Fei M  
Instruments: Voice, Music
Styles: Classical, Pop, Rock, Folk, Country, Musical Theater, Opera

My desire to engage, challenge, and inspire growth in my students is not limited to the classroom. Over the time that I was at the University of Minnesota, I worked with over a dozen undergraduates and Graduate singers as an instructor. My desire to collaborate with students translates into the professional domain. It is my goal to share with students the awe and excitement, as well as the dedication and hard work, that comes along with using opera and vocal pedagogy tools to ask and answer questions. Some of the undergraduates that I advised went on to graduate school—two are currently in vocal and choral conductor double major and one is in Young Artist program training. It is critical to note that classes and workshops that feature pedagogical issues are a priority to me, and I hope to continue taking courses similar to those I have had at the University of Minnesota (such as Opera Stage Teaching Undergraduate and Vocal Pedagogy at Teaching Seminar) in the future. I hold myself to the same standards that I hold my students. That is, I strive to become a skilled thinker and learner, and I believe that this process is life-long. I aim to perpetuate knowledge and inspire learning. More specifically, as a vocal teacher, I introduce students to an aria or art song and ask them to articulate their reactions, not only presenting a repertoire but also teaching independent critical listening and thinking. To this end, I seek a balance in my courses between lecturing to students and asking them to make discoveries. I encourage students to engage with the topic at hand, with me, and with each other in the belief that good teaching depends upon intellectual exchange. My approach to student assessment my two goals. First, the student masters a health and science vocal techniques. Second, the student is expected to master a body of knowledge and familiarity with those composers, pieces, terms, and concepts studied in the course. Third, students are given the opportunity to react upon the vocal pedagogy that emphasizes the skills of critical thinking and listening acquired during the semester. While my standards are high, I help the students to meet expectations by providing office hours, review sessions, and the chance to discuss vocal teaching.

Voice students have certain commonalities in vocal technique, regardless of race and Fach, since our 'instruments' are the same. However, we differ in singing style due to differences in technique experience, background and sometimes cultural influence and habits of speaking. Therefore, teaching students according to their aptitude and goals, no one left behind is the idea of my vocal teaching.  I employ a comprehensive vocal teaching method. On the one hand, I stick to concrete descriptions of musculature and the vocal apparatus. On the other hand, I will lead students to feel their voice instruments. I believe in vocal teaching is very important to ensure that the voice is protected, especially for young singers. Singers need to understand their instrument and how it functions during our singing. The approach is training them to healthy use their instrument. The second step is to work with repertoires to learn how to use their unique instrument to create beautiful music. To do a good job, an artisan needs the best tools. My approach to vocal teaching will focus on vocal techniques. If you are looking forward to someone who can lay a solid foundation for your voice and seek a healthy and orderly vocal learning process, you will know my studio is looking for you too. I also pay attention to help singers to build an acute acoustic awareness, which means singers not only are able to see what happened in their body but also have an accurate ear and know how to identify and fix vocal issues. I encourage students to choose appropriate repertoire, which is important to help them to address technical deficiencies and showcase their talent. My larger goal is to help students build a stable and well-coordinated instrument, which means they can freely express themselves in song and opera. Moreover, I am committed to building a lovely and friendly academic culture. To quote Professor Katherine Jolly from Oberlin Conservatory, “To create a home space with an inclusive learning environment for a different range of abilities, across intersecting social identities.” Students all have different reasons for singing: To pursue careers as performers or teachers or sing for fun, or to develop self-confidence. Students also have different physical conditions and identities. Whatever you are, I will facilitate and aid you in that process. I'm looking forward to help students progress and grow in all of these aspects: exploring vocal technique, artistry, musicality, and personal development and more.