Somerset, NJ Opera Voice Lessons

I love opera and I love to teach it. I know the repertoire intimately. I am a retired opera singer myself and my students do really well with me!

Strudents can expect to be classically trained with the proper breathing, posture, performance and diction techniques to be able to sing opera.

My students can increase the breathing capacity and vocal range. We will work on improving the quality of sound and proper vowel placement.

Every lesson is for YOU. The time we spend together is time for you to explore your voice, your goals, and desires within music. I specialize in beginner/intermediate singers looking to expand their voice, repertoire, and love of singing. No lesson will be the same, and every lesson will be a shared experience in which we learn how your voice works, and how it feels.

Lessons include, but are not limited too, repertoire exploration, music theory, range expansion, vocal pedagogy/vocal anatomy, performance preparation, character coaching .....and much more.

Laura's lessons are fun, high-energy, and tailored to meet every student's goals, whether it is to become a Broadway star or living room diva (or divo)! With over a decade of experience teaching both privately and in classrooms, Laura loves to help singers and actors excel at auditions, competitions, and performances by guiding the performer to connect with the storyteller inside. Her students have performed on and off Broadway, at Carnegie Hall, in national tours, on TV, and in theaters all across the US and Japan. And you can be next!

SINGING IS BREATHING OUT

I call myself a teacher of singing, rather than voice, because singing is an expression of behavior which involves imagination, intention, and musical artistry.

My fundamental principal is to sing with relased flow of breath, without interfering, holding back the breath or darkening the voice. One does not “make” voice; one lets it happen. My students learn (are guided) to release compensatory tensions in the vocal tract and the body, to perceive subtler physical sensations associated with singing, along with increased ease and spontaneity, the feeling that one’s singing is personal.

My studio comprises students of differing ages and proficiencies, from beginner to artist level. My years of teaching at the LaGuardia HS of Performing Arts (the “Fame’ school) helped me to become patient and resourceful with beginners, many of whom are now pursuing distinguished performing careers at the highest level.

Whether you're a beginner who has always wanted to sing or a professional with an active career, I can help develop your technique, improve the quality of your sound, and use your voice as a tool for self expression.

I have a unique background in that I am a professional performer myself, an educator with a Masters Degree in performance and pedagogy, and someone who has regular “behind the table” interaction with the Broadway community and colleges that offer Musical Theatre degrees. I have worked on the Voice Faculty at New York University, Cap 21/Molloy, the American Musical and Dramatic Academy, and Broadway Artists Alliance. I also trained as a Vocologist and Singing Voice Specialist with members of the NYU Langone Voice Center medical staff, and I am passionate about voice science and helping singers stay healthy for life!

I teach ages 10 and older, and I welcome all levels and styles of music. I also have experience working with singers who are vocally compromised ...

As a performer, I have sung in various genres as both a soloist and chorister. I began singing at the age of 8, as a boy soprano with the Ragazzi Boys Chorus. A chorister in Ragazzi for 10 years, I performed with the ensemble internationally in Spain, Portugal, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada. As a soloist, I have performed in opera, oratorio, and musical theatre productions with Soli Deo Gloria, Solano Chamber Society, Douglas Morrison Theatre, Free Range Opera, and Lyric Theatre of San Jose. Having sung for over 20 years, I have developed a consistent, healthy singing technique and am familiar with a wide variety of repertoire.

In addition to performing, I have directed ensembles and taught voice and piano at Silicon Valley Boychoir, Myriad School of Music, and St. Andrew Church of Pacifica. I have led ensembles in performance and have taught singers how to sing with less tension, widen their range, and develop a healthy sound.

My specialty is opera and classical repertoire. I also adore Spanish and Latino music, boleros, tangos, mariachi, zarzuela, you name it! If you are preparing for an audition at a music school or a conservatory, you will not find a better teacher to work with you and make it happen. The lessons consists of two parts. Part one is the work on the singer's technique. Part two is the work on learning the repertoire. Gradually we add the performance and style instruction.

A professional singer / teacher OFFERS 'PERSONALIZED VOICE' lessons

Develop your overall voice skills by focusing on your most needed areas

I coach singers on working through 'KEY SKILLS' and specifically identified problem areas to maximally improve your singing ability.
Are you spending a lot of time practicing your singing, but not seeing much improvement? You need somebody with extensive experience not only on stage, but also somebody who has taught clients to identify, emphasize, and work through on specific areas.
This is my specialty.

I am a very funny and easy going person, but at the same time I am a very professional singer. I know very well that in order to achieve great results, you really need to commit yourself and work a lot, especially in your own time. My determination to make more people fall in love with Opera has driven my career both as a performer, and importantly as a teacher & coach. Specifically, I received a degree in music teaching?? at (what school??), ...