Singing is fun! Creative and Friendly Voice Teacher in NYC helps you become a Musician!

About Me

"Keith is a patient, fun, imaginative, and well-trained musician who loves passing on the gift of music to anyone wanting to learn!" (Scott ~ in his second year of lessons)

Becoming a musician is not reserved only for the naturally gifted, but for those who are ready and willing to dedicate themselves to learning.

Keith's philosophy of teaching is:

1. Growing as person comes first, music second. Taking on any new task requires time and discipline, and part of learning ... sometimes means failing. However, mistakes are allowed and expected! Mistakes provide opportunity to grow as a whole person because it's a part of life, and often, the biggest challenges reap the greatest rewards. With over 25 years of choral and voice teaching experience Keith understands that all people have different learning styles and he works actively to reach each student.

2. The student and teacher are a team! The teacher and student will work together to learn together. As the student is learning new skills and techniques, the teacher is learning all about the student and their specialized needs.

3. Music is a gift. Very few day to day experiences can move and touch people the way music does. It is truly an extraordinary art-form impacting every aspect of life. Going from being a listener to the performer opens up a unique and beautiful personal expression and experience.

Keith's performance experience:

American baritone Keith Harris began his 2009 season with his first New York City Debut at Carnegie Hall singing a World Premiere Requiem by Dr. David N. Childs with Manhattan Concert Productions. In November, he will be making his second New York City Debut at Avery Fisher Hall singing Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony with The National Chorale. He is quickly gaining respect on both the operatic and concert stages. The distinctive warmth of his voice, clear diction and exceptional musicianship keeps captivating audiences. This season also includes a World Premiere by Ed Lojeski, Psalms of Passover and Haydn’s Heiligmesse with the New Jersey and Connecticut Choral Societies under Eric Knapp’s baton, a recital in Wisconsin for the Emerson Series with pianist Kenneth Bozeman (Lawrence University faculty) and Handel’s Messiah with The East Texas Symphony Orchestra under Per Brevig’s baton.

In the 2008/2007 season, Harris performed with the Texas Choral Director’s Association Convention singing Vaughn Williams Five Mystical Songs, Te Deum by Mark Hayes and a World Premiere arrangement of Morning Has Broken by Bob Chilcott. Other performances included the Five Mystical Songs with the Marvin United Methodist Church in Texas, a recital in Wisconsin with pianist Kenneth Bozeman and the In Terra Pax by Gerald Finzi with the Dessoff Choirs under the baton of Music Director James Bagwell.

Not a stranger to musical theater, in the summer of 2007 he sang the roles of Anthony Hope in Sweeney Todd and Pirate Bras Pique in Naughty Marietta with Light Opera Oklahoma. Tulsa World stated, “Harris gives Hope a stalwart air, thanks to a sturdy baritone.” The Lawton Constitution noted, “The deep voiced Keith Harris manages to out-Gaston Gaston in his turn as the evil Governor / Pirate Bras Pique.”

In the summer of 2006, a last minute contract led to his European Debut. He performed the demanding role of Ford in Verdi’s Falstaff with The Lyrique en Mer Festival in France. This inspired a return to Lyrique en Mer Festival in 2007 for the productions of Les contes d’Hoffmann and La traviata.

Harris has demonstrated his singing and acting abilities in a variety of roles including: Guglielmo in Cosi fan tutte, Silvio in Pagliacci, Figaro in Il barbiere di Siviglia, Le Dancaïro, Escamillo and Moralés in Carmen,
Sid in La fanciulla del West, Papageno in Die Zauberflöte, Athanaël in Thaïs, Dandini in La Cenerentola,
and others. He has collaborated with a host of opera companies. These include Seattle Opera, Santa Fe Opera, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, Holders Festival in Barbados, Nevada Opera, Opera of East Texas, El Paso Opera, Skagit Opera, Chelsea Opera and NOISE.

As a free-lance artist, he has performed art song and operatic recitals throughout the United States. He is also
a frequent soloist in cantatas and oratorios. Past performances include Berliner Requiem by Kurt Weill, Handel’s Messiah, Duruflé’s Requiem, Bach’s Mass in B Minor, Dona Nobis Pacem by Vaughan Williams, Carmina Burana by Carl Orff, Faure’s Requiem, Mendelssohn’s Elijah and Mozart’s Requiem. He has collaborated with organizations including The Canterbury Choral Society, Lawrence University in Wisconsin, Seattle Choral Company, St. Andrew’s Church in Seattle, Sea-Tac Orchestra in Seattle and Northwest Symphony Orchestra.

As a vocal competition winner, Harris is the recipient of numerous honors and awards. He won First Prize at the Regional Metropolitan Opera Council Auditions held in Seattle, Opera Longview Vocal Competition in Texas (Longview named him “Young Artist of the Year” ), Ellen Faull Gordon Northwest Vocal Competition, the Ladies Musical Club of Seattle (recital tour) and many more. The Wisconsin baritone holds an M.M. in Vocal Performance from the University of Washington in Seattle and received a B.M. in Vocal Performance at Lawrence University in Wisconsin. Keith Harris now lives in New York City.

Lesson Details

Within a lesson, students can expect to be given instruction on developing proper technique and form to act as the foundation for the rest of their learning (basic music theory, vocal exercises and breathing training, etc). The learning environment will be laid back and fun, with the student and teacher setting goals together, and reasonable expectations will be held for both the student and teacher.

Keith will ask what it is in particular that the student is wanting to learn, and will seek ... to develop curriculum centered around the student's goals. Weekly practice (5 days a week, 30 minutes a day) will be the encouraged minimum. This will vary slightly depending on individual student needs and abilities.

Students will have the opportunity to learn to sing a wide variety of music from pop to classical (show tunes, Italian arias, German songs, praise and worship songs, their favorites from musicals, and more)

Keith has been a New York private music instructor for TakeLessons since 2008. Keith is a certified local music teacher.

How It Works

Lessons are paid for in advance and purchased through our monthly or quarterly plans. All plans come with our 100% Money Back Guarantee. We accept payment via credit card (Visa, Mastercard, Discover), debit card or electronic check.

Monthly Plan

Schedule and pay for lessons on a month to month basis. Lessons are paid for and scheduled on the 25th of every month.
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Quarterly Plan

Purchase 12 lessons upfront and receive your 13th lesson for free. Over the course of a year, you receive a month of free lessons!
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Pricing

Lesson rates vary depending on the length of the lesson (we offer 30, 45, 60, and 90 minute lessons), and the actual location of the lesson (we offer lessons in your home or our teacher's studio). Lessons are paid for in advance by Visa, Mastercard or Discover. Sorry, no cash.

Please call 877-231-8505 for details.

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Overlook Terrace

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