Hollis Music Lessons

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Students will learn Basic Components of Singing:
Pitch, Rhythm, Breath Control and Diction

Students will learn vital techniques to create a connected voice blending head, chest, and diaphragm. Students will learn warm-up exercises that strengthen vocal cords and loosen the muscles needed to produce a professional sound and the importance of singing exercises to achieve this objective.

Students will learn how to avoid the most common singing mistakes that prevent singers from producing a clean and professional vocal tone.
For the purpose of voice projection, students will learn to use the diaphragm, the muscles beneath the ribcage;
how to use emotions, enunciation, and clarity.
Students will learn to sing a favorite song with the focus on elements of singing.
Each lesson to begin with a brief review of previous.
*** Studio Equipment ***
CD Burner/SURE Microphone/Charts in various keys/Speaker System/Pitch Pipe/Recorder/keyboard/Metronome/Video Camera

state of the arts Thai City Theater. Other recent credits include working as a lead production singer for the renowned cruise line, Carnival; sailing the Western and Eastern Caribbean islands performing Las Vegas style production shows.

I am currently the CEO of my own entertainment company 2-4-1 Entertainment and mobile music school. I perform regularly for various commercial establishments and private venues.

I studied Music and Theater at Montclair State University earning a BA degree along with a teaching license in performing arts.

With all that said, I describes my greatest accomplishments as sharing my passion to sing to all who are willing to learn. I am as passionate about teaching as I am about performing.

*** Lesson Details ***
If you love singing, then you should love your lessons. Lessons with me are fun, challenging as well as enriching.

Instruction will include:

-Light stretching exercises to reduce tension and relax muscles that can block good vocal production and vocal freedom.

-Carefully listen to, accessing and giving you feedback about your vocal potential and growth

-Identifying vocal range and limitations

-Proper vocal techniques with respect to vocal scales, learning to breathe, pitch, tonality, durability and posture

-Selecting music collaboratively that suits your tastes and ability

-Working with professional backing tracks like many contemporary artists in the industry

-Lyrical interpretation with respect to performance

-Sharing the understanding of vocal anatomy and how it affects singing

-Allowing you to tape record lessons for practice purposes.

-Comfortable environments where asking questions are encouraged and making mistakes are simply part of the learning process.

-Teaching and practicing good vocal health, including the need to drink water and monitor the speaking voice

-Building confidence as a singer and performer

As much as I loves teaching and building relationships with voice students in my studio, I does not believe lessons should be limited to the classroom. The training process may include performing small venues for family and friends to acquaint the student to performing in front of an audience.

My goal is to teach students who have a desire to perform, the necessary rudiments of singing and performing so he/she can go out into the world and shine as a polished singer!

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.

e in performance major.

le dancing & to use movement as a means of support for your vocal tricks (some of you have gone to schools learning music, dance & even acting, but do not know how to put these skills together in a competitive package. I show you how).
....Learn to go from chest voice to a strong head voice smoothly.
....Learn to sing & play an instrument together & not look awkward
....Learn to use your 'ear' to inspire you to take chances with your voice/instrument that work in the song while staying in pitch.
....Learn to sing or play various styles effectively & how to utilize those styles for your own musical growth.
....Working singers.....Learn to pace yourself & sing 3-5 nights a week without losing your voice.
....Learn to approach & eventually acquire the "riffing" ability of the top Gospel/R&B/Soul/Pop artists & be able to add these vocalese techniques to your style.