Paula Rivera-Dantagnan Voice Studio

My first experience teaching voice was in college, as an assistant to my own teacher in her voice studio. The wonderful feeling of helping students connect with their instrument and find freedom and joy with their voices was one of the most rewarding things I had experienced. Since then, teaching has been as important in my life as my own performing career.

My goal is to help every student get to know their instrument and give them the tools to make the best use of it. I believe that a healthy vocal technique starts with proper breathing and relaxation. As students learn to use their bodies to guide and support their sound they are able to release tension and free their voices. I love seeing the joy in students’ faces when they “discover” a sound they didn’t know they had.

My job is to help each person become the singer they want to be, so I will not push anybody into any particular style of singing. But I do ask that, as we embark on the journey of getting to know your voice and discovering what it can do, you remain open to trying new things and exploring different genres of music. You may be surprised where your voice leads you!

I am a classically trained mezzo-soprano and my own performing career focuses in opera, oratorio and art song. In my more than 20 years of teaching I have worked with students on all musical genres, especially musical theater. My students are often cast as leads in musicals in middle school, high school and community theatre in the greater Philadelphia area. In addition, many of my students have continued to major in Vocal Performance or Musical Theater and have been accepted into Westminster Choir College, Penn State, University of the Arts, Catholic University of America, West Chester University, Temple University and University of California-Berkeley, to name a few.

Personally, I believe that the joy and fulfillment that comes from expressing yourself through singing is unparalleled and I feel incredibly lucky that I can help people achieve this. I am happy to work with singers of all levels, whether you are just curious if you can sing, want to do it just for fun or are considering it as a possible career.