Brookline, MA Viola Lessons

de Monterrey, Symphony of Southeast Texas, and Opera in the Heights.

Shannon has been a faculty member at various colleges, is currently Adjunct Professor of Music at Brazosport College, and also has an active private studio, Leigh Studios. She is the College Music Society South-Central Regional President; and is an Advisory Board member for the Houston Flute Club.

Shannon received her Masters of Music degree in Performance from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. She also studied at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, and received her B.A. degree in Performance, and B.S. degree in Music-Business from Winona State University, and has studied with world-renowned instructors.

Shannon has received grants for her work, from the Minnesota State Arts Board, American Federation of Musicians, Rome Festival Orchestra, and the Winona Music Guild, and was the 1997 recipient of the Vivian Menees Nelson Music Award.

Shannon is also a sponsored triathlete and trainer/coach/race director, and gives workshops on the importance of healthy living, nutrition and exercise for musicians. She is a board member for The Lake Charles Triathletes. And she is a strong advocate for music, health, and triathlon. Sponsors: Maggie Martinez-LMT, Eating for Performance, Bikesport, DeSoto Sport, Gu Performance Energy, Rudy Project, Amit Jethva-DDS, Leigh Enterprises.

*** Lesson Details ***
I am pretty easy going. I want you to feel comfortable and at ease, but we do need to focus and can have fun doing it. :)
I utilize various methods for each instrument, which is determined by the students learning style and ability; needs, so this can change as time goes on (not sticking to one particular publishers materials). I have done (and continue to do) extensive research into materials available for each instrument I teach, and supplement with my own, to utilize the best out there for "YOU" for the best possible progress. While ensuring an extremely well-rounded musical education, so you can progress at the best possible rate. Since each student's potential is different, each will progress differently. This is also determined by your dedication to daily practice (the more you practice, the quicker you will progress & the more accomplished you will become). This is a 'Team Effort'; I give the guidance and tools. You practice, utilize learn these tools, and off we go! The sky is the limit!

*** Specialties ***
Classical, jazz
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FITNESS: Shannon has been athletic most of her life. she is a Certified Personal Trainer, and Specialist in Exercise Therapy, with 10 years experience in triathlon. She is a sponsored athlete. She applies her years of teaching experience to helping you reach your physical and nutritional goals, to be the healthiest you can be. She's not for quick fixes/results. It's all about a transformational lifestyle change. Enjoy the journey! It's well worth it! (see info above).

ed violin teachers who have sought me out to improve their techniques for best teaching practices. From my 30+ years of private violin teaching and observing how children learn, I developed a super fun groundbreaking class in New York City for 2.5 to 5 year old beginners called Crackerjack Kidz! And a few years ago, I wrote a text to accompany young students and their families.

I continuously work to be a master teacher dedicated to the very best methods, using a variety and combination of techniques and strategies tailored to the student's musical success and enjoyment.

My specialties include music-based early childhood development, adult beginners and continuing learners, intermediate and advanced players, and chamber music coaching.

I welcome you to start your family's musical journey with me!

*** Lesson Details ***
While each lesson is different, we always try to spend a little time warming up, making sure we're comfortable and free of tension, reviewing what we've worked on, and layering in new concepts each time. We also learn age appropriate music theory (the "why's" of how music works), we exercise our imaginations, and we learn how to effectively practice.

We learn to think, solve problems, hear the music in our minds, and coordinate our bodies to play beautifully! Along the way we learn skills for life, the joy of accomplishment, and love of ourselves and others!

Whether you're a toddler or a senior, violin can always teach new things and help students appreciate more about themselves and the world!

*** Studio Equipment ***
Music room with keyboard and computer. Parents can sit it on lessons, and are enouraged to do so with young students.

*** Specialties ***
I'm a classically trained violinist and a master teacher with over 30 years of experience. I've been teaching Suzuki violin to children ages 3 and up for my whole career, and I'm also extremely comfortable with traditional methods for beginner, intermediate, and advanced students of any age.

My specialties include:
music-based early childhood development
adult beginners and continuing learners
intermediate and advanced players
chamber music coaching.

o taught music as a camp counselor, college tutor, and workshop leader. Whether you are looking to pick up a brand new instrument, learn a new style, or work on improving on what you already know, Kathryn can help you reach your goals.

ium on Violin Studies at the Juilliard School in NYC, and the ASTA National Conference in Providence, RI. She has a thorough understanding of pedagogy and a true passion for teaching students of all ages and abilities. Jenae's students play in youth orchestras and chamber ensembles in the Boston Metro area such as the Clafflin Hill Youth Symphony and at the Rivers Conservatory.
Jenae is on the violin, viola and chamber music faculty at the Rivers Conservatory, teaches at the Cambridge Music Consortium and maintains a private studio in Boston. Jenae's hobbies include yoga, learning foreign languages, and learning other instruments such as the classical guitar and mandolin.

af" can learn to sing perfectly in tune, the most nasal or unappealing sound can be transformed into the most beautiful resonant tone, and someone with "no talent" can become better than anyone out there. With this superb method when you finish singing your voice will feel better than when you started! All it takes is desire, patience, perseverance, and above all, practice. I also have a unique and very patient teaching style that can make learning any instrument seem easy. Anyone can learn with my method of teaching.

It all started out in a small town called Chatham, NJ where I spent the first thirteen years of my life. I remember loving music as early as I could walk and talk. I started taking guitar lessons when I was seven years old. Along with the guitar, came a love for singing and writing my own songs. When we moved to Pennsylvania the guitar came with me. Throughout my high school years, I spent hours playing with teachers, fellow students and at parties.

When I was sixteen every week for three years I would drive an hour into Philadelphia, by myself, to study with world famous Artie Singer. His students include such names as Chubby Checker, Frankie Avalon, Al Martino, and Bobby Rydel. Artie co-wrote and produced two massive hit records “At the Hop” and “Rock ‘n Roll is Here to Stay,” both recorded by Danny and the Juniors. Artie was personal friends with Dick Clark and would bring him acts for his show.

While going to a Community College in Philadelphia the music teacher there took notice of me, pulled me aside, and told me about a great music school I should attend. He then sent away for the application and helped me fill it out. The next thing I knew I was in Boston attending Berklee School of Music! I graduated Magna Cum Laude with a degree in Jazz and Rock Composition, Arranging, and Guitar.

I had originally gone to Berklee intending to major in voice, however I had no luck with the vocal department there and ended up with nodules on my vocal cords. The damage was so significant that I had to stop singing during my four years at Berklee and turned to studying Guitar and Composition.

I tried every vocal teacher in town wanting more than anything to be a singer. What I found was no teacher could help me and it seemed obvious that even though they had the “big name” they didn't know what they wt. I was losing hope. The combination of this roadblock and my persistence led me to the greatest thing that ever happened in my life....... I met Dante Pavone!

I kept hearing about a singing teacher named Dante Pavone. Since I had already tried everyone else, I decided to give him a shot. On my first lesson with Dante I noticed a big difference. My throat didn't hurt at all and a real voice was coming out of me. I was cured!

Dante’s studies were extensive and he had doctorates in voice, music history, psychology and many other subjects. He was the most intelligent; insightful person I have ever met in my life and not only taught me about voice but taught me many things about life. He one time told me that he had a more profound knowledge of all the fine singing muscles than anyone else.

Dante was the first; a “pioneer” in popular singing, breaking from the traditional operatic style. He taught, or was contacted by, such singers as John Lennon and Paul McCartney (Beatles), Mick Jagger (Rolling Stones), Aretha Franklin, Grace Slick (Jefferson Airplane), Steve Tyler (Aerosmith), Peter Wolf (JGiles Band), James and Livingston Taylor, Faye Dunaway, Tom Jones, Donna Summers, Jonathan Richman, Julianna Hatfield, Andy Pratt, at their prime and the list goes on and on. Once John Lennon and Paul McCartney showed up unannounced at his door handing him a blank check! Singers from New York City Opera Company used to sneak away from their teachers and come to Boston to study with Dante who would cure their wrecked voices from their famous opera teachers they had in NY. Best Singing Teacher in the World!

I studied with Dante every day for the first couple of years and then two or three times a week after that for fifteen years until his demise in 1998. I never missed a lesson! He gave me over a four-octave range where I started with only a five-note one. Not only did he improve my pitch and tone, but I can now sing and scream all night, if I want to, and never have a single vocal problem. In fact the more I sing the better my voice feels!

One day at my lesson Dante asked if he could pass his method down to me. This has been a great honor to me and although many teachers try to emulate his method I am the only one with a certificate as seen above. Not only was Dante my mentor, but still to this day he is the most important person I ever encountered in my life and was my best friend. We were very close and he would spend hours talking to me at lessons not only about music but about many fascinating subjects and opened my eyes to many incredible things.

Thirteen of my songs were chosen to be in one movie called Getting Personal and other songs in the movies Fillbilly and Dykeotomies. My band has won world contests.

I have also studied piano, guitar, and drums extensively and teach all instruments. I studied for years with late great world renowned Charlie Banacos and John Horrigan. Besides teaching I am a songwriter, dancer, actress, film maker, audio engineer and producer as well. I can help you record your songs!

Since 1982 I have written hundreds of songs and have been performing and recording my own music in major New England and New York venues. I've also won awards for my band "Girl on Top."

Breathing
If a teacher tells you breathing is not important you should be concerned. Let me help you to develop solid breathing and correct singing posture. An instrument only sounds as good as it's built. As we build your instrument your range, strength, resonance and stamina all improve. There is no end to how good you can get.

All Styles
The greatest thing about this method is it does not give you a style. You develop your own style! The student brings in songs they want to work on. Pop, rock, hip-hop, alternative, country, progressive, blues, jazz, swing, broadway, folk, rap, r+b, gospel, hardcore, screaming at the top of your lungs (if you want to).

All Levels
I teach all ages and presently have students from three years old to students in their seventies.  Beginners to advanced, adults to elderly, children, kids, and pre-school.  Dante taught me that I can improve a person’s life by teaching them music. He’s certainly improved mine. I hope you will let me help to improve yours.

Vocal Therapist
My method is guaranteed to cure any and all vocal problems or damage you may have from singing or talking: nodules, pitch, range, tone, endurance, etc.

Sing with no break
Have a smooth, multi-octave range. Sing any note the way you like: high or low, hard or soft.

No end to how you can improve
As long as you practice using this method, there is no limit as to how you can improve your range, tone, strength, flexibility, vibrato, phrasing, etc. Let me help you transcend fear, anxiety, and stage fright and replace it with technical ability and self-confidence.

Coaching and Stage Presence
We work on songs that the student brings with them to lessons. Using acting techniques, I help them understand the true meaning of the song and how to convey it to an audience.

Guitar Lesson
Learn easily the basics of rhythm, notes and chords.  Start with the basics and move into learning to play songs that you love. Incorporate learning to sing and play guitar on your favorite tunes.  As the student becomes more confident the lessons move into learning advanced voicing, improvisational techniques and chord solos.  All styles, all levels, all ages.

Piano Lessons
Whether you are a beginner or an advanced professional, any age is welcomed. Learning to play the piano can be lots of fun and very rewarding with practice, persistence and the proper instruction. Learn easily the basics of rhythm, notes and chords.  In the first lesson you will be able to play with both hands.  As you continue lessons it will be fun and exciting to learn to play popular piano pieces.  The more advanced student will have fun learning to improvise and play chord solos.

Drum Lessons
Learning to play the drums is really easy and fun with my method!  Start by learning how to hold the sticks and position yourself at a full drum set.  At the end of the first lesson you will be able to play beats.  With each lesson new beats, styles and exercises will be added.  As you get more advanced the student can bring in songs they want to learn.  This method is perfect and easy for any beginner or more advanced student.

Bass Lessons
The bass is what holds the rhythm of the band together and provides the foundation and bottom for the chord structure.  The student is taken in a step by step method that is easy to understand starting with learning basic notes, rhythms and finger exercises.  As the student becomes more advanced they can bring in songs that they would like to learn.  All styles, ages and levels.

Ear Training
Developing your ear is essential for any serious musician.  We start by learning to sing simple melodies and rhythms and as the student progresses move to more challenging ones.  Also incorporated will be learning notation and chord and pitch recognition.
Song Writing
Learn to write songs like the pros.  Karen D. has written over two hundred and fifty song.  Let her expertise help you learn the secrets fast.  We will work on song structure, theory and lyric writing.

Theory and Arranging
Karen D. is an honorary graduate of Berklee School of Music in Boston.  There she acquired a degree in Jazz Composition and Arranging.  She will teach you about notes, intervals, scales, chord structures and how chords work together.  Also, you will learn how to arrange a song by adding drums, bass, guitar, horns, strings and whatever your heart desires.

Instruments-All Styles

Voice
Vocal Therapy
Nodules
Polyps
Breathing
Strength
Range
Coaching
Stage Presence

Extras
Theory/Arranging
Song Writing
Ear Training
Apple Computer Skills
Final Cut
Logic

Stringed Instruments
Acoustic Guitar
Autoharp
Banjo
Bass Guitar
Dobro
Dulcimer
Electric Guitar
Gottuvadhyam
Guitar
Harp
Lap Steel Guitar
Lute
Mandolin
Pedal Steel Guitar
Sitar
Ukulele
Veena
Zither

Keyboard Instruments
Acoustic Piano
Clarinet
Electric Keyboards
Harpsichord
Keyboards
Organ
Piano
Synthesizer

Percussion Instruments
Bongos
cajon
Castanets
Celesta
Chimes
Congas
Cymbals
Double Bass / Kick
Drums
Drum Set
Glockenspiel
Marimba
Snare Drum
Tambourine
Timpani
Tom Toms
Triangle
Vibraphone
Xylophone

Bowed Stringed
Cello
Double Bass (Acoustic, Upright, Stand-up)
Fiddle
Viola
Violin

Woodwinds
Accordion
Bass Clarinet
Bassoon
Clarinet
Contrabassoon
Double Reed
English Flute
English Horn
Flute
Flutes
Harmonica
Melodica
Oboe
Piccolo
Pitch Pipes
Recorder
Saxophone
Single Reed

Brasswinds
French Horn
Pan Flute
Piccolo
Recorder
Saxophone
Trombone
Trumpet
Tuba

Testimonials

Karen D is the numero uno female singer in Boston.

Karen made the lesson fun and highly personalized. Karen wanted to know about my current skills and what I wanted to achieve. She then based our lesson play on this information. Excellent!

I don't know how much you remember of me, but you were my favorite voice teacher! I adore/d you and hope all the best for you! I used to walk across Copley Square to your studio for my classes. I remember vividly and I also remember my homework. I will always recommend you highly. Next to my band director you were always my best teacher. Know what? Love you Karen! You are the best! I wish every great thing for you.

Karen is an amazing teacher. She's patient, hard-working and dedicated. She has a lot of musical background experience and knowledge. She's also a cool person!

In American Idol, Haley did great on her solo, clearly the best. I was really impressed I hope you are doing well…we will see you at the next lesson.

Karen is a great teacher. She is extremely patient and encouraging. She also has a great method in building up strong muscles for singing. When I first met her, I could barely match the notes. She encourages me all the time and guides me through the tough period. Now I can match up to High C. She is also very great at Guitar, and has a very good way teaching. I really love her.

Thank you so much for the encouragement. I didn't get much of it when I was growing up that's probably why I never put any effort in pursuing my dream of becoming a musician. I am going to use your time for deeper understanding. I wasted a lot of time in the past I could of been much more educated by now if only i would of had focused and pushed myself. Our time together made me realize many things about myself what i should have done in the past and that I'm very impatient that's probably the main cause of why i never bothered learning anything worth learning... I admire people like yourself who encourage artists to do what they love. Thanks again.

Karen is an awesome teacher with patience and excellent methods to help people sing. She taught me the singing techniques and mostly importantly gave me confidence to face my weakness and sing once more. Patient, nice, and remarkable capability.

Thank you for being such a great teacher and friend!

Thanks for all your help. It has been a revelation.

I finally took your advice and have been doing my practicing every day. As a result, my choir director, Wendy, came up to me after the service and said, "you might become the lead soprano singer if you keep working with that singing teacher of yours, Karen.

Back from a week in New England...great trip...both reunion shows went very well...the audiences loved them. Thanks for your help in getting my voice  ready.  We had five hour rehearsals last Monday and Tuesday, and then shows on Wednesday and Thursday.  My voice was stronger Thursday night than any of the three previous nights.  That's a tribute to you and Dante, and I am grateful. Take care, and let's stay in touch...

Thank you for all you’ve taught me. I know your way is the real way. I hope to have the opportunity to learn more from you in the future. You’re the best!

Hey Karen! How are you?  I'm over that horrible sickness.  I went to rehearsal tonight and what's coming out of me keeps getting better.  Just the look on everyone's face was awesome.  More importantly I can finally express everything inside me.  Thank you so much!  The only problem I have is when my back get's tired.  After an hour it get's tough.  There's so much I want to go over with you.  I'm your biggest fan!  Thanks is not enough.

I know with the voice and lessons it can be like anything else one needs to improve, two steps forward one step back.  However, I have to tell you, I have really made a breakthrough in the last week, starting last Thursday.  For some reason "all of a sudden" my voice is stronger, clearer, I don't get hoarse as quickly, I can sing longer and "harder"/higher, my voice isn't so raspy the next morning, on and on.  Yeah -- the lessons are really working, as I believed they would.  Bless you and the spirit of Dante.

I threw Dante's name into the search engine and found you. My sister, Tina Sanderson, quit high school in 1967 and moved from long island to Boston and found Dante.  I was at Berklee at the time for flute. I was amazed what he did to her already fabulous voice! When Grace Slick (Jefferson Airplane/Starship) went to prison, they asked Tina to fill in, but decided not to do anything until Grace was out.  Unfortunately, two days before recording for Irwin Levine (tie a yellow ribbon....) she died in a car accident.
Anyway, I am very happy to see that Dante's message is not lost with the Master.  i will keep you in mind for anyone wanting the best techniques.

Hello Karen, I found your site through a google search of Dante. I was thinking about him and thought I’d see what I could find. Yours was the first site that turned up and I was very happy to have found it. Even back in 1981 and 1982, when I was with him, Dante was looking for a successor. I’m very glad to have found you. I am also a bit envious that you were wise enough to stay with him until the end. It was my every intention to do that, however, as a teen at the time on my own living in Boston, I let certain emotional issues cloud my judgment and left Dante in 1982 and came back to New Jersey. I must say that I was filled with sadness to find that Dante passed in 1997 and that I made no effort to contact him or study further before that time. What an opportunity it was ever to have met the man! I was with him for a year and applied his method for many years after. I’ve recently gotten back more into singing, I am a guitarist as well, and probably would want to start lessons with you. I was a voice major at Rowan University for a year and half, but actually would rather study by Dante method. Dante was very dear to me. I loved him very much. The year with him was one of the best times of my life with some of the fondest memories.

Hi Karen glad you had a great gig. Nothing was touching the pain, but when I sing it is so intense it doesn't matter. I didn't sleep at all last night, and I felt like crying! I went to my second project today and I think there is an ungodly potential there. I did a little recording last night (just me) so you could hear what you never hear in lessons. I am the singer I always wanted to be thanks to you and I know it's only going to get better! Oh well for now it's ice hot bath and rest.

Karen, even though it was sort lived, coming to you for lessons was one of the best things I've done. It's really gotten me back on track. Dante's scales are so balanced. I was getting into really bad habits especially with the e vowel. With those exercises I'm now placing the e vowel where it should be. I can sing all night again and feel nothing in my throat. When I went to university, the vocal scales weren't balanced. Dante's balances the e's with the ah's and when you got that, you've got it all. This is how I remember it as it used to be. As I said before, I'll be back.

Thank you so much for your wonderful lesson with great encouragement. You are the best music teacher I could ever imagine. How I wish I had met you earlier. 

Karen is a wonderful, sensitive, teacher, who will work with you no matter what style of singing you prefer. For over 6 years I have taken voice from her and my range and confidence increased by leaps and bounds!

Karen is a committed, dedicated and extremely talented teacher.  The unique techniques I  learned in studying with her have greatly improved my singing,  the quality of my voice, and my range is far greater.  I am able to sing notes I would not have thought possible.  Karen loves what she does and every lesson has been an extremely enjoyable learning experience.

Dear Karen, I wanted to thank you for teaching me.  I'm very happy that I decided to take lessons with you and I was able to achieve my goal.  Before I came to you I was not happy with my singing when I hit Bb above middle C and up, but I feel more comfortable with those notes after the lessons with you, and of course, doing the exercises and scales does wonders.  You even got me to vocalize an octave above that Bb and beyond in less than six weeks. What I learned was so precious because it's not something you can learn by reading, but it's something I could only learn by actually having someone coach me in physical coordination.  It was a very interesting experience and a hard work.  I sing almost everyday, so I do notice the difference in my voice from day to day.  Thank you so much.

Karen has been an amazing teacher. I have taken piano, guitar and voice lessons from her for over the past year. I had no prior musical knowledge (or native ability) but yet within 4 months she coached me through preparation for a show singing and accompanying on guitar. While I have much to learn I feel that Karen, with her dedication to her students and wonderful teaching ability, has truly helped me to succeed beyond my wildest expectations.

Dear Karen, So happy to see you're still doing great..I could never in words express my gratitude towards you for teaching me about music, life, and piano..(as well as the wonderful course for drums and everything else) Thank you.

HI Karen, Thank you so much for being such a great mentor and friend of mine:) Thanks for inspiring and encouraging me all the time. Love you.

Thank you so much for your wonderful lessons with great encouragement. You are the best music teacher I could ever imagine. How I wish I had met you earlier. 

Hey, "Coach" -- hope this finds you well.  We played two shows in Vermont two weekends ago, and my voice was excellent.  I've been diligently doing my scales, my stretching exercises, and singing rock songs about 45 minutes a day since the book launch party last August, and it really paid off.  I sang lead on two songs I couldn't even reach last summer.  And I sang our "signature" song, "All Along The Watchtower" probably better than I ever sang it back in the 60s and 70s.  My voice held up through two rehearsals, two sound checks, and two shows, and was stronger at the end than at the start.  In fact, we had a jam session after the second gig and I sang "Superstition" by Stevie Wonder and I have never been able to do that one. So, thanks to you and our dear, departed Dante.

Just wanted you to know that I have continued to work on what you taught me with excellent results.  This past August, at the book launch party, I sang lead on a song which I could not do in 2010 (and I could hardly have done any of my leads in 2010 without your help).  In the six months since the book launch party I have done all my breathing exercises every day, except one single day, without fail.  The result has been that as I sing along with records (which I do about 4-5 days a week) I can now do about a dozen leads on songs I sing with regularly, which I couldn't do six months ago in August.  All this stuff re the voice is only to say a HUGE THANK YOU for your help and your teaching.  Clearly, the Dante method works for geezers, also.  I am amazed at what I can sing that I couldn't get to a year ago, or even 6 months ago.  Plus, a couple of weeks ago I sang 11 days in a row (45 to 60 minutes each day) with no problems at all.  It's so much fun to be able to really sing again...:-)

I'm not sure if you remember me but I took web lessons with you about a year an half ago. Life, however got in the way, and I had to stop. My schedule is now much freer, and I happen to once again be on the same time zone that you are on. I was hoping to begin taking vocal lessons with you again. You are by far the best vocal teacher I have ever had, and my voice really misses your training.

i am happy to tell you about my experience and opinion of Karen. i have been taking voice with her since 1996. I starting to sing in a choir as a soprano at my old church. i struggled to hit the notes and in doing so was straining my vocal chords. i went online to read about strained vocal chords and got scared when i read that they sometimes get nodules a need surgery. i decided i wanted to learn proper technique and searched for a vocal teacher. i read Karen’s bio and discovered that she too had suffered strained vocal chords and got relief through Dante Pavone’s method of teaching, and now she is certified to teach the same method. Since i started with her i have no problem in my throat and i sing way better. Even my body looks better because the exercises that the student does strengthen the lower back so that it can support the ribs properly and has given me a better figure.  i still sing in a choir at my new church and i have gotten many compliments on my voice from many people. At this point i will tell you that i do not practice all of the breathing and scales as often as i am supposed to due to my being a wife and mother of two teenagers, which keeps me very busy and running. That said, i still have made great progress with Karen.
Another more personal note is that a person would be hard-pressed to find another human being as loving as Karen. She’s very caring beyond just voice lessons. My husband has been taking drum lessons from her for three years now and he feels the same way about her, and he doesn’t usually trust people easily. Karen is very well educated and very intelligent. She is a tough but kind teacher. She watches her student like a hawk and doesn’t miss a trick. She corrects gently and never makes you feel badly about yourself. She’s very encouraging. i try never to miss a lesson, because i always leave there in a better mood than when i arrive.
i hope this helps you to decide. You may think...whats with all of this breathing and posture? Trust the technique. it really works without pain or strain of the vocal chords, which means you can sing for the rest of her life and not just a couple years and have to quit due to nodules.

 
Forty years ago I was a lead singer in a New England rock band and I was tearing my throat up.  I was hoarse after every gig and regularly lost my voice entirely after two or three nights.  Then I became a pupil of Dante Pavone in Boston and a remarkable transformation occurred.  Dante’s method was hard work, and it depended on following his advice precisely.  But working with Dante I was able to correct my bad habits, improve the clarity, quality and range of my voice. I could go seven nights in a row and not lose my voice.   Forty years later my band is getting back together for several reunion shows, but I have not sung professionally since 1971.  Fortunately, I found Karen, a protégé of Dante’s, and took webcam internet lessons (she is in Boston, I in Virginia).  All the benefits of the Pavone method re-appeared.  I gained back three octaves on my range and my clarity, strength and pitch all greatly improved.  The Dante Pavone method is still as great as ever and Karen is the ideal voice coach to teach it – a perfect blend of encouragement and pushing. 

Saturday, for the first time after studying with you for over three years and not practicing, i forced myself to do what you have been telling me all along: to practice. The next day my husband came to the early church service with me and told me that when the choir sang the "anthem", which  is our main piece in the service, that he could really hear me and that i sounded really good. Then i had another small rehearsal afterwards with the choir for a new piece for future. After that i was walking down the hall to leave and my choir director caught up to me and said, "You are sounding really good!" i said, “Really?” She affirmed, so i told her it was because my singing teacher is telling me i had better start doing my breathing exercise so i finally listened. She said it was paying off. Today i plan to do all 30 of each again. As much as i don’t understand why it makes so much of a difference, i now know it works and i know also that you are a very smart and driven person and that you would never steer me wrong. so thanks.

I called my brother (he used to back up Taj Mahal) to ask about when Grace Slick studied with Dante.  When my sister was studying his method I met Dante once or twice.  At the time I was making costumes for the New York City Opera Company and was one of Beverly Sill's dressers. Dante kept saying that Beverly was going to blow out her voice.  I remember that several opera singers used to sneak away from their appointed vocal coaches in NYC to catch some time with Dante.  Dante would have to cure all the vocal problems that their so called “famous” NY coaches were giving them.

I was thinking about Dante recently. I just got a gig in Switzerland coming up in April and even though I'm a sax player (Berklee alumnus) I will be singing a concert there. I pulled out all of my old hand written Dante notes and oddly I realized the system and its ease after twenty years. What I'm saying is "voila" now it all came back to me and I’m singing with a fair amount of ease up into my head, stretching my range and feeling really great. Anyway, I googled his name and your name came up associated with Dante's, and rightfully so. I was always amazed by him, but now I'm amazed at what he was always trying to tell me even though he saw me as a great student.  I know that one website that came up under someone's name (associated with him) mentioned that he had passed away. I think he was 76 when he taught me. I remember he mentioned your name to me many times in the 80's. I moved to LA after Berklee and I talked about him with the highest respect and felt very lucky to have studied for a long time with a genius and true master of the human anatomy. Keep up the good work! I just wanted to say hello and let you know that I'm glad you're carrying on his legend.

Thanks for your help in getting my voice ready.  We had five hour rehearsals last Monday and Tuesday, and then shows on Wednesday and Thursday.  My voice was stronger Thursday night than any of the three previous nights.  That's a tribute to you and Dante. I am grateful.

Karen I have to tell you I have really made a breakthrough since I started studying with you. My voice is stronger, clearer, I don't get hoarse as quickly, I can sing longer and "harder"/higher, my voice isn't so raspy the next morning, on and on.  Yeah -- the lessons are really working, as I believed they would.  Bless you and the spirit of Dante.

Every day, since studying with you, after I sing my voice is clearer and stronger when I am finished. You’re a great teacher!

Thank you for all you’ve taught me. I know your way is the real way. I hope to have the opportunity to learn more from you in the future. You’re the best!

I studied with one of the supposed most famous vocal teachers in America. After a year of studying this particular method I couldn’t even get through one rehearsal or four songs at a gig with out vocal blow out. When I came to Karen I had severe vocal damage from studying with this supposed other “famous” teacher”. On the first lesson with Karen my voice was cured and after four lessons I played a gig and my voice felt better than before I started singing and the next day I was not hoarse at all. This is the best vocal method I have ever studied in my life as I have studied with many other teachers before Karen that also damaged my voice. If it weren’t for Karen and the Dante Pavone method I surely would not ever be able to sing.

My daughter did great on her solo, clearly the best.! I was really impressed. I hope you are doing well…we will see you at the next lesson.

Had a great lesson with Karen today. I expected the usual tongue and lip rolls and of course the long lectures on what to avoid to keep a good voice, but i got something much better. :)

I went to rehearsal tonight and what's coming out of me keeps getting better and better.  Just the look on everyone's face when I sang was awesome.  More importantly I can finally express everything inside me.  Thank you so much!  I'm your biggest fan!  Thanks is not enough.   

I just wanted to let you know that my gig on Saturday went GREAT!!! My voice felt really good and I didn't feel strained at all. I'm so glad I took the breathing exercises that you showed very seriously. I don't know where I'd be without you.

Once again you have my deepest thanks for what you've opened to me vocally. I still can't believe it. Every time I open my mouth to sing I get better and better! Also, thank you very much for the great encouragement.

I just wanted to say again how happy I am that I met you. My progress is more than I dreamed of and I know I'm not all the way yet. I also have come to regard you as a friend. I truly wish you all the success you dream of.

Before studying with you I always felt like crying because I could never get my voice to work properly. You have showed me the potential there. I did a little recording last night so I could really hear the huge difference and in just a few lessons. I am becoming the singer I always wanted to be thanks to you. I know it's only going to get better!

My voice keeps getting better and better every day.  I would say that you have 100% given me all the ability and more than I could have dreamed of.  You definitely delivered the goods.  I've grown from skeptic to true believer. The last two weeks, but especially the last couple of days, I have transformed into an altogether more dynamic singer with a pitch increase of at least an octave.  Every note becoming as soft or as loud as I want it to without strain or effort!  God bless you. I know that it's going to only get better from here!  Did you ever see the matrix we're the guy says why oh why didn't I swallow the blue pill.  That's how i feel about my choice some twenty years ago or more, when I saw your add.  Also the changes in my physique are truly unbelievable too.  Anyway thanks so much and I look forward to seeing you next week.

Hello Karen, Life is stranger than fiction!! I played an outdoor gig today! I sang for hours and had no problems. Afterward everybody was all over me. Makes all the sacrifice worth it. I learned a lot today. I sure hope it will continue. I live for this. Don't mean to sound like a broken record, but thanks so much for all you've given me the ability to do. I'm everything and more that I always wanted to be.

I so much value everything I've learned from you and I always looked forward to my lesson.  You are a very gifted teacher and your technique has really made a difference in my voice.  I never thought I could hit high C so effortlessly. Thank you, Karen.

It was great getting the first lesson from you. Saw how you rock from Dante's point of view.

Karen, You are wonderful. I love your personality and your lessons. I talked about you and your method to all my friends and co-workers and will always recommend you to anyone who’s interested in lessons.

Hi Karen, we're moving to New Hampshire tomorrow :-)  We're going to miss you a lot! You have played a very positive role in Brendan's life and for that I will always be grateful. I wish you nothing but happiness. Warm Regards, Rob

You have been such a blessing. I believe people don't just come into your life by accident.

Karen, coming to you for lessons was one of the best things I've ever done. It's really gotten me back on track. Dante's scales are so balanced. I was getting into really bad habits. With those exercises I can sing all night again and feel nothing in my throat. When I went to university, the vocal scales weren't balanced and I had vocal issues. Dante's balances the e's with the ah's and when you got that, you've got it all. This is how I remember it as it used to be when I studied with Dante.

I enjoy the music instruction and guidance which shows progress in a short amount of time. I have explored rhythm, melody, and harmony with various instruments for resemblance. Her personal studio at home is great for this.

Awesome!

and New Jersey and has taught at the secondary level in both states. In addition to both instrumental and choral ensembles at Penn State, Thomas was a student leader in the Penn State Blue Band and a member of the brass section of the Cadets of Bergen County Drum and Bugle Corps in 1993 and 1994. He served as an Associate Director of the Warren Junior Military Band of Youngstown, Ohio from 1995 to 2005. He also served as a visual staff member for the renowned North Penn Marching Knights of Lansdale, PA for one season in 2004.

He is a current adjudicator with Drum Corps International and Cavalcade of Bands. He is a member of MENC, PMEA, NJMEA, ASCAP, CASA, Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, and the National Band Association. He appeared in the Marquis Who's Who Among American Educators in 2004 and 2005, an honor rarely bestowed upon teachers, as students who appear in the Who's Who Among American High School Students must nominate them. He currently is a music teacher at the Center for Performing and Fine Arts of the PA Leadership Charter School in West Chester, PA and resides in Downingtown, PA with his wife and two sons.

Thomas will happily work with students on the autism spectrum or students with ADD.

*** Lesson Details ***
My lessons are tailored to the needs and interests of each student. If a student is involved in school music ensembles, we will work with their lesson books from school in addition to material outside of the books, including SmartMusic, Noteflight, and teacher-created materials. We will focus on building proper tone production and individual technique - something that often is difficult to learn in a large ensemble setting.

I am capable of starting a beginner student on any band instrument including percussion, any classical string instrument (violin, viola, cello, string bass), and piano. I can begin a student on drum set and work with them through their first method book, but I would then recommend they find a specialized drum set teacher after a period of six to twelve months.

For advanced students, I work from selected conservatory etude books on developing advanced skills and can work with students on audition pieces for honors bands/orchestras or college auditions.

My lessons are a half-hour once a week, with the option of working for 45 minutes or 60 minutes.

*** Specialties ***
music, band, orchestra, flute, clarinet, oboe, bassoon, saxophone, trumpet, french horn, trombone, euphonium, tuba, violin, viola, cello, string bass, piano, Percussion
classical, jazz improvisation

practice is crucial if you are looking to advance in your craft. In my experience, if you do not commit, or put in individual practice, you will not see results.

I always hope to open the eyes of my students and teach that confidence, determination and hard work can not only progress them in learning an instrument, but with most skills in life. Most importantly I never want my students to feel that music is a burden! I want them to always enjoy themselves when they are practicing or performing.

I don't provide instruments or the accessories that go along with it, so please be prepared to have those things before our first lesson. I may also provide a list of sheet music to order after our first lesson if I feel we do not have the necessary materials.

I only travel to homes in the city of San Francisco. If you live outside of the city in the Bay Area, you are more then welcome to find a time to come to my studio for lessons.

I'm also unable to teach beginners online (via Skype), as I believe it is vital to have an instructor in the room in order to make physical adjustments to maintain proper bow hold, posture, and left hand positioning. I'm more than happy to teach intermediate-advanced students online.

*IN REGARDS TO THE "ASK A QUESTION BUTTON"*
Please refrain from using this button unless you are truly interested in lessons with me, live in the city of San Francisco, and your question cannot be answered by my profile information. If you have questions about payment, please contact the TakeLessons support team as I do not deal with payment directly. This saves me a lot of time that I need for other aspects of my life, and shortens my daily to-do list. Thank you for your understanding.

My Performance Bio:

Sam N. is a native born South Dakotan who began his viola studies at the age of ten. He began taking private lessons at the age of fourteen with his teacher Carol Knowles. Eventually, he continued his studies in South Dakota with San Francisco Conservatory alumni Kate Weeks. Sam is a graduate of the San Francisco Conservatory of Music where he studied with Jodi Levitz. He has participated in master classes with Helen Callus, Jay Liu, Jonathan Vinocour, Jerzy Kosmala, Hank Dutt, William Goodwin, Jackie Schwandt, and Kelly Hall-Tompkins. Mr. N. was the principle violist of the South Dakota All State Orchestra from 2007-2009, principle violist of the J. Laiten Weed Honors Orchestra from 2008-2010, and a member of the Black Hills Symphony from 2006-2010. In 2008, he was the 1st prize winner of the Lucy Palermo Weed String Competition, and won South Dakota's ASTA viola division. Two years later, he received the Henry Charles Smith Award in the SDSO's Young Musician's Competition, and also claimed 2nd prize in the BHSO's Young Artist Competition. In 2011-2012, he was also invited in to the Orlando Chamber Soloists Apprentice Program. Sam is also the former principle violist of the San Francisco Youth Orchestra which toured Germany in the summer of 2012. Featured performances took place in the concert halls at the Gastieg in Munich and Berlin Philharmonic and at the Rheingau Musik Festival. In 2013-2014 Sam was the principle violist of the San Francisco Conservatory Orchestra. He currently performs all around the Bay Area as a soloist, chamber musician, and orchestral player. His main mission is to revive interest in Western Art Music so that is once again accessible to the every day human.

ctured program, encouragement and following the students interest, I hope to serve the student and help them learn and grow at their individual pace.