Powder Springs, GA Singing Lessons

always enjoyed discussing music and educating others on its many aspects. As such I began teaching during summers home from Berklee and found that it was something I had a great deal of talent for. Now, with seven years of teaching experience behind me, I look forward to bringing my skills and insights to students of all ages and bring not only ability on the guitar but a greater love of music to a fresh crop of open minds!!

In addition to guitar, I am also qualified to teach voice, public speaking, dramatic acting, and all aspects of music theory, the latter of which I incorporate into all of my music lessons.

PLEASE NOTE: I am able to take students either in my home studio or at the student's residence. In both cases students who are under 18 years of age are required to have a parent or guardian present during all lessons. Additionally, please note I have two cats as well, in the event that allergies may be an issue.

*** Lesson Details ***
Although I follow a specific lesson plan, its important to customize that to each student's skill level and specific needs. Thus, I will spend the first lesson evaluating where the student is in terms of overall musical awareness, existing skill on the instrument, and long term interest.

By the end of the first month, my beginning students will be able to perform basic chromatic and major scales, name the notes on the instrument, and have command of a few basic chords. With these core concepts and regular, committed practice, they will be able to learn and perform songs in a wide variety of styles after 3 to 6 months have passed.

My more advanced students will have a lesson plan customized to their specific goals and desires. In 3 to 6 months with such a student I will have them well on the path to accomplishing their long term goals, whether those be playing, composition, harmonic awareness, understanding of theory, or all of the above.

*** Studio Equipment ***
dedicated music room; cables/amps; electric & acoustic guitars; keyboard

*** Travel Equipment ***
Electric or acoustic guitar as needed.

*** Specialties ***
Having graduated from the Berklee College of Music, I follow their approach in educating the student. In this regard I teach music theory along with the physical act of playing the guitar, which serves to not only enrich the experience for the student but demonstrate how what they are learning is applied to music on the whole.

I am fluent in many genres and specialize in rock, jazz, the blues, and various fusion genres. Because music functions off of the same principles regardless of genre, I can take whatever style the student might best appreciate and structure my lesson plan around it.

***
You expect to have loads of fun in my state-of-the-art recording and teaching facility. there's never a dull moment. The student is constantly moving from computers instructional programs to acoustic instruments and synthesizers. We teach the full range of musical styles from POP, Gospel, Jazz and R&B and some lite classics too.

*** Studio Equipment ***
Waiting room, teaching studio, piano, teaching studio seating for parents

*** Specialties ***
I have a fully equipped state of the art digital recording and teaching facility in my home. My two car garage area has been professionally convert and treated for sound. I employ full use of the available music high tech equipment and learning programs including MUSIC ACE, Seth Riggs's The art of speech Level singing. i have both acoustic piano and an array of electric keyboards and virtual instruments stored in my IMAC 24 computer.

like to be able to go online for some resources.

*** Travel Equipment ***
I regularly use the internet in lessons as well as standard published educational texts.

*** Specialties ***
I have been told that I am especially good at helping people make the jump from playing by rote to reading from the page. In vocal instruction, I am familiar with three schools of technique: the psycho-imagery school, the "anatomical" school, and the Italian "open throat" approach. My background in acting also contributes basic vocal projection techniques to vocal training. I am comfortable with all genres of music, including pop, rock, soul, R&B, gospel, jazz and opera. In instrumental studies, I am a woodwind doubler, reading fluently and transposing on-the-spot . As a jazz and gospel artist I improvise primarily on the flute and saxophone. My piano skills are equivalent to a second-year college piano major. I can improvise accompaniments as well as read piano scores. In addition to being a certified teacher in Georgia, I attained national certification through the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards in 2004.

n of the voice for singing and speaking. Her goal is to help singers gain fulfillment and joy while improving their art. She believes music should be fun and rewarding.

VOICE STUDENTS of hers have won university placement and scholarships and have been accepted into Allstate Chorus for High School in Georgia.

She also teaches PIANO. She has taught piano for about 10 years. She studied piano privately for 10 years and had further study at Indiana University.

Students wishing to have any COMBINATION of piano, music theory, sight reading and/or vocal development can receive a program of study that meets their individual needs.

PERFORMANCE EXPERIENCE:
Mary Frances has performed with the Southeastern Savoyards Light Opera Company, the Atlanta Opera Chorus and Studio, the Atlanta Symphony Chorus, Marietta Theater in the Square, and Neighborhood Playhouse. She has sung title roles in Patience, Little Red Riding Hood and Hansel and Gretel. Other roles include Josephine in HMS Pinafore, the Princess in The Student Prince, and Connie in The 1940'™s Radio Hour.

She has performed many roles with Capitol City Opera Company (CCOC) including Annina in The Saint of Bleecker Street, Bastienne in Mozart's Bastien and Bastienne, Nora in Vaughan Williams' Rider's to the Sea, and Gilda in Milton Granger'™s Talk Opera. She sang for many years in CCOC's school outreach program. She has sung many concerts for CCOC as well.

Mary Frances was a soloist in Handel's Messiah for Peachtree Presbyterian Church. She has worked as the soloist at The First Church of Christ Scientist in Roswell, Georgia and at The Second Church of Christ Scientist in Sandy Springs, Georgia ( This church has now closed). She occasionally directs and sings in the choir, and substitutes for the cantorial soloist at Congregation Dor Tamid in Alpharetta, Georgia.

EDUCATION:
Mary Frances holds a bachelors degree from Indiana University School of Music in both Voice and Theater. Mary Frances was a long time student of Elizabeth Colson (now deceased) of Atlanta, Georgia. She has attended Brevard Music Center, The Georgia State Opera Workshop and the American Institute of Musical Studies in Graz, Austria. While in Graz, Mary Frances was a finalist in the Meistersinger competition.

*LESSON DETAILS

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR LESSON LENGTH:
Voice students: 30 minutes for young students up to 5th grade. 45 minutes for young students in Middle School and some 5th graders. 45 or 60 minutes preferred for high school students and adults. Piano students: 30 minutes for most beginners of any age. 45 minutes for young intermediate level and adult students.

TEACHING STYLE AND CURRICULUM:
ALL: My teaching style is relaxed yet progressive. I use positive reinforcement to encourage progress with adults and children. Students are allowed to progress at their own pace which varies with age, coordination, processing speed and previous exposure to musical education.

PIANO: I prefer the Alfred'™s Basic Piano Library series for my piano students. I find that my students learn more music theory and music reading with this series. If the student has started lessons in a different series, I can work with that as well. I have a large music library that provides a wide selection of music in addition to the Alfred books. I expect most beginning students to learn basic music reading and theory in 3 to 6 months. They should also to be able to play simple tunes in that time. I am an active professional singer, so I have a large library of vocal material at my disposal.

All piano students are REQUIRED to have an instrument to practice on at home. The piano MUST HAVE AT MINIMUM:
IF Digital - 88 full sized, weighted keys with polyphonic sound ( at least 10 keys should be able to sound at at the same time) and a sustain pedal,
OR - If Accoustic - maintained and properly tuned.

VOICE: I begin my voice lessons with breathing techniques and vocal placement using widely accepted exercises coming from a large body of sources such as:
Vaccai, professional level vocal teachers, coaches and directors that I have worked with and learned from over the last 30 years, and the writings of highly acclaimed authors in the vocal field. I also have a wide selection of art song books, oratorio, musical theatre, and opera. My background is classical and musical theatre, but I believe all styles of singing need the basic skills of breathing and vocal placement. I strive to keep voices healthy as well as find each student's most beautiful sound. Most students will see progress in breath control, range, projection and diction in 3 to 6 months.

Repertoire is chosen on an individual basis depending both physical and musical ability. Younger students and beginners will be encouraged to not push their voices with material that is too difficult for their individual abilities because singing requires a certain amount of physical endurance. My goal is to find each student's natural sound without strain for whatever style he or she
sings.

Voice students are encouraged to bring a recording device to lessons to use for later practice and study.

STUDIO EQUIPMENT AND LIBRARY:
Piano, Computer with Internet Access, Library of Music and Reference Materials (Sample Listing): Alfred's Basic Piano Library Books Twenty-Four Italian Songs and Arias, Medium High and Medium Low Voice; Schirmer Sing at First Sight; Alfred Basics of Singing by Jan Schmidt; Schirmer Many Soprano Collections of Arias, Oratorio, Sacred, and Art Songs from Schirmer Several Broadway Music Collections from Hal Leonard Discover Your Voice by Oren Brown Training the Speaking Voice by Virgil Anderson International Phonetic Alphabet for Singers by Wall Dynamics of the Singing Voice by Meribeth Bunch Classical Singer Magazine Subscription Journal of Singing, The Official Journal of the National Association of Teachers of Singing,Inc.Subscription

SPECIALTIES:
I am classically trained bel canto voice teacher, but I can work with broadway and pop styles. I teach sight singing for students pursuing auditions for All State Chorus and College entrance, etc. I use the Alfred Basic Piano Series for Piano students

acements in film and television. Whether you are looking to just begin learning an instrument for fun or would like to take your skills further and move towards becoming a professional musician, I have the skills and expertise to help you along every step of the way. I tailor each lesson to meet the needs of the student, teaching them exactly what they would like to learn and having lots of fun doing it!

*** Lesson Details ***
For the first lesson, we will discuss what you are hoping to achieve, what kind of structure you would like for your lessons (theory, performance etc) and I will assess your skill level. Then I will tailor exercises, lessons and study to suit your needs.

*** Studio Equipment ***
Fender Rhodes Piano
Doric Vintage Organ
Microphones and Stands
Pro Tools
Fender Amp
Jaguar Bass
1968 Hagstrom Bass
Gibson Les Paul Guitar
Dan Electro Guitar
1950s Burns Bass
Fender Acoustic
Yamaha Mini Acoustic
Small Boss Keyboard
Flutes, Harmonicas, Percussion
Ipod, cd player
Various effects pedals for voice and guitar etc

*** Travel Equipment ***
Can bring guitars, mics, stands, practice amp and small keyboard

*** Specialities ***
Specialising in rock, pop and soundtrack music, I can also teach performance and acting stage skills and voice projection.

omfortable learning environment. If you think I'm what you need, contact me so we can talk about your goals. Can't wait to meet you!

Joy

*Resume available upon request.

the musician inside and feel a passion for music!

is (Xscape), and Lil Wayne. Amaria is a member of the Americolor Theater Opera Company directed by Dr. Sharon J. Willis. After completing the Audio Production certificate program at Full Sail University, Amaria and her husband, Travis, will open a recording studio dedicated to spreading the soul of music. Listening to her voice, you will be delighted by her grace, warmed by her sincerity, and soothed by her rich, soulful contralto that is permeated by R&B, gospel, and classical influences - a vocal styling that she calls “Soulspirational.”

. His comedic quick wit and ability to relate to all ages made him the go to guy for all things music.

Voice students can expect to improve week to week in their vocal technique. Every voice has a unique timbre; I teach students to release built up tension and apply foundational techniques in order to unlock their own individual sound. I can help any student to sing with freedom, confidence, and expression.

I teach piano students of all different ages and experience levels. I can teach students to read music and pursue musical excellence, to learn how to play classical and contemporary music using a variety of sheet music, chord charts and more!