Voice Lessons in Riverton, VA

Instruments: Piano Voice

My teaching experience dates back to my college days, as I began teaching private lessons part time for school years, and have been consistently teaching students in my home studio for the last 15 years. Encouraging regular practice on a consistent schedule is one of the key points I like to emphasize for younger students, as it tends to help the student progress and gain a passion for the instrument. I've also found that a combination of classical and modern music can go a long way in helping students enjoy the piano and motivate them to practice and continue to learn. Read More

Instruments: Voice

A typical hour voice lesson involves three parts: 1) warm-up/vocalizing and listening to ones voice to learn more about the voice, sound production, breathing and placement; 2) working on a particular technique or perceived shortcoming; 3) applying the techniques from the lesson to a song or gaining confidence in performance. My teaching style is relaxed and fun but devoted to working on proper vocal technique and confidence building. For example, to be a good singer one must have a good understanding of the muscles and parts of the body that are involved in breathing and how that relates to making beautiful sounds. Read More

Instruments: Voice

The goal of good vocal technique is to provide the singer with the tools to express themselves artistically with complete freedom. This freedom of vocal expression is built upon a few basic principles: an efficient breathing process, proper posture, coordinated bodily support, efficient phonation, and an open or relaxed throat. There are countless physical and psychological barriers that singers encounter which interrupt these qualities, and it is the responsibility of the voice teacher to identify those obstacles and provide the student with affirmative solutions to overcoming them. Read More

Instruments: Voice Music

Singing is fun! I love to watch my students be passionate about the material they do, and select repertoire with specific intent. I excel in repertoire finding and coaching, and I like to give song options to students— though it is up to the singer to perform what they like. Learning to sing is a different process for each person individually, and I believe that there is no fixed formula for all singers. Read More

Instruments: Voice

Instilling and nurturing a love of music and developing musicianship are at the very heart of why I’m a private voice teacher. I earned my Master of Music Education degree in 2012 from Boston University, which has furthered my love of teaching and given me even more resources to draw from. I am currently singing with Choralis here in D.C. recently performing Beethoven’s 9th Symphony under the baton of Gretchen Kuhrmann. Read More

Instruments: Voice

For beginning students I stress the importance of reading music, so I heavily work on their rhythmic and melodic vocabulary. I am not set on a particular methods book because I am a firm believer that all students learn differently and some methods work better for some than others. I like to be adaptive in my teaching and mold my lessons to fit the needs of each individual student. Read More