Private Lessons and What to Expect
Every new student, regardless of skill level or experience, starts from scratch when he or she walks through my door. There is no nerve-racking “audition” to prepare, and no one is turned away because he or she isn’t “good enough”. Hearing a student sing the exercises during the first few lessons will provide me with sufficient information about his or her initial abilities and let me know where the most focus will need to be placed in order to maximize what he or she has naturally.
The first time that we meet, I like to sit down with new students and ask them about their goals, as far as singing is concerned, so that we can tailor the lessons to his or her individual needs. A student who wishes to sing casually, for example, will have a very different attitude and approach to his or her lessons than someone who wishes to sing professionally. Also, the lesson plan for a student who struggles to hear pitch and “sing on tune” will necessarily be different than the plan for someone who comes to me already able to begin working on more advanced skills.
I will also spend about a half hour explaining the technique that I teach and introducing the student to some basic concepts in vocal anatomy during that initial meeting.
The fundamentals of breathing, support, tone, placement of sound, resonance and vocal care are essential to being able to sing well, and they are the focus of my teaching. These skills are honed primarily through a series of vocal exercises (derived from the classical Bel Canto technique) that are intended to target each section of a student’s range in specific ways. My vocal students are taken through a series of challenging exercises that increase in difficulty as their skills build. They are taught to gain control of their voices in all parts of their range, through the register breaks, and in all vocal registers applicable.
My technique helps my students learn to sing properly and skillfully. Good tone, effective resonance, natural (unforced) volume, smooth legatos (transitions between notes), extended range, great stamina, versatility, agility and flexibility, warm vocal quality and perfect smoothness throughout the voice and its entire range are the results of a serious student who studies with me.
Older and more advanced students (teenagers and adults) spend their lesson times learning technique, with an intense focus on developing skills through specially designed vocal exercises. Vocal coaching is an option after some of the fundamental skills have been acquired. (See Vocal Coaching.)
Generally, younger children lack the patience and concentration to tolerate intense and repetitive exercises, and their ability to grasp the complexities of vocal technique is limited. Additionally, their vocal apparatus haven’t yet matured and need to be treated more delicately. However, children (ages 10-14) who demonstrate exceptional potential, determination and maturity are given special consideration on an individual basis. Generally, it is the parents of the children who make this decision, not I, since I turn away no one with a genuine desire to improve his or her singing abilities. (See Vocal Coaching for more details about the unique way in which lessons with children are approached.)
I will also work with students – vocal majors in college, rock singers, etc. - who have suffered vocal damage through improper singing practices (such as straining to “project”) in order to help them to understand how their injuries occurred, and how to “rescue” their singing voices through learning proper technique and healthy habits.
Feedback is given regularly throughout the lessons, and a student’s progress will be discussed periodically to see how it is measuring up to his or her goals. An honest assessment of a student’s steady progress, (or lack of improvement), is a good tool for determining whether or not we are a good teacher-student fit or whether or not the student’s goals are realistic.
Students are encouraged and expected to play an active role in the learning process. For example, they should read my information on vocal anatomy (also posted on this site) in order to better understand the terminology that I will use while teaching, do breathing exercises at home to increase their strength, control and stamina in preparation for the more challenging exercises ahead, attempt to apply proper technique during their rehearsals, come to lessons with questions, and discuss with me the areas on which they would like to focus during their lessons.
Lessons are as short as thirty minutes for new students and as long as sixty minutes for teenagers and adults who have developed the stamina and concentration. Since the technique can be physically and psychologically intense, most students are tired after thirty minutes of study, and poor concentration or focus is a waste of time and money, and leads to potential vocal fatigue or injury.
Periodically, I will hold workshops at the Pepperell Music Center for singers who are interested in learning about the basics of good singing, but who are uncertain about making the commitment to lengthy and intense vocal study. The dates and fees for these limited group sessions, as well as registration information, will be posted on this site.
Vocal Coaching
Please note: Vocal coaching is neither my emphasis nor my specialty, and a student desiring intense, long-term or expert coaching should also hire a vocal coach.
Occasional vocal coaching is provided as an option for all students once the basics of proper technique have been consistently demonstrated. A flexible student-selected repertoire encourages active involvement in and ownership of the learning process, and decreases boredom and frustration. Students who sing in bands or choirs often bring their original or cover songs or audition selections and work through them with me during lessons. Our focus is always primarily on applying correct technique to the songs. I will also provide constructive feedback from a technique perspective on the vocals of recorded demos, if desired.
For younger students, singing songs that they enjoy and that are suitable for their skill level is an ideal way to practically teach and apply the basic elements of vocal technique (such as proper breathing, resonance balancing, control, etc.). Up to half of the lesson time may be devoted to vocal coaching.
Fees and Cancellation Policies
At my home studio, the initial half hour lecture detailing the stages of my technique is free. It is intended to be an informative session in which a prospective student can meet me, learn about my approach to teaching, ask questions and then decide how he or she wishes to proceed.
I endeavour to keep my lesson fees at my home studio low so that learning to sing with a skilled instructor is not cost-prohibitive for most people in my (rural) geographic area. These fees are comparable to those charged at the local music store.
In order to discourage “no-shows” and frequent cancellations, particularly those for which insufficient notice is given, students are required to pay for lessons in advance for the entire calendar month. When at least twenty-four hours notice is given for cancellations, a make-up lesson can be scheduled. (During the initial interview, I will provide the student with a written cancellation policy and payment schedule.)
