TEACHING PHILOSOPHY

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• To establish and maintain a safe and comfortable learning environment.

  • ​First and foremost, I believe that students can only truly begin to open themselves up to learning new concepts when they feel safe. Singing is an incredibly vulnerable activity, so I have attempted to create a studio that serves as a comfortable, judgement-free zone where all of my students are treated as people who are worthy of being heard. Side note: several of my students have gleefully commented that my voice studio reminds them of their favorite therapist’s office - I take that as a huge compliment!

• To build confidence and reduce singing/performing anxiety.

  • ​So many folks have come to me saying they were told when they were young that they shouldn’t sing, or that they were doing just fine until they worked with someone who destroyed their self-confidence. Sometimes, all it takes is one person to break us down - and I’ve been there. I have found it to be my calling to work with these folks, as being in similar situations myself set me back many years from pursuing my musical passion. What I’ve learned through these experiences has made me extra passionate about helping others to remember why they sing, build confidence, reduce anxiety, and rediscover the joy of doing what we do as singers.

• To cater to all learners in their journey of creating art.

  • ​If there was one thing I’ve inherited from my dad, it’s the ability to explain a concept in many different ways until it really resonates with folks. I find it highly satisfying to find creative ways to explain an idea until I see that “light bulb moment” happen for my students! What we do as singers involves both understanding  the technical aspects of our physiology as well as permitting ourselves to create art when we sing (“painting with sound”, I’ve been known to call it). To achieve this, I employ a blend of teaching methods in my studio, including body mapping, tactile gestures, and mental imagery.

• To teach with the attitude that ALL students are capable of learning to sing.

  • I can’t tell you how many times someone has said to me that they do not sing because “I have no natural talent” or “I don’t think I could carry a tune in a bucket”. Here’s what I say: “If you can speak, you can sing”. Yes, it may take longer for some folks than for others, but it’s true - you can be taught to sing, and if you know how to practice what you learn in lessons (another thing I teach!), you might get there more quickly. I like to focus on the “why” behind what we’re doing in lessons - when we understand “why”, we usually care a lot more, and when we care, we try harder!

• To help students embrace their own unique sound.

  • I frequently tell my students that the voice is like an “aural fingerprint” - no two are exactly the same, and we shouldn’t try to make them all the same. This was a huge challenge for me in my early (OK, and sometimes later) adult years, feeling like my voice didn’t sound like all the other tenors I listened to, and being convinced that this was a bad thing. Then, someone asked me to think about my favorite singers, and why I liked their voices so much. My answer? “I love their voices because they’re so unique!” I started to learn to love my own unique voice, and I want other singers to fall in love with the voice they have as well. As a teacher, I strive to ensure that my students are able to sing with their own unique sound in the most healthy way possible.

• To encourage healthy vocal habits that promote lifelong singing.

  • I have a great interest in helping my students to be able to sing for as long as possible and feel great as they do so. This is why I teach about healthy use of the vocal mechanism (including vocal rest!), and have even been known to talk at great lengths about the positive effects of hydration on the voice as well as the potential negative effects of consuming products that may dry out the vocal folds, leading to irritation and eventual damage. In fact, I even did a research review on this subject as part of my vocal pedagogy graduate work!