Clifton, NJ Singing Lessons

Technique- We will help you improve breathing, phrasing, improving tone, projection and develop range.

Artistry- Some singers already have a sense of "who they are" and
have found their "sound" as artists, and others need help refining it.
We'll look at what songs are great for you, (maybe you write your own)
how to style songs and make them your own and even experiment with
different genres.

Performance skills- It's one thing to sing in a room one on one
with a vocal instructor and quite another to be onstage with an
audience with all eyes on you as you stand in front of the mic. How do
you connect with your audience? How do you handle nerves? How do you
talk between songs? Some of these things are learned best from
experience. Most singers are working on their voice because they want
to perform. Michael will provide opportunities for performance
experience for each artist when each individual is ready.

Be an Intelligent singer- Learn how to be ready for an audition.
How to communicate with a band /accompanists. How to know what keys you
need your songs in. Learn about singing harmonies/backing vocals. Learn
about recording vocals in the studio.

This is what one new student had to say about their first lesson with Michael...

"I had SO much fun
this past Sunday, Michael. I already feel like I learned a great deal. You are
such a fun and easy going teacher. Can't wait for the next one. Thanks!"

*** Travel Equipment ***
I can bring a keyboard and a laptop. It would be nice if they could provide a CD player, but not necessary.

*** Specialties ***
pop, soul, r&b, rock, country, any commercial styles. Performance coaching, Songwriting

rporates what you already know, with what you will need to learn in order to achieve your goals.

*** Lesson Details ***
Whether you want to play flute, clarinet, sing, act, or learn to play piano, I am here to help you become the best musician you can be. Classically trained, I also work with the styles of musical theatre, pop, rock, and jazz. I can teach you the proper techniques, posture, and breathing necessary to perform to the best of your ability and teach you how to utilize your full lung capacity to extend phrasing length and dynamic range. I will also help you learn to read and write music. Together, we will keep a log to track your progress lesson to lesson. This will also help you keep a record of the steps you are taking to obtain and achieve your goals and dreams.

*** Specialties ***
Young and beginner students.
Senior & Retired students
Students with special needs.
Performance techniques.
Audition preparation
Speech techniques (public speaking/voice-overs, etc.)
Bel Canto technique.
Performance anxiety
Life coaching!

"I would teach children music, physics, and philosophy; but most importantly music, for in the patterns of music and all the arts are the keys of learning" ~Plato

**if you need a particular time slot or one not listed on my availability I will do my best to accommodate your needs**

**All lessons will be scheduled in advance with confirmation of both the student and instructor. If cancellation is necessary, a written notice 48 hour cancellation policy is in effect or you forfeit the lesson credit. For lessons scheduled outside of the areas provided, a surcharge for travel will be added.**

ic dreams.

MORE INFO:
I have been singing since I was 3, anything and everything from Michael Jackson to Elvis Presley to Luciano Pavarotti. Originally from Colorado, I studied music/theatre, as well as vocal pedagogy at The University of Colorado at Boulder, where I graduated with highest honors. I made my Broadway debut in "The Phantom of the Opera" at age 24. I also performed in "Chess in concert" as a featured rock tenor soloist at the New Amsterdam Theatre on Broadway with Josh Groban. I have understudied and performed lead roles in the first AEA National Tour of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s "Whistle Down the Wind." Regionally, I have played many lead roles all over the United States in productions including "Les Miserables," "Miss Saigon," "The Wild Party," and "She Loves Me."

As an ASCAP recording artist, currently I am working in the studio with a full production team on my first pop/rock album. I also often sing on demos for producers and write songs for other artists in many different genres.

As a TV/Film actor, most recently I was on set with Marvel's TIARA 2 on Netflix. I have booked lead roles in 4 SAG-AFTRA short films, as well as the comedic lead in a SAG-AFTRA Web-series. I was called back for producers as a Series Regular for "The Knick," an episodic series produced and directed by Steven Soderbergh on Cinemax.

My audition prep will help you master your sides for any playing space; Broadway plays/musicals and especially on camera.

TIYA clients include (aspiring) Broadway performers, Film and TV actors, singer-songwriters, news anchors, dancers, comedians, CEO's all over the world, as well as karaoke enthusiasts, and songwriting hobbyists.

My TIYA members have performed on television in Smash, Glee, and venues around NYC ranging from The Underground, Le Poisson Rouge, Drom, Cornelia Street Cafe, Arlene’s Grocery, to the Broadway productions of Ghost, Sister Act, Evita, Wicked, West Side Story, South Pacific, The Phantom of the Opera, and Rent to name a few.

*** Lesson Details ***
We will always work on whatever you want.

For Singing, as a vocal technician/trainer I am like going to the gym for your voice. My exercises are safe, simple, and most importantly, I teach you how to practice correctly.

For ACTing, we can explore both the foundation itself with monologues and scenes, as well as the tricks of the trade mastering the camera frame and how to create memorable auditions for TV/Film.

For Songwriting, we can explore the fundamentals of both lyrics and music, as well as catchy hooks, production, and song structure.

You may use my time however you wish (Voice, Acting, Songwriting, or Artistic/Career guidance).

Most vocal sessions will usually be a combination of strengthening/ conditioning exercises, and then exploring/performing a song.

Most ACTing sessions will be theatre monologues, TV/Film sides and/or On camera auditioning craft.

Career consultations usually include how to get an agent, headshots, branding, and marketing to align your artistic dreams with a strategy for success.

*** Studio Equipment ***
Yamaha PSR 950 61-key arranger keyboard
Sony Handycam DCR-SR 100
Fovitec Studio PRO - 5' x 6.5' Gray/Blue screen
MacBook Pro 13-inch: 2.4GHz
with Retina display
Yamaha FG700S Acoustic Guitar
Bose Wave Music System
iPhone 6S plus

*** Specialties ***
SINGING, ACTING, SONGWRITING, CONSULTING

The TIYA vocal training method is uniquely my own as it combines both Bel Canto and Speech Level Singing. Emphasis is on developing a relaxed, released, authentic vocal timbre to sing in any style. Concepts explored include: Coordination, Registration, and Intonation. Chest, Head, Edge, and Pharyngel registration, 2 instruments in 1, posture, breath management, vocal cord adduction, trigger phrases, ring, consistency, and more. 

te. The Post also celebrated him in Opera Theater of Northern Virginia’s The Barber of Seville as a “bright and bouncy” Figaro who delivered his lines with “aplomb.” He was a young artist in the studio programs of Portland Opera, Kentucky Opera, and El Paso Opera.

Dr. Collins has sung the roles of Sharpless in Madama Butterfly, Sid in Albert Herring, Figaro in The Marriage of Figaro and in The Barber of Seville, Papageno in Die Zauberflӧte, Belcore in L’elisir d’amore, Jupiter in Orphée aux enfers, Dr. Falke in Die Fledermaus, Bottom in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Masetto in Don Giovanni, Schaunard in La Bohème, Clayton McAllister in Cold Sassy Tree, the Clock in L’Enfant et les Sortilèges, the Mandarin in Turandot, and Haushofmeister in the world premiere of Dorian Gray. Dr. Collins has had the pleasure of singing in the choruses of the Metropolitan Opera, Washington National Opera, and Fort Worth Opera. He has performed roles with the American Symphony Orchestra at Carnegie Hall, Kentucky Opera, El Paso Opera, Summer Opera Theater, Bel Cantanti Opera, Amarillo Opera, Crested Butte Opera, Portland Opera To Go, Opera Southwest, Opera Theater of Northern Virginia, Concert Royal, Ash Lawn Opera, Bay View Music Festival, and Seagle Music Colony.

Dr. Collins is currently on the voice faculty at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and maintains a private voice studio at the National Opera Center in New York City where he teaches singers of all skill levels including those who perform on Broadway and at the Metropolitan Opera. He has a passion for vocal instruction and is dedicated to the success of each individual student. Dr. Collins keeps an active record of each student’s progress, vocal exercises, repertoire, performances, and personal goals. He is a member of the College Music Society, the American Guild of Musical Artists, the National Association of Teachers of Singing, Pi Kappa Lambda, and Opera America.

aim as I have continued to tour the world. I have opened for legends such as David Bowie, Ron Sexsmith, Robyn Hitchcock, Morphine, Bob Mould, Freedy Johnston, among many others. I have produced over a dozen albums by other artists and songwriters, and composed for major motion pictures including last years film, WON’T BACK DOWN starring Maggie Gyllenhaal.

“In a career spanning more than 20 years, he has established himself as one of America's great under-the-radar songwriters. Had he emerged five decades back, he might have been a Tin Pan Alley stalwart, turning out intelligent, accessible songwriting with the clockwork genius of and Gary Goffin. His work is rife with the clever, incisive tunefulness that marked that era.”-- National Public Radio

*** Lesson Details ***
Students can expect to discover or re-discover their love for music and and their own natural musical inclinations. Many students report an increased sense of joy and possibility in their own lives. Curriculum depends on level of student, but is focused on being able to play favorite songs, develop comfort and ease in playing style, and accessing creativity and originality in approach. After 3 to 6 months working with me, most students can feel comfortable calling themselves a musician!

*** Specialties ***
I teach mainly guitar, keyboards, ukelele, and voice from beginning up to intermediate. I try to incorporate songwriting into the process as i find that it speeds up the process and helps to encourage enthusiasm and a more focused effort and better results. I am fluent in most styles but come from a folk, rock, country, pop background. I also have a home studio and use recording techniques to develop style and vocal ability.

alties ***
I specialize in technique, repertoire building, sight-reading/music theory, improvement of intonation, and audition and contest preparation.

h me, each lesson starts with an assessment. Then, we start with where you are at that moment and push your technique to the next level. Afterwards, I will send you an email with notes from the lesson and your homework.

My goal is cultivate your technique and discipline to take you to the next level of your performance.

*** Studio Equipment ***
-Digital piano
-Large mirror (to see your technique)
-Sound-proof practice room
-Parking

*** Travel Equipment ***
Digital piano for in-home voice lessons.

*** Specialties ***
Beginner voice for non-singers, new singers, or singers that have been out of the game for a while.

Audition prep for both film/stage acting and singing auditions. (Great results!)

ep Das (two-time Grammy nominee), Mike Block, and Hozier (2015 Grammy Nominee).