Voice Lessons

Want to do more than sing along with the radio?

Whether you are a seasoned pro, total beginner, or somewhere in between, we will work together to find your best voice. Private voice lessons are fun, and not only good for your singing, but for your psyche as well. They are a great way to relieve stress and build confidence! Contact me today to find out more.

Where?

I teach in Studio 333 and online on Mondays and Wednesdays at
The Greensboro Cultural Center
200 N Davie St
Greensboro, NC 27401

(There is ample parking in the Church Street Deck behind the Cultural Arts Center, or metered parking on Friendly Ave or Davie St.)

When?

Forget your lesson time this week? You can view the studio schedule here.

How much?

Studio Policies and Registration Form

  • 30 minutes: $30
  • 55 minutes: $60

What will we do in lessons?

I tailor lessons to each individual student according to his/her goals. I have students interested in a wide variety of genres, from classical to Broadway to pop to gospel. Although each genre has is own idiosyncrasies, all my teaching is based in the Bel Canto school of singing, emphasizing beautiful and healthy singing. This core technique can be adapted to the stylistic demands of any genre, and when done properly, ensures free and easy production no matter what the repertoire.

During your first lesson we will explore your voice with a few simple exercises, and I will ask you to sing something for me. It can be anything: an aria, show-tune, pop song or just Happy Birthday. The selection doesn’t matter so long as you feel comfortable singing it, and I get a chance to hear you sing something less artificial than a scale. Then we will discuss your goals for studying voice and from there I will begin to shape a lesson plan to reach those goals, including exercises and specific pieces of music.

Am I too young/old for voice lessons?

I work with students as young as age 12 with no upper age limit. It’s never too late to start, although it may be too early. Because the vocal chords are very small muscles and the coordination required for singing is exceptionally complex (and mostly subconscious) I rarely accept students younger than 12. My advice to students that age is to begin working on musicianship through piano lessons or other instrumental study, and/or to work with a teacher who specializes in working with primary-school aged singers, such as Elena DeAngelis, who also teaches at the Music Center.

What do you expect of your students?

Sometimes students shy away from studying voice because they are afraid they can’t live up to the expectations of a teacher or others. Perhaps they were told at some point by a choir director, teacher, friend (sometimes even a parent!) that they can’t or shouldn’t sing. Singing is an extremely personal form of communication (after all you are your instrument) and such comments can be very hard to get over. I don’t expect you to be the next Pavorotti (although I certainly hope that for you), nor do I expect you to practice 20 hours a week. Aside from abiding by the studio polices above, I want you to do 3 basic things:

    1. Once you walk in the door, allow me to be responsible for the sound. That way you are off the hook! If something we try doesn’t work or sounds funny, then it’s my fault. After all, I’m the one who asked you to try it! Once you feel free to experiment without the fear of doing something “wrong”, you’ll be on the road to finding your own best, natural, beautiful singing voice.
    2. Be open to trying new sounds, even if you think they are “bad”. As is often said, the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again while expecting different results. You’ve taken the hardest step and signed up for lessons; now it’s time to try new ways of singing to improve your sound and reach your goals. Even “bad” sounds can be useful in the right situation. I want you to have a full palette of sounds you can chose from. Think of it like a box of crayons: would you rather have the box with only 8 colors, or the deluxe box with 256? Every sound you make is equivalent to one of those crayons. Sure, there are some colors you will rarely use, but it’s nice to know you have them.

  1. Have fun!!! Learning to sing well can be hard work, but in the end it should be something you enjoy doing. So every time you come to a lesson, practice, or perform, remember that you love to sing, and so long as you love what you are doing and give it your best, the rest will take care of itself!