Why should I study?

Applied voice instruction aims to help you develop your self-awareness and ability to sing with consistently healthy and optimal vocal technique.  Building a secure vocal foundation through disciplined practice can afford you lasting benefits, enhancing your expressive range, stamina, stability, and confidence as a compelling performer, while developing your artistic sensitivity and vocal longevity.  To help you achieve these goals, I will guide you in learning how to practice effectively, develop your ear, sing on your breath, internalize rhythm, and organize your physical behavior to liberate your vocal potential.  I structure your lessons around your specific goals and needs for musical preparation.  Within this, we will explore diverse genres and styles of vocal repertoire when possible to develop vocal versatility.

Music theory instruction is integral for any music student to understand how music is built and how it functions.  A thorough knowledge of music theory can improve sight reading, critical listening and identification of chords, intervals, and progressions, and can help in creative decision-making for performance.  Whether you are preparing for theory exams, working on original compositions or arrangements, or simply interested in deepening your understanding of music, my lessons are personally tailored for your goals.  I specialize in Western classical music theory from the medieval era to today but can provide introductory instruction in Eastern and jazz music theory.

Personalized aural skills instruction can be part of voice or music theory lessons or can be a separate course of study.  A necessary training for musicians of all types and ability, solid aural skills strengthens musicians’ ears and ability to match pitches and recall melodies and harmonies without music.  Students will improve their intonation, recognition of theoretic elements within music, and increase the speed with which they learn new pieces.  With individual instruction, students will develop their musicianship through study of intervals, chords, progressions, and rhythm by methods including melodic, harmonic, and rhythmic dictation.