Midlothian Music Lessons

o short films and started working on my own web series, about my life as a singer/voice teacher. I also have an art song project consisting of original material with composer Jaroslaw Golembiowski. As a singer and actress I have performed with many major theaters in the Chicago area, including Court Theater, Victory Gardens, National Jewish Theater, Bailiwick Theater, and Prop Theater.

*** Lesson Details ***
As a classically trained singer I will instruct you in all aspects of singing technique, from breath control and support to improving your tone, range, flexibility and resonance. I have recently completed training in Somatic Voicework, The LoVetri Method, which has enriched my understanding of the mechanics and health of the voice, as well as applications of technique to CCM or contemporary musical styles of singing.
My familiarity with a variety of musical styles from pop/rock, R&B, and country, to musical theater, lounge and jazz makes me an ideal teacher for those interested in contemporary styles.

I have spent many years developing my own style of singing and instruction. I draw on my experiences and training not only in music, but theater and movement, (Linklater, Alexander Technique, Grotowski) to create a well rounded approach to singing and performing. As an instructor, I am most interested in helping students find their true voice and artistic style. I teach students to find expression through and with a foundation of technique, rather then in spite of it. I also am very interested in helping students deal with the mental/emotional aspects of performance, an all important area so frequently ignored by music teachers. My style is nurturing, yet disciplined, and sprinkled liberally with good-natured humor."

*** Studio Equipment ***
My studio space is fully equipped with a piano, P.A. system with microphones, CD, MP3 player for tracks, and ability to record lessons if the student desires.

*** Travel Equipment ***
Please have a piano (in tune!) or keyboard for use in your in home lessons.

*** Specialties ***
I am classically trained, but I am very adept at teaching music in a wide variety of styles, including most contemporary styles of music including pop/rock, roots, swing, jazz and blues, country, r&b, and of course musical theater and cabaret. My band performs an eclectic mix of originals and covers in the roots rock genre, and I write music as well. I have many years of experience in the theater as an actress, and I coach acting technique and performance. I coach singer/songwriters, and all types of singers, of all ages. I have a workshop that specializes in helping people learn to perform better in front of an audience, and I host the Singer's Salon in Chicago, which is a supportive opportunity to perform regularly! I also coach bands, to improve their vocals, harmonies, etc.

ant Park, The Jazz Showcase, House of Blues, Hard Rock Cafe, Cubby Bear, Schubas Tavern, Beat Kitchen, Reggies, Subterranean, Bottom Lounge, and many others, as well as performances all over the United States, Ireland, and England. He has also contributed to some half-dozen albums by various artists. For much of the year he keeps busy playing both on stage and in the orchestra pits of musical theater productions for companies such as Porchlight Music Theater, NightBlue Performing Arts Company, and The Royal George Theater.

He loves helping students to become the best musicians they can be, and tailors his teaching style and material to suit each individual.

students have been selected to Honor Bands and All-State Bands across the country. Through quickly identifying strengths and weaknesses, and catering to ambitions and desires, his students experience a fun and inspirational learning environment that has been found with much success.

sity of Illinois, specializing in Ethnomusicology (the study of music of different cultures). This education gave him a strong background in music theory and history in the Western tradition, but also opened him up to a vast experience of a diverse cross section of music from around the world. His insatiable love for learning new instruments started here, where he studied music from West Africa to Bali.

Currently Ryan is a co-lead singer, songwriter and stringed instrument player for the local band Distant Brothers, a folk rock band based out of Chicago. They play venues throughout the Midwest, with some of the notable venues being House of Blues, Metro and Cubby Bear in Chicago. Another highlight of his time with the band has been a collaboration with Oistrakh Symphony Orchestra, where he not only was able to play in collaboration with the orchestra, but joined in the arranging and conceptualization of some of the pieces played.

n for her warm and sweet voice. Audiences have seen her sing in Illinois, Mississippi, Massachusetts, Florida, and Italy. She has performed over twenty roles with the likes of Opera Naples, Natchez Festival of Music, Sugar Creek Opera, Chicago Opera Theater, and Lyric Opera of Chicago. She has been featured many times as a soloist in Handel’s Messiah with Harper College. Though she has predominantly performed in opera, she is at home in a variety of styles, and teaches voice lessons in Des Plaines, Glen Ellyn, and Chicago. Ms. Blanks is a Chicago native, and the weekly soloist for Second Church in Evanston.

heir OWN ideal sound concept. I of course couple this with instruction on all the other fundamentals of trombone playing and music making (scales, rhythms, playing in tune, breathing, etc). But never forget that the ultimate goal is to perform the music the way it goes. By this I do not not mean playing all the correct notes, but instead performing the music in the correct style and context as the composer intended. Always remember that music is to be shared with others, and that making a statement with the music we play, in a way expressing our deepest emotions, is what this is all about!