Riverside Language Lessons

uch as Queen Elizabeth Hall, St. John’s Smith Square and Somerset House. I sing at Lyric Opera of Kansas City where I have appeared in over 90 productions. Upcoming: Mozart: Magic Flute, November 9-17, 2013 and Puccini: La Bohème, March 15-23, 2014   I also sing professionally at Grace and Holy Trinity Episcopal Cathedral in Kansas City. Whether you are seeking coaching on technique, Broadway, Opera or the American Songbook, I would be happy to work with you to realize your full potential. I get excited about helping students become good performers! Let me help you become the best musician you can be, IN PERSON or ONLINE!

*** Lesson Details ***
I am a laid back teacher with a great sense of humor. You will also learn a lot of music theory and music history from me! My lessons begin with some training in reading music (Music Theory) and I suggest that you purchase Alfred's Music Theory Volume One or Two depending on your level of understanding.

After refreshing your music reading and rhythm skills, we will listen to you sing and begin to vocalize. I will develop exercises just for you, to help you develop your voice, making it stronger and more flexible.

When you have warmed up your voice with vocal exercises, we will work together on the music you wish to learn. It could be a song, an aria, a Broadway or Opera aria, or a religious piece.

*** Studio Equipment ***
Large 30 foot living room with two pianos, music stands, keyboard, couches, seating area.
Mac computer, multiple cameras and great sound system.

*** Specialties ***
Classical Bel Canto (beautiful voice) style, operatic singing, Broadway style, Art Songs (Lieder in French, German and Italian.)

thy vocal habits. They will learn all aspects needed to become a well rounded singer: diction, interpretation, musicianship, breath support and focus, all of this while having fun! Also, they will acquire the tools to keep up the work they've done during their lessons in the time between meetings with the teacher.
Pianists will learn to read music and play by ear while acquiring a healthy technique to avoid any injuries.

*** Studio Equipment ***
You'll be learning to play on a beautiful Kawai upright piano.

*** Travel Equipment ***
I own a traveling keyboard but prefer to use a larger instrument if available at the student's home. I also provide musical scores and the use of metronome.

*** Specialties ***
Classical, pop, musical theatre, rock

een my salvation! Throughout my life it has been a best friend and constant source of joy, and I share this gift with others so that it might help them to find the same joy. After more than 10 years of teaching, I have so many new experiences to draw from and share with my students. I've spent the last 9 years performing with Disney in California and abroad in their Tokyo Disney cast, and I must say that those experiences, vast and varied as they are, have given the word "performance" a new depth. I'm always excited to dive into every lesson with fresh ideas that will mesh well with many tried and tested teaching techniques.

Originally from Los Angeles, I now reside in Orange County and I'm especially proud to have expanded my studio to serving clients all over the world with online lessons via Skype and FaceTime! I get such joy from sharing my experiences with a diverse group of people from many walks of life.
If you're interested in learning more about my lesson style, feel free to contact me and I'd be happy to talk with you about a plan to help you reach your goals!

For Students of Voice: Teaching Style

Over the past several years I have focused much of my personal growth on developing my ears' ability to pick out and pinpoint vocal “placement”, resonance, subtleties of timbre, changes in pitch, breath support, air speed and flow, pronunciation and diction, and in general, the way in which all of these work together to create style. From these assessments, I work with the student’s particular needs to address each area individually and based on the learning style of each person.
To illustrate to the student their method as I see and hear it, as well as ways in which they might make changes to facilitate the ease of singing --be they changes of tessitura (range), length of phrase, tone color, the release of unnecessary tension etc.-- I make use of vocalise (vocal exercises), simile and metaphor, examples from recorded performances, demonstration, self assessment, and techniques to “trick” the voice into acting in a different way, in addition to videos, diagrams, and texts on anatomy and physiology. I feel that all of these tools provide a unique and personalized learning experience for each student.