Jacob T
Instruments: Piano, Voice
Styles: Classical, Jazz, Pop, Rock, Folk, Country, Musical Theater, Opera, Showtunes, Spirituals
Jacob T
Instruments: Piano, Voice
Styles:
Classical, Jazz, Pop, Rock, Folk, Country, Musical Theater, Opera, Showtunes, Spirituals
Where I Teach:
Ages Taught: 5-80
MM, Colorado State University, Vocal Performance BM, University of Northern Colorado, Vocal Performance Apprentice Artist, Opera Fort Collins, Fort Collins, CO - 2012/2013 & 2012/2013 seasons Student Artist, Opera Orvieto, Italy Student Artist, Soloist, Chorus Master, Opera Classica d'Europa, Germany
2013 - Colorado State University Graduate Student Outstanding Academic Achievement
2012 - Charles and Rita Ralph Vocal Scholarship
2012 - Dante Alighieri Society Scholarship
2010 - Denver Lyric Opera Guild Scholarship
Both passionate and laid back, ambitious and realistic, I have found great success through having an open mind and grateful spirit in this crazy music business. My friends and colleagues have described me as consistently positive, easy to get to know, and warm hearted. I hold two degrees in vocal performance, and consider the countless hours I've spent teaching in the studio and performing on stage to be my greatest assets. No musician is complete without an understanding of the piano; my own experience began at an early age, and I encourage any student to begin studying piano as soon as possible! I have studied with amazing pedagogues and scholars alike, and carry their teaching with me where ever I go. Although the bulk of my professional resume is made up with operatic experience, my roots lie in choral music, jazz, and musical theater. I have performed professionally in the United States as well as Germany and Italy. I have a spacious, sunny studio space in my house with a very nice, 88-key, digital keyboard in up-and-coming Center Oak, just outside of downtown Oakland.
I have been teaching private voice for three years, and feel like I truly thrive when I'm sharing my knowlege of music and performance. At Colorado State University I taught a to wide range of students and styles from freshmen voice majors, choral conducting graduate students, theater majors, voice minors, and even a couple aspiring folk/country singers! I also taught a Fundamentals of Music Theory course to over 100 non-music majors, covering reading music, piano basics, intro to harmony, the physics of music and the psychology of music. Alongside exemplary musicianship, my own voice teachers emphasized a relationship between my mind and my singing body - integrating accurate anatomical information with proper vocal technique and captiviating performance.
For beginning students, my aim is always to nourish the love of music that brought the student into the studio. I am comfortable exploring any musical style or ambition with my students, and relish in learning alongside my pupils. For the young and old alike, I emphasize music literacy through piano basics - I believe that a basic understanding of the keyboard is essential for any meaningful musical education. With my voice students, I focus on synthesizing mind, body and spirit to unlock the true potential within every voice. I utilize mindful meditations to explore the anatomical realities within your own body - your own instrument - and then strive to bring this new awareness into your performance. There are few other joys that can rival knowing how to use your own body to make music!
I couldn't imagine my life without teaching. To nurture a love for music in another, especially a child, is a gift I would not give up. I strive to find the correct balance of technique and performance, practice and play, focus and fun for each of my students. Every one of them comes to me with different skills, ambitions, and needs; building honest, open relationships with student, parent, and teacher is essential to meeting those needs. Each lesson is framed by realistic goal setting that challenges the student enough to ensure that he or she can taste enough accomplishment to want to keep striving for more.
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