Arrive at your lesson on time or early. If you are early, please come in quietly and observe the previous student. You can learn a lot by watching and listening. Students who are late will receive a shorter lesson.

Bring a cassette tape or mini-disc with you so that we can record your lessons. Then take the recording home and listen to it. There are many things you will hear on the recording that you may not have been able to hear when singing. Remember that your voice always sounds different from inside than from outside.

Progress in improving your voice is in your hands. Because learning to sing includes the development of groups of muscles, like sports training it requires regular workouts. Your progress is directly proportional to the frequency and regularity of your practice sessions. If you don’t practice, you will not improve.

Also because you are undergoing a physical development process, don’t expect to start out at your optimum performance level. You should experience regular, moderate improvement over time. As you wouldn’t expect to walk into a gym for the first time and bench-press 300 pounds, so you shouldn’t expect to walk into your first voice lesson and emerge a pro.

Be kind to and accepting of your voice at whatever level you find it. Do not compare your sound to the sound of anyone else. Your voice is unique and will present its own set of challenges and rewards. Accept your voice for what it is at any given time and work from there.

Be willing to take chances and make mistakes, because that is how you learn. Bring a sense of adventure and playfulness to your singing and you will find great rewards.

Be kind to your body – it’s the only one you’ll ever have. Be aware of your posture and speaking voice in day to day activities. Avoid excessive vocal strain from yelling, talking too much over loud background noise, and smoking or sitting in smoke-filled rooms. Drink an adequate amount of water to maintain hydration, get enough sleep and eat healthily.

Have fun. Singing is a great gift and is something you should enjoy whenever you get a chance to do it. I will be happy to choose music for you which is appropriate for your vocal level. If I pick something you don’t like, let me know and we’ll find something else. Life is too short to sing music you don’t enjoy.

Listen, listen, listen. Listen to singers you like and singers you don’t like and try to intellectualize why you respond as you do. Watch singers as much as possible. See how they sing and try and relate what they are doing to the sound that you hear. Attend as many live music concerts as possible.

First and foremost, my job is to teach you the fundamentals of good singing, including work on breathing, posture, register alignment, clear and correct diction and range extension. By learning the discipline of applying these techniques, you can find the freedom to express yourself musically.

I will also work with you on interpretation of your music. Through an exploration of character, dynamic control, phrasing, the use of words and other elements of musical interpretation, we will explore ways to communicate the meaning of your songs.

You may expect respect for you as a person with your own unique quirks and foibles. Who you are and how you feel about yourself can greatly affect how you approach singing. Every student presents their own set of challenges for a teacher. I will do my best to tailor your training to what you need.

I teach a classical vocal technique. I have the most experience with classical music or closely related styles, such as the musical theatre repertory and pre- rock popular music forms such as classic jazz. I believe strongly that these techniques, once mastered, can form a firm and healthy foundation for many styles of singing.

My main goal as a teacher is to develop your natural voice. Many people approach singing by trying to mold their voice into what they think they “should” sound like. It has been my experience that the discovery of a singer’s natural sound can be exciting and freeing.

I will approach your progress positively and kindly. Many budding singers have had their self-confidence taken away by unnecessarily unkind comments about their singing. I’ve heard many horror stories about remarks made by teachers, family members, etc., which have destroyed someone’s confidence in their voice. Part of my job is to provide a safe
place in which you can feel free to express yourself vocally and just see what you find.

Be enthusiastic, accepting and adventurous in your singing. Take risks and have fun.

Be patient with your singing – it takes time to learn.

You will only improve with practice. You may not become the perfect singer, but you will become a better one.

Find your own voice rather than trying to make yourself sound like someone else. Accept and work with the instrument you have.

Let yourself express the music – be brave with your feelings about the songs