons, bowing, then left hand placement
What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
Bachelor of Music , The College of Woster, further study at Cleveland State and Kent State, Univeristy of Freiburg, The Hochshule fur Musik, in Freiburg, Germany and an opera workshop with Tito Gobbi in Florence Italy, Suzuki studies at The Ceveland Institute of Music, Capital University, and in Milwaukee, Wisconsin with Mimi Zweig, privae study with members of The Cleveland Orchstra, Toronto Symphony, Rochester Symphony and Ohio Chamber Orchestra, vocal study with presidents of The National Teachers of Singing and in New York City