I believe that making music is one of the most divine and connecting ways to creatively express our humanity, and the human voice is one of the most thrilling, powerful, honest and beautiful ways we can share who we are. 

 

I learned how liberating and communicatively powerful making music can be at a very young age. As a teenager in high school, in the years and months before, and while on the verge of coming out and embracing my being a member of the LGBTQIA+ community, I knew deeply how liberating it was to communicate and express so many complex thoughts and emotions that I had no other way to articulate but through music. 

Our voices can set us free. 

 

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I provide training in vocal technique and style for classical singing, opera, musical theater, choral/ensemble singing, ear training, sight singing, and guidance in overall artistic and musical interpretation.  I combine my knowledge and passion for vocal pedagogy, vocal physiology, acoustics as it relates to the singing voice, with breath work, kinesthetic learning and visual imagery. As important as it is for our minds to know exactly what our body and vocal mechanism are doing while singing, it is equally important to learn how healthy and free singing, relying on a foundation of breath, physically feels in our bodies, because our instruments are not visible to us.

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My knowledge of singing technique, style and musical artistry is a tapestry of the many incredible mentors, teachers, coaches and conductors I have had the immense pleasure of working with over nearly 15 years of study and almost a decade of professional performance experience.

- Lake Zurich High School, Mrs. Chris Misik (voice), Mr. Nick Juknelis (choral music education)

- Interlochen Center for the Arts: Kathleen Kaun (voice, Rice University)

- Northwestern University: Kurt R. Hansen (voice), Richard Boldrey (coach), assistant to Theresa Brancaccio (vocal pedagogy & Voce Vista voice Laboratory)

- University of Maryland Opera Studio: Professor Gran Wilson (voice), Justina Lee (coach), Alcine Wiltz (body, movement/Alexander Technique), Dr. Martha Randall (vocal pedagogy)

- Aspen Music Festival: W. Stephen Smith & Vinson Cole (voice), Elizabeth Buccheri (coach)

- Tanglewood Music Center: Dawn Upshaw & Sanford Sylvan (voice), Alan Smith, Kayo Iwama, Howard Watkins (coaches)

- Conductors and Musical Directors: including, Leonardo García Alarcón (Festival d'Aix-en-Provence), Ryan Brown (Opera Lafayette), Dame Sarah Connolly (Britten Pears Aldeburgh Festival), Christian Curnyn (Britten Pears Aldeburgh Festival), Jane Glover (Aspen Music Festival), Damien Guillon (Le Banquet Céleste), J. Reilly Lewis (Washington Bach Consort), Dana Marsh (Washington Bach Consort), Tomáš Netopil (Aspen Music Festival), Paul O'Dette & Stephen Stubbs (Boston Early Music Festival), Robert Spano (Aspen Music Festival)

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I am currently a student of Elizabeth Daniels in the Washington DC area, previously on the voice faculties of the University of Maryland and the Curtis Institute. 

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As a teacher, our technical work together will be defined by your personal vocal goals and level of experience, but may focus on:

- coordinating phonation

- breath control

- exploring range of healthy and maximal resonance

- exploring and expanding vocal range over time

- developing vocal agility & control

- vocal production in different vocal registers

- unifying the voice throughout the range

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Our stylistic and performance based work together as defined by your personal artistic goals and level of experience may focus on:​

- learning how to learn a new piece of music & establishing a system best suited to you

- diction & articulation of foreign languages

- dramatic interpretation

- musical phrasing

- general musicianship

- harmonic structure

- exploring and selecting technically appropriate & artistically satisfying repertoire

- preparation for rehearsals, auditions, performances

 

My teaching experience includes:

- Nearly 15 years of private voice study & specialized coursework

- Over 25 years of piano study 

- 7 years of teaching voice and piano lessons privately with multiple Washington DC region community music programs (students of all ages, beginner to advanced)

- 3 seasons of teaching voice to community members as a fellow at the Aspen Music Festival

- Assisting previous mentors in providing additional support in vocal & repertoire consultation

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As of 2022, I became an Assistant Lecturer with the Maryland Opera Studio at the University of Maryland, working with graduate students in Opera Repertoire, focusing on Baroque repertoire, ornamentation and style.

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As a teacher, I am passionate about and want to help make progress towards my student’s goals by creating a safe space, where with focused, individualized attention, everyone can feel safe and comfortable to try new things in new ways,  free to take risks both technically and artistically. 

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If you are interested in pursuing study, feel free to contact me via email below! I will provide you with a questionnaire, that once completed and returned, we can schedule a 30 minute introductory lesson. This lesson will predominantly focus on my getting to know your instrument for the first time, further discussing your vocal and artistic goals, as well as methods and tools we might explore together in progressing towards those goals and achieving greater vocal freedom. After the introduction, we can communicate about whether we wish to collaborate further, and there is no obligation for either student or teacher to continue study beyond the introductory lesson. 

 

I am happy to teach students on a weekly, bi-weekly or ad-hoc basis, depending on your needs and schedule. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic and potential variants, I am only teaching virtually at this time, though hope to begin teaching in person in 2022 and beyond. Should we decide to begin the exciting adventure of working together, I will communicate my private studio policies and guidelines. 

 

My rates are as follows: 

 

30 minutes/$50 

45 minutes/$65

60 minutes/$85

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Use the button below to contact me for more information or to schedule a lesson!