Teaches online
Teaches all skill levels
Age: 17-65
Speaks English, Italian
Teaching since 2014
Master of Music
About Donna B.
4.8
(8)
DONNA B., mezzo-soprano, has sung Opera, Concerts and Recitals all over the world. In the US, her performances have included San Francisco Opera, San Francisco Symphony, Dallas Opera, Pittsburgh Opera, Music of the Baroque in Chicago, San Diego Symphony, Virginia Symphony, Kentucky Opera, Utah Opera and Portland Opera. In recital, she has been heard nationwide in a recital for National Public Radio, on the Dame Myra Hess series in Chicago, and on the Schwabacher Recital Series in San Francisco. Her recording of Corpus Evita , by Carlos Franzetti, has been nominated this year for a Grammy Award. Miss B. is a specialist in the music of Mozart, Handel, Rossini and in the orchestral music of Mahler. A graduate of the University of Illinois in Urbana, IL, she holds a Master of Music degree in Voice, and undergraduate degrees in Music Performance and Music Education from Eastern Illinois University in Charleston, IL. Aside from her 25 years as a working professional singer, Miss B. also maintains an active Voice studio, and tutors students in Music Theory, too.
I love to sing, and as you can see from my Biography, I'm very active. In addition, I have been teaching private Voice for over 15 years, to students of all levels, though I will only teach voice to students aged 16 and above. I love the one-on-one experience of helping students realize their full potential, developing healthy singing technique, making the most of their natural abilities AND, I can also help the singer who comes to me with bad habits or vocal damage.
To me, each singer is an individual and I welcome the opportunity to design an individualized course of study for each one. I stress breathing and support, clear and free production of sound and a relaxed, colorful tone. I have also been teaching General Music to Kindergarten through 8th Graders and have a child of my own, so I think I understand how young students learn best and how they think.
*** Lesson Details ***
Lessons begin with vocalizing on single, sustained notes. Technical issues are raised and monitored, as is breath support and control. Next, the student sings an arpeggio, appropriate to his/her level. The final part of the warm-up is scales, again, appropriate to the student's level. If the student is advanced enough, we then proceed to repertory. If not, we work on exercises by Vaccai, Concone or Marchesi until such time as the technique is solid enough to proceed to repertory.
*** Studio Equipment ***
Grand Piano
*** Specialties ***
Opera voice, voice, singing, music theory, Italian
Bel canto technique, freedom from tension, clear vowels, deep breath support. I am positive, patient and creative in trying to help each student reach his/her full potential, while maintaining the highest artistic standards.
Instructor details
Location:
Teacher's Studio
26th Avenue
Teaching Hours
Monday
3:30 PM-5 PM
Wednesday
3:30 PM-5 PM
Friday
4 PM-6 PM
Saturday
12 PM-4 PM
Times are shown in your local timezone (UTC-08:00) Pacific Time (US & Canada)
Pricing
30 minutes
$45
45 minutes
$60
60 minutes
$90
ReviewsWrite a review
5
88%
4
13%
3
0%
2
0%
1
0%
4.8
8 Reviews
Kathy Yue
Donna is excellent!
I feel very fortunately find Donna as my vocal teacher. Her teaching style, skills and vocal techniques are outstanding. She precisely let her student understand what is the correct way to sing. My singing voice is improving from each lesson I take. I highly recommend her to the individuals who are looking for a classical singing teacher.
Posted Nov 2, 2013
DeniseJoyceF
Love her!
She's so patient and does well with working at my pace. I learn so much from her too and see improvement in my voice after every lesson.
Posted May 5, 2012
RobertE
Donna is an excellent voice instructor, one who will work closely with a student to motivate, encourage and instruct with positive reinforcement.I was impressed with her ability to teach and demonstrate voice mechanics, the proper use of the body for voice projection, range, tone, pitch, and release of tension.
Posted Apr 24, 2012
Education
Master of Music
Sep, 1979 - Dec, 1982University of Illinois-Urbana
Affiliations
National Association of Teachers of Singing
Jan, 1990Founded in 1944, National Association of Teachers of Singing, Inc. (NATS) is the largest professional association of teachers of singing in the world with more than 7,000 members worldwide.
Languages
Italian
Native Proficiency
English
Native Proficiency
Donna's Gallery
Instructor details
Location:
Teacher's Studio
26th Avenue
Teaching Hours
Monday
3:30 PM-5 PM
Wednesday
3:30 PM-5 PM
Friday
4 PM-6 PM
Saturday
12 PM-4 PM
Times are shown in your local timezone (UTC-08:00) Pacific Time (US & Canada)
Pricing
30 minutes
$45
45 minutes
$60
60 minutes
$90
Private Lessons
- 1:1 lessons with a trusted instructor
- 300+ subjects to choose from
- Meet online or in person
- Free on-demand videos and articles