OJ S.

General Info

• Certified Music Teacher

  Certified Music Teacher

  Our rigorous hiring process requires a completed application; an interview with our professional recruiting specialists; personal and professional reference checks; and annual criminal background checks for the duration of each teacher's employment with us.

  
• Background Check Complete

  Criminal Background Check

  In order to ensure the safety of our students, all teachers undergo a thorough criminal background check, which includes: Social Security number trace, multi-state criminal search and a nationwide sex offender registry search.

  
• Levels: Beginner to Advanced

• In-Home Lessons: No
• In-Studio Lessons: Yes
• Ages: 5 & up

Subjects Taught

Piano, Singing, Music Theory, Opera Voice, Songwriting, Speaking Voice, Theatrical Broadway Singing

Education

Parkville HIgh School - Computer Science - 8/2001 - 5/2005
UMBC - Vocal Performance and Composition - 8/2005 - 5/2009
Peabody Institute - 8/2009- 5/2011 Pursuing Master's in voice

Specialties

Voice, Beginning Piano, Singing, opera Voice, Music Theory, Theatrical Broadway Singing, Ear Training, Sight Singing, Sight Reading, Speaking Voice, Songwriting
Bel Canto, Old World Technique, Belting, Broadway, Opera, Oratorio, Art Song, Sacred Music, R&B, Jazz, Beginning Piano

Lesson Details

It's been my experience that an austere and tense environment causes austere and tense singing which is the exact opposite of what we're trying to accomplish together.

Voice and piano lessons are a partnership between the singer and the teacher: we both have a part in you or your child's progress and success. Singing and playing both require a positive attitude, a willingness to try new things and adequate preparation. That's what I hope to see from my students when they enter the ... studio and I will give the same energy and preparation in return.

After a few months in the studio, you or your child can expect to have a better understanding of how the voice works and tools and techniques employed by myself and the professionals responsible for my education and technique.

Furthermore, piano is fun! Singing is fun! Otherwise, we wouldn't do it...without getting paid for it at least, right? I have many individualistic goals planned for each lesson, but generally if you've had a good time, found some energy and learned something about either music or yourself, we've had a successful lesson. Everything else is a bonus for me. My students' experiences with me speak volumes and their successes in music and otherwise even moreso.

My three promises to you as a student:

1) I guarantee that you will have fun during the time you're with me! I know lessons can be intimidating and stressful, but they have to be fun and that's part of my job.

2) I promise that I will never ask you to do something that will harm your voice.

3) I stand behind my education and experiences: I've learned music from the best in the field and you will get nothing less than that from me during a lesson.

My three expectations of you:

1) Come willing to try new and different things in a low pressure environment. I don't bite...I swear.

2) Come prepared to sing and/or play. Why? If you want to sing or play piano, you have to sing or play. Relatively simple, right?

3) Come prepared to make mistakes because no performance is perfect by any standard. No lesson is perfect either and no lesson should be. Lessons are your opportunity to make mistakes without being judged, so make mistakes, commit to not making the same ones the next time and enjoy and appreciate the praise and feedback you get along the way. Singing is a journey that cannot be completed in a few one hour sessions, so I hope and expect that you won't treat it that way.

Now let's make beautiful music together!

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About

Lyric Baritone, Orlando S., holds graduate and undergraduate degrees from the Peabody Conservatory and the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, respectively. Orlando serves as the Director of Music and Chancel Choir conductor at Hunt's Memorial United Methodist Church which was founded in 1773 during the advent of our nation’s history.

In addition to his work as a conductor, Orlando is also a highly-respected and sought studio teacher of voice and piano. He maintains an active voice ... and piano studio in the Baltimore area having successfully taught hundreds of students. Orlando holds memberships with the National Association for Music Education (MENC), the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) and teaches students in five different locations.

Orlando is a versatile artist with performance experience in opera, chamber music, art song, oratorio, musical theater, pop and jazz. He has completed concerts with the Municipal Opera Company of Baltimore, UMBC Camerata, Vocal Arts and New Music Ensembles including performances of works by W.A. Mozart, G.F Handel, Beethoven, Herbert Brun, Christian Wolff, Verdi, Donizetti and John Rutter at venues including Carnegie Hall, the Meyerhoff Symphony Hall and the Hippodrome Theatre in Baltimore among others.

He currently lives in the Baltimore suburbs with his wife, violinist, Meg Mizumoto and their two dogs, Dice and Billie.

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