Bernita F.

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: Yes
• In-Studio Lessons: Yes
• Ages: 5 & up

Subjects Taught

Piano, Singing, Music Performance, Music Theory, Opera Voice, Theatrical Broadway Singing, Acting

Education

Brooklyn College - Voice and Opera - 2002-
Voorhees College - Humanties/Music - 1982-1984 (Bachelor's degree received)

Specialties

I am very attentive to my students. My goal is to have them learn and best place to achieve this is in a warm environment. This eradicates tension. While I am warm, I do expect my students come prepared ready to work. I don’t have one method. I tend to use all that was given to me to explore the best way to achieve our goals. These methods include Bel Canto and Estelle Method in Voice.
I specialized in identifying vocal problems and working to improve them. I also work with the ... Alfred method books.

Read More »

« Read Less

Lesson Details

I bring to my students fifteen years of experience in which I was afforded the opportunity to study and teach a wide variety of vocal methods.

My belief as teacher is to help my students to unlock and nurture their talents. It is not just my responsibility to take care of their instrument but I will show them how to take care of their voices. My students will always remember that their instrument is never replaceable. You only have one voice in which its instrument case is the body. ... Therefore taking care of your body is just as important as taking care of your voice. This is the first and most vital lesson I will teach. Next I create lessons designed to developed each individual student and assist them in discovering their unique sound. I will use various techniques to bring forth and to develop the voice such as vocalizes, breathing exercises and speaking exercises.

Moreover I love to incorporate theory into my voice lessons. It is necessary for singers to be able to sight-read. In order accomplished good sight-reading skills you must be able to read music in every key and know the different scales used in writing music. This is the foundation I will give to each student that I teach. To be very honest it is very hard to say how each student will develop over a six month time. However I will give you what I will focus on a beginner student: we will work on breath support, focusing the voice through exercises, pure vowels and when appropriate diction through songs.

Read More »

« Read Less

About

Bernita F made her theatrical stage debut in the role of Estelle in the play His, Her’s & Our’s by Cilque Brown and her film debut in Sydney Pollack’s The Interpreter as women on bus in 2004. She came to film, television and theater from the operatic stage where her roles include Carmen in Bizet’s Carmen, Giovanna in Verdi’s Rigoletto, the Grandmother in Menotti’s The Consul, and Charlotte in Massenet’s Werther. Her operatic and choral performances have been throughout the East ... coast which led to her debut with New York City Opera’s production of Margaret Garner. Since her theatrical debut Bernita has performed in several plays and has a recurring role on ABC’s One Life to Live. She just recently finished shooting the role of Mrs. Walker in Veronica Caicedo’s Circle of Life, Commonly Women in Post Colonialism, Lady Day In Lady Day’s Last Toast and is slated play the role of Big Sis in the film version of Feet by Gene Hughes. In addition to her stage experience Bernita has worked as a stage manager on several projects and will begin her career in production management on the film Feet.

Bernita has studied Meisner Technique with James Brill. She is presently studying voice with Tom Burke and acting technique with Wynn Handman. She received her training in voice and opera at Temple University in Philadelphia PA; Eastern University in Saint Davids, PA; Brooklyn Conservatory-Brooklyn College, CUNY in Brooklyn, NY and Betty Allen’s Master Class, Harlem School of the Arts. Bernita is also holds a New Jersey Certification as a Vocal Music Teacher for ages K-12 and is a Teaching Artist with the national program of the Wolf Trap Institute for Early Learning Through the Arts, which is operated out of New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark for the state of New Jersey. This varied background along with fifteen years of teaching private voice has given Bernita substantial experience in developing healthy voices.

Read More »

« Read Less

Bernita's Photos

Average Rating

There are no teacher feedbacks. Be the first to review