About
I'm a professional opera singer, piano and voice teacher, with bachelor's and master's degrees in vocal performance!
I teach from a physiological, science-informed perspective in order to ensure grounded and functional vocal technique in any genre. I specialize in opera and music theater, but I am comfortable with teaching a broad range of styles.
I am passionate about ensuring students' vocal health, growth, and artistic development as they grow into the vocal art form. I love teaching students of any age and level of vocal development! I look forward to meeting you, and helping you reach your goals!
I love seeing students feel empowered, whether that be through finally being able to utilize their full voice, being able to project their voice for theater, finally being able to sing a song they were not able to before, or landing that big gig or performance opportunity they've been anticipating.
I am committed to helping my students grow and expect commitment from my students as well. After a trial lesson, students are asked to commit to a period of lessons to get the best results!
In other words: The success of my students is my greatest pleasure!
Details
Years experience
Able to read music
Lesson length
Student's age
Student has instrument
Interested musical styles
Reviews
Erfaan M.
Jack C.
Kayla N.
Jameson W.
Isabella F.
Frequently asked questions
What is your typical process for working with a new student?
The first goal I have with each new voice student is to not only come to an understanding of where they are vocally, but also where they are on their journey. What goals do they have? What have they needed to overcome to get to where they are today? What kind of experience do they have? It's is a similar but slightly more straightforward process with piano students
On the technical side, the very first things I work on with most voice students are their concept of breath support, posture, vowel purity/diction, and getting good efficient sound by working on getting their vocal cords to close well in phonation. From that foundation, we move on to more advanced concepts over time as we continue to master the basics.
What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
I have undergraduate and graduate degrees in vocal performance, most recently including a Master's of Music in vocal performance from Florida State University. I have performed professionally in several operas, I also have some experience in Music Theater.
I have studied with master teachers and performers around the country, and I have specifically studied voice-teaching (vocal pedagogy) as an intense part of my graduate work in singing.
I can help students with sight reading, vocal technique, how to sing in many languages, acting/stagecraft, and stylistic conventions of vocal music ranging from present day, to 500 years in the past, among MANY other things.
Do you have a standard pricing system for your lessons? If so, please share the details here.
My normal lesson fees are:
25.00 for the initial consultation/lesson
Then, in regular lessons,
25.00 per half hour of instruction, piano lessons are usually 30 minutes and voice lessons are typically an hour
For the first lesson, we meet for 25-40 minutes typically, and the teaching is not the center of the lesson. We focus on getting to know one another (to see if we're a good fit to work together), and then I do some teaching at the end of the lesson as I get to know you and your goals.
After we have had our consultation, if a student decides to move forward with regular lessons, I have them sign a studio agreement, and we figure out what works best for them with regard to a regular lesson time.
How did you get started teaching?
I got started as a passionate amateur singer after my undergraduate degree. I had some pedagogy/teaching knowledge I had acquired during my B.M. and I thought I may enjoy teaching as a part time job. As soon as I started doing this, I realized that I LOVED it, and I also realized that I was a great voice teacher. I found it easy to break down complex ideas and improve the singing and confidence of my students. That was immensely rewarding!
I continued to teach before and during my M.M., including teaching for Florida State University as a G.A. and I now am teaching here in Appleton while I periodically travel for professional performance opportunities.
What types of students have you worked with?
All types!
6-58 years old, so far!
Any level of vocal experience from learning to match pitch to semi-pro vocalists! For piano students I teach through an intermediate level
and
All genres, though classical and music theater are my specialties.
Describe a recent event you are fond of.
I recently performed the role of Don Jose with the Florentine Opera Company (Milwaukee based). I found the experience to be immensely rewarding, and it greatly furthered my love of French grand opera!
What advice would you give a student looking to hire a teacher in your area of expertise?
Look for someone who has at least some sort of formal education in singing, and particularly for someone with a passion for vocal pedagogy! Not all great teachers have voice degrees, but most do, and it is a good starting point for screening potential teachers.
I would also encourage you to find a teacher who is kind, firm, and respectful of your time. It is not uncommon to find teachers that are bullies of their students, will not push you to succeed, and/or waste lesson time (on their phone, LONG irrelevant anecdotes, etc.) If a teacher will not let you record a lesson, or exhibits these behaviors up front, you are probably best served to find another voice teacher elsewhere.
What questions should students think through before talking to teachers about their needs?
What are my personal goals as an artist?
-now?
-a year from now?
-five years from now?
What are my goals for my singing?
-hobby, semi-pro, professional?
-technical goals?
What is the approach of the teacher to help me reach my specific goals?