North Westchester, CT Singing Lessons

er of Music in Vocal Performance where I maintained a full studio of undergraduate voice minors as a Graduate Teaching assistant.

I took my first pedagogy class at UD and began teaching voice lessons at the Community Music School during my junior year. My experience as a teaching assistant shaped me into the teacher that I am today. I love teaching and helping students reach goals! With my thorough pedagogical training and varied performance experience, I have a great deal to offer my students.

*** Lesson Details ***
During my time with you, I strive to assist you in taking risks, discovering the joy of music, and making progress with your singing. No matter what your goals are - All-State Choir, opera, musical theatre, or just having fun, I love helping you reach them. By looking at different genres of vocal music, we will focus on many different aspects of singing, from music theory, to expressive performance, to the foundation of healthy singing.

I believe that every student is unique and learns in his or her own way. Therefore, I tailor the pace and focus of lessons on your interests and abilities. I believe it is integral for all students to have an understanding of music theory and therefore, work on theory and sight-reading. In addition, I think a well-rounded musical education is key, and will work on an array of genres with you including folk songs, art songs, and musical theatre. We will work on 2-5 songs at once, and will consider a song "learned" once you can perform a song from memory.

Words are what separate the voice from any other instrument. Therefore, I will work with you on ways to examine the poetry and lyrics of each song in order to portray the message of the words.

*** Specialties ***
I feel equally at home working on musical theatre and classical styles with students. I have experience working on both with students.

een accepted into College music programs, they have been members of the May festival Youth Chorus, the Kentucky Governor'€™s School for the Arts, and have traveled to Europe with competitive touring choirs.

Stacey's operatic performing credits include Autumn in Charles Halka's Layover with NANOworks Opera, the Mother in Amahl and Night Visitors with the Clermont Philharmonic Orchestra, Testo in Il Combattimento di Tancredi e Clorinda with the College-Conservatory of Music , Mimi from Puccini'€™s La Boheme in the CCM's Opera scenes program, Donna Donna in P.D.Q Bach'€™s The Abduction of Figaro , 1st Lady in Mozart's Die Zauberflöte and Juno in Offenbach'€™s Orpheus in the Underworld all at the DePauw University Opera Theatre. Other partial roles/scenes performed include Suzel in Mascangi'€™s Lamico Fritz, Countess in Mozart'€™s Le Nozze di Figaro, and Fiordiligi in Mozart's Cosi Fan Tutte.

More than just singing opera Stacey is known for her versatility as a classical singer regularly doing cross over work. She regularly gigs as a jazz/popular singer accompanying herself on the piano. Her musical theater performing credits include Mama in Everybody'€™s Buddy: The Buddy LaRosa Story, Shelia in Hair with DePauw University, Ensemble/Soprano Soloist in Sweeny Todd, Sonia in Godspell with the Lakeside Players and Yonah in Children of Eden with the Lakeside Players.

Stacey received her Master of Music degree in Vocal Performance from the University of Cincinnati, College-Conservatory of Music where she studied with Barbara Paver. She graduated magna cum laude from DePaul University with a B.M. in Vocal Performance. She studied with Caroline Smith and Stanley Irwin.

Stacey is originally from Florence, Kentucky and takes pride in impacting her home community through music.

*** Lesson Details ***
Stacey is known for adapting lessons for the individual. Each body is unique and thus each vocal instrument is unique. Stacey takes time to get to know each student and caters to their specific needs and goals. She believes in well rounded performers working often on dramatic intentions, overall professionalism, and stage presence. She also prepares her students with their audition packages and stresses the importance of regular performance. Stacey is a very open and caring individual but expects hard work from her students.

*** Studio Equipment ***
Yamaha upright piano, Yamaha portable keyboard

*** Travel Equipment ***
I have a portable keyboard. I expect a semi private space to teach.

*** Specialties ***
Opera, Broadway, Choral Vocals

le, with Hartford Opera Theater as Elise in Dawn Sonntag's Verlorene Heimat, Pythia in Nkeiru Okeye’s We’ve Got Our Eye on You, and as Miss Paige in Dan Shore’s An Embarrassing Position which was nominated for Best Featured Ensemble in a Musical through the 2015 Broadway World Connecticut Awards. She has also performed with Opera Theater of Connecticut, Connecticut Lyric Opera, Madison Lyric Stage, Greater Worcester Opera, Revolution Opera Alliance, the Simsbury Light Opera Company, and the Greater Meriden Concert Chorale.

Prior to moving to Connecticut, Rachel lived in St. Louis, Missouri, where she frequently performed with the St. Louis Symphony as a member of the St. Louis Symphony Chorus. She has also performed with Winter Opera St. Louis, Union Avenue Opera, and the Southern Illinois Music Festival. In 2012, Ms. Abrams had the opportunity to be a sponsored young artist with Winter Opera St. Louis where she performed the role of Echo in Ariadne auf Naxos, covered Musetta in La Bohème, and performed in the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical review: A Grand Night for Singing. Ms. Abrams has also performed with Opera Fort Collins, Loveland Opera Theater, Victorian Lyric Opera, and Opera Classica Europa in Bad Schwalbach, Germany as an apprentice artist. Additional operatic credits include Zweite Dame in Die Zauberflöte, Giannetta in L’Elisir d’Amore and Miss Pinkerton in The Old Maid and the Theif.

A passionate performer of Jewish music, Ms. Abrams was featured as a soloist in Martin Bresnick’s puppet opera, Der Signál, with the Hartford Independent Chamber Orchestra during the 10th Annual Celebration of Jewish Arts and Culture at Charter Oak Cultural Center in October of 2014. As an active performer of art song, Ms. Abrams has collaborated with various musicians throughout the New England region to create diverse and accessible art song recitals. In April of 2015, Ms. Abrams and pianist Michael Korman presented a recital featuring the works of Schönberg, Ruth Schönthal, Previn, and Weill with the Maurice Greenberg Center for Jewish Studies at the University of Hartford.

Since the winter of 2016, Rachel has been an active performer with Lollipop Opera Outreach. This touring opera company brings the joy of opera to thousands of school children throughout New England. This season, she will perform the roles of the Mother/Witch in Hansel and Gretel, Babe in The Three Pigs – A Pig Tale, and participate in the premiere of a new interactive “culinary” opera adventure: A Fairytale Kitchen.

In addition to being a passionate performer and collaborator, Rachel is a private music educator dedicated to the success of her students. Ms. A maintains a private studio of voice students out of her home in West Hartford, Connecticut. In addition to her private teaching studio, she is the alto section leader at St. James Episcopal Church in Farmington. She has also taught at Farmington Valley Academy Montessori in Avon, Arts Place in Cheshire and Summit Studios in Manchester.

As a voice teacher, Ms. A provides her students with a holistic, healthy, and age appropriate technique based on her studies of vocal pedagogy, years of lessons from master teachers, and her personal experiences as a performer. Through personalized vocal exercises and repertoire assignments, students will learn how to achieve a proper vocal onset, management of air pressure, increase vocal stamina, and maximize vocal freedom through balanced resonance. While Ms. Abrams teaches "classical" technique, her students apply her pedagogy to all styles of singing including, but certainly not limited to: musical theater, jazz, gospel, barber shop, and even rock!

Before opening her own private studio in Connecticut, Ms. Abrams lived in St. Louis, Missouri where she taught throughout the region. While in Missouri, she served as an Adjunct Voice Instructor/Lecture Professor at East Central College and a Private Voice and Music Instructor at St. John's School of the Arts.

In addition to her teaching experience in the Missouri area, Rachel was a Graduate Teaching Assistant at the University of Northern Colorado, where she was an assistant instructor for Music Survey and Music and World Cultures classes.

Ms. A holds a Master of Music degree in Vocal Performance from the University of Northern Colorado and a Bachelor of Music degree from San José State University. She lives in West Hartford with her husband Ben and their anti-social diva cat, Bonnie. She is currently accepting new students!

*** Specialties ***
I teach classical technique, specifically focusing on proper resonance and breath control. This method can be highly useful to broadway, jazz, popular or any other style of singing.

oing a combination, we will find your music genre where your passion lies and take it to new levels. I can coach you on your stage performance or even help prepare you for choral/band concerts in school.
For my adult students I can help take your gift to new levels, making it easier for you to perform with confidence and do what you've always wanted to do musically.

*** Lesson Details ***
Lessons are customized to the student's age, instrument, and level of interest. I combine early education practices with activities that go beyond just trial and error on instruments and give student's a chance to turn lessons into a fun game. With my methods students also develop a level of confidence that enables them to begin performing for friends and family. I have seen many young vocalists into elite choral groups through their schools and cities. One of my specialties is preparing students for auditions and 9/10 times they make it into the group they were auditioning for or won the solo in their group!

*** Studio Equipment ***
Guitar
Amp
Electric Keyboard
Microphone
Mixer

*** Travel Equipment ***
Guitar
Amp

*** Specialties ***
I specialize in working with kids. My combination of fun activities combined with an early education approach to teaching result in students who really enjoy the lessons and truly learn something at an age when it's so crucial to introduce the arts.

in-Eau Claire, Magna cum Laude in 2014. Luke has travelled with the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Concert Choir regionally and internationally to Greece. Luke was also a Wisconsin Ambassador of Music to England, France, Switzerland, Austria, Germany, Italy and Luxembourg. Luke has performed as soloist with the UWEC Symphonic Choir, and as a member of the Opera Program during his collegiate career. His performance credits include, Gabriel von Eisenstein in Strauss’ Die Fledermaus, Second Priest in Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte, among others. In addition, Luke has premiered works by contemporary composers such as Karl Lepp and Phillip Reilly. Moreover, Luke was a member of the Young Artist Immersion program to New York, New York as a student at UWEC, performing in Master classes with Claudia Catania, David Sytkowski, Mark Moliterno, and performing for students at the Brooklyn School of the Arts. Luke’s conducting credits include, Benjamin Britten’s The Little Sweep and Rossini’s La Cenerentola, along with assistant music directing Into the Woods by Stephen Sondheim and music directing Irving Berlin’s White Christmas. Recently, Luke has performed regularly with the Eau Claire Municipal Band, The Chippewa Valley Jazz Orchestra and with Eauxpera which premiered the summer of 2017. Students are regularly winning local talent competitions, auditioning for shows like The Voice and American Idol and are thriving at the collegiate level.