Top Singing & Voice Lessons in Westwood, NJ

pel church, living in a building filled with musicians, accompanying vocal master classes, studying Sanskrit, Indian raga, world percussion, creative arts therapy and performance wellness.

I now compose and sing my songs - interweaving voice with keyboard or guitar. Besides teaching privately, I can be found performing my songs in clubs, outdoor festivals, coffee houses, and poetry/healing events. I currently attended a certificate program in sound & music healing and the focus of my music rests here. I incorporate many techniques to aid students in relaxation, breath awareness, and de-stressing.

Using traditional teaching methods, I create meaningful experiences for students by:
- being patient, flexible and creative in approach
- using visual, aural, and tactile teaching tools

*** Lesson Details ***
After 3 to 6 Months OF Lessons, you can use the important music fundamentals you've learned to create music you love.
After about a year, you are invited to share your music with others in an intimate family recital or a performance for charity in service to your community!

*** Studio Equipment ***
Upright piano, piano synthesizer, guitar, percussion instruments

*** Travel Equipment ***
Carolyn carries her own guitar, teaching aids, manuscript paper, pen/pencils, and handouts.

Recommended for students:
KEYBOARD - ideally, have your own keyboard/piano, piano books, staff paper
ACOUSTIC UKULELE/GUITAR - your own guitar, capo, tuner, staff & TAB paper (you can wait for teacher to help you choose)
VOICE - have sheet music, lyrics or charts of your songs
SONGWRITING - have manuscript paper, recording device and journal/tablets to record their ideas
ALL STUDENTS - small tablet for notes & keeping track of assignments and a recording device to hear your playing/singing/compositions (optional)

*** Specialties ***
Performing Singer-Songwriter specializing in improvisation and Sound & Music Healing.

or surgery
-heal vocal issues associated with psychological stress
-learn how to find pitch easier with confidence
-learn how to find their true voice and not imitator another artist
-how to be creative in their song writing styles

My technique is two-fold:
First, I use Gary Catona’s Vocal Building method and have used it in my studio for 8 years. It is the most unique and powerful method I have ever used and it works 100% of the time. It uses Italian Vowels with specific mouth positions to scientifically build your voice and make it more powerful, effective and controlled.

Secondly, I use consonant-vowel combinations for your specific vocal diction issue. Many of the exercises come from my training with Master teacher Bill Bauer of Dallas. Many times diction gets in the way of vowel placement. This technique eliminates that problem.

**All lessons are recorded and sent to you via Dropbox or One Drive.

I am so blessed to teach students who have received full scholarships to some of the best music schools and summer programs in the world, appeared on American Idol, America’s Got Talent, The Grand Ole Opry, Off-Broadway shows, Regional and National tours, State and National Pageant competitions, and in National Commercials.

I'd love for you to join that list! All you have to do is take a lesson and practice!

If you have any questions, please feel free to message me!

n Broadway and off-Broadway productions, CCM Singing Competitions, Commercials, Musical Theatre Productions, The Voice, X-Factor, American Idol, Specialized Performance Schools, College Music Performances, and Choirs. A number of my piano students prepare for the NYSSMA and ABRSM examinations. As a clinical trained Vocologist, I also work with students to correct vocal fold injuries and to prevent further trauma, as well to improve phonatory production during singing.

Education / Training

As a music professional, I specialize in Voice (Contemporary Commercial Music), Vocology, and in Piano (Classical). I am certified by the New York Singer Teacher™s Association and the Somatic Voicework The LoVetri Method. In addition, I am a City/State Teacher Certified in Music (K-12) and a member of NYSTA, NATS, and MEANYC.

I am a graduate of Columbia University in Music & Music Education, M.A., Ed.M. I have a comprehensive background and training in Piano, Voice, Vocal Pedagogy, Vocology, and General Music. I studied music at Hunter College and I obtained a Bachelor Degree in Italian from Queens College. As an instrumentalist, I attended Fiorello LaGuardia of Music & Art & Performing Arts H.S. and the Center for Preparatory Studies in Music at Queens College.

My professional development is comprised of studies in Vocology at Keidar Voice Instititute, in Voice Management Techniques at Westminster Choir College, and in Dalcroze at Lucy Moses School.

Over the years, I studied with acclaimed vocal professionals such as Dr. Anat Keidar, Dr. Jeanne Goffi-Fynn, and David Sabella-Mills among others.

*** Lesson Details ***
My pedagogical model is designed to benefit students' aspirations and strengths in voice and piano. The outcomes are based on each individual's commitment to the process.

*** Studio Equipment ***
KORG Digital Keyboard, Baby Grand Piano, iMac, Macbook laptop, Cd player, iPod recording device, grand mirror

*** Travel Equipment ***
Piano is a must!

*** Specialties ***
Vocology, Contemporary Commercial Music, Piano, Theory

and survive a career in the world of performing arts.

With a kind and compassionate, yet stern and strong tone, Gabriel will work with you to develop the focus and dedication necessary to get your voice beyond what you even knew was possible.

*** Lesson Details ***
Regardless of the genre you sing, developing your voice with Gabriel's help will improve your tone, range, power and overall ability. You can expect to become a much better singer without losing any of your personal and unique traits.

His approach isn't a technical or mysterious one. It's all about re-learning the facts about how the voice functions best.

You can expect to clear away a lot of confusions regarding how the voice works and to take away the guesswork from the vocal development process.

If you want to improve your voice quickly, being guided by someone who understands how it all works and by someone who was where you are today and is now closer to where you want to be in the future is the best way to go. And Gabriel is that guy!

Gabriel's approach is quite simple, yet very effective at developing the entire voice.

"There are two basic levels that every singer must address. The first one is addressing the condition of the body and voice and the second one is addressing the functioning of the voice and body."

I - Silent Foundation

The silent foundation refers to the condition of your instrument as it is silent. If we are looking at the body as an instrument that sings, we first have to make sure that our instrument is in good condition. How healthy is your instrument? Is it well rested, well hydrated and loose? Or is it tired, dehydrated and tense? As you could guess, the condition of your instrument will have a significant impact on the quality of the sounds you make. So the first thing to be addressed is how your instrument is before it starts making sound.

II - Conditioning of Singing Behaviors

This is when we get busy. Once we have a well rested, healthy, hydrated and relaxed instrument we can start working it out. The goal is to condition our singing behaviors to be reflexive, reliable and strong. The way to do this is through a series of vocal exercises that will condition your voice to respond to the desires of your heart. Whatever it is that you want to express will be possible once your instrument is conditioned to the point where there is no gap between what you want to express and your ability to do so. Learning to sing is all about learning how to express yourself without barriers. You should be able to develop enough range, power, control and skill so that you can express your heart without feeling like you'™re incapable of achieving what you pursue. To achieve these abilities training is often necessary.

*** Specialties ***
ALL CONTEMPORARY GENRES!
Confidence Building, Warming-Up, Releasing Tension and Strain, Eliminating Stage Fright, Expanding Range, Improving Tone, Developing Vocal Power and Presence, Eliminating Doubt, Simplifying Singing, Strengthening The Voice, Improving Pitch, Building Stamina, Increasing Creativity, Performance Tips, Artist Development, Acting and Songwriting.

Once we have a good foundation any contemporary genre or style can be improved.

and HER sound, a challenge which continues to manifest itself even today in a variety of ways. Kathy is now a singer/songwriter and performs often with her own band in which she sings, plays guitar, writes her own songs and arranges them for intricate backup harmonies and multiple instrumentation. A variety of influences are apparent in her music, including the musical genres of folk, pop, jazz, and yes, even hip hop. She has recorded three albums of her music and all have been received to critical acclaim.

She sings as a professional cantor at St. John the Baptist Church in Manhattan, and teaches private voice, guitar and piano lessons throughout the city of New York. She served for a time as the general music teacher for St. Dominic's School in the Bronx, where she was responsible for Pre-K through 8th grade music classes, and, true to form, she is often called upon in a multitude of situations to perform in a variety of musical genres. She is always pleased with the ever-changing musical scenery around her.

*** Lesson Details ***
A lesson with Kathy equals half of the allotted time being used to learn good technique (i.e., learning healthy vocal habits, singing vocalizes, learning to read music, playing scales, etc.) and the other half of the time singing and playing repertoire. The repertoire includes both pieces chosen by Kathy (always approved by the student) which excite and inspire the student's particular musical tastes while providing a new challenge in technique to be conquered, and also pieces brought in by the student; for example, if a student is working on music for a specific performance, etc., or if they just really like a piece and want to learn how to play or sing it, Kathy is always ready and willing to lend a hand and an ear!

Vocally, Kathy believes good basic technique is the same for every genre of music. Therefore, great emphasis is placed on learning to breathe and support your sound correctly as well as maintain good posture, rid your body of unwanted tensions, etc.; musical styles beyond that basic technique change only in small stylistic ways, and Kathy is knowledgeable in quiet a variety of most musical styles.

With guitar, Kathy focuses on learning to read and play musical notation and chords without using guitar tablature. Again, a variety of musical styles are used for instruction, including everything from classical to punk!

And with piano, Kathy focuses on learning to read and play musical notation as well as mastering scales and chord progressions, inversions, etc. She loves opportunities to combine voice lessons with guitar lessons, or voice lessons with piano lessons, as one instrument feeds into the other in interesting and helpful ways.

*** Travel Equipment ***
I travel with my travel guitar and music for lessons. I expect guitar students to have their own guitar, and piano or voice students to have some sort of keyboard, even a small one.

*** Specialties ***
all-levels voice, beginning guitar, beginning piano
I specialize in a classical voice method, which I believe is a good foundation for all styles of singing. I have experience with classical singing, music theatre (I have a minor from my undergraduate education in Theatre) and folk. I'm an experienced songwriter and am able to guide students in that area.

I teach notes and chords for my guitar students. I don't teach guitar tablature; instead, I teach basic guitar music on the staff.

Also, I teach beginning piano, including basic music theory, note spelling, etc.

mbination of method books and fun songs that your child will enjoy. With older students and adults, we can go in different directions, for example: rehearsing for school auditions, talent shows, concerts, and plays, performing original songs, using recorded accompaniment, playing duets, improvising solos, using electric keyboards and synthesizers, learning keyboard accompaniment for singer/songwriters, and more. And we don't forget the fundamentals.

No matter what your musical goal, we can achieve it together. Please let me know if you have any questions.

Will travel to your home. Ages 6 and up.

I love to do all of these things, as I have a great passion for them! I hope I can inspire someone else.