Cincinnati Performing Arts Classes

der, I understand the demands and challenges of a busy performance calendar, singing sets for back-to-back audiences day after day and week after week, and the need for a vocalist to find the vocal freedom that will produce confidence in their voice no matter what the venue.

The first steps to mastering vocal freedom are the building blocks for vocal success. Whether the student is a child or an adult, with little or no training, it is my goal to make singing an enjoyable and freeing experience.

Singing with complete vocal freedom and confidence can seem very elusive. Surprisingly, it's not as elusive as one might think! Vocal freedom is within reach and most students experience a measure of it within the few first lessons, some even gaining a full octave in their range in their first lessons. Using a systematic method incorporating the study of good vocal technique and working on songs the student loves to sing makes learning more fun and gives the student a greater appreciation of music as a whole while encouraging a passion for music that lasts a lifetime. I encourage and teach sight reading, and theory basics especially for those students who are considering music as a profession.

*** Lesson Details ***
Each student learns with material that will be divided into step-by-step doable lessons so they can be sure to learn the best techniques and material along the way. Sheet music and lesson books are provided at a minimal additional cost.

*** Studio Equipment ***
My home-studio is bright and open and set up with an upright piano, full length mirror, music stand, iPad with appropriate applications, guitar, mandolin, ukulele, and computer for recording and playback. Parents are welcome to sit in on lessons or wait for their children in the adjacent room. I also may provide a follow-up email which includes any recordings and lesson notes from the current lesson.

As the student progresses I also provide a PA system to teach mic technique and build performance confidence.

I ask that students come prepared with the following items to their lessons.
~ Bottled water
~ A ring binder with paper for notes and a zippered pouch to keep tools and handouts.
~ A flash drive for recording transfers or they can use their phone or other recording device to record their lessons.
~

*** Specialties ***
I honestly love my students and love teaching! It's such a privilege to be a part of their musical journey. I specialize in church worship vocals, choir, a capella, show tunes and musical theater. I teach free, healthy vocal technique which enables each student to explore and focus on different styles of singing. I also love teaching young voices especially teens who want to have a good time learning to sing.

NOTE ~ My teaching style is more structured therefore some young children may not be ready to take lessons with me.

ty world premiers and re-imagined classics. Most notably she played the lead role of Keely Smith in the big band jazz musical “Louis and Keely: Live At The Sahara” during its eight-month run at Westwood’s Geffen Playhouse. She also formed her own rock band, The Honeysuckle Jones Revival, with whom she performed her own songs all over Los Angeles. And she began working as a studio session vocalist, providing demo vocals for other songwriters, as well as arranging and performing back-up vocals for original artists, including Laura Roppe (currently in the Top Ten on Billboard’s Uncharted list of emerging artists.) Crystal played the lead role of Brooke in the new operatic rock musical “The Burning Opera LA” during its Los Angeles run in 2011 as well as providing ensemble vocals and playing piano and bass. She also performs holiday tunes from the Golden Age of American songwriting with musical quartet The Sleigh Belles.

Crystal believes that music is serious business but that it should be fun. She encourages her students to play music they love, as well as expanding their musical knowledge. She is a firm believer in basics first and emphasizes theory and technique as the tools to support creativity and provide freedom, power and control. She believes effort beats talent every time and the student who practices consistently will see results, whatever their level of ability. Most of all, she believes we were all born to make music.

*** Lesson Details ***
Lesson structure varies depending on the student's instrument, age, level of experience and musical style. However, all lessons focus on:

Technique
Music theory
Performance style

After 3 or 6 months of consistent lesson attendance and practice, students will have a clear understanding of how their instrument works and how to care for it. They will be able to read basic music notation. They will be working toward clearly defined musical goals and they will have at least three performance pieces learned.

*** Studio Equipment ***
Loft Space: full size electric piano with weighted keys, small digital recorder, microphone, Garage Band, parents can sit in on lessons

*** Travel Equipment ***
I bring a small keyboard for vocal students with no piano, karaoke tracks and a digital recorder. I also bring a selection of games. Students are expected to purchase all necessary books and sheet music.

*** Specialties ***
Young beginners (piano)

"The Rolling Stones 50 and Counting Tour" May 2013 (Oakland and San Jose)

Other Productions:
Eric Whitacre€™s "Virtual Choir"€ (Beta, 1, 2, 3)

*** Lesson Details ***
Voice and Piano Lessons

+ Vocal and/or piano warm-up exercises
+ Technique and style development
+ Selected songs to practice
+ A recorded copy of the lesson to review and practice with.

As a private instructor, Nicholas seeks to develop students of his own to build excellent technique that they may become confident and comfortable singers and pianists in any style they desire.

*** Studio Equipment ***
Piano Keyboard with Music Stand.
Piano and Vocal Song Books
Lesson Recording Device

*** Travel Equipment ***
I provide a selection of music books to read from, a piano keyboard if the student does not have one, and a lesson recording device. Students may provide any music they wish to work on.

*** Specialties ***
I specialize in singing and teaching Art Song and Opera/Concert Arias.

in Cincinnati such as Elementz Youth Hip Hop Center, Bad Girl Ventures women entrepreneurship, Dress for Success and AmeriCorps to name a few.

imal Planet. Her vast theatre credit highlights include “Tango Fever”(TeatroLaTea, NYC), “Buried Child” (Aaron Davis Hall, NYC); ”Objectivity”(FischHouseThtr, SF), ”Scheme of Things”(El Portal Thtr, LosAngeles), ”Light in the Shadow”(The Complex, Los Angeles).
Prior to returning to New York in the Spring of 2012, Teresa dedicated her dance career to a tango dance partnership in Warsaw where she performed, toured, taught, and also stepped in as a dance consultant to the 2011 winners of the Polish edition of "Dancing With The Stars."
After her time abroad,Teresa taught/choreographed/performed full time in NYC until 2015. She is now based in her homestate of Colorado. Frequently she is a guest judge for Dance Competitions across the country.
In addition, Teresa has launched a series of specialized dance programs (“Slippers to Heels: Ballet Technique & Tango Stylization”), Choreographic and Acting intensives, and specialized workshops for professional/pre-professional dancers. She is a proud member of the Actors Equity Association.

research for them), essays, creative writing - including citation & formatting.

3) Drama (the Theatre kind of drama, not life drama): Acting, directing, staging, analysis, including Shakespeare.

4) Test Prep: ACT, SAT, PSAT, ISEE, TACHS

***My Promise to You***

I will treat you like an individual - that means that we'll find out how YOU learn best, and we'll work that way. I don't teach memorization. I teach by asking and answering questions, as well as providing information.

***My Expectation of You***

That you will come with an open mind, come with questions, and a willingness to learn and have fun.

***Lesson Details***

*The Humanities*
The reason so many people go screaming into the night when confronted with lessons in things like history, or government, or English for that matter, are all the names and dates to memorize. I don't teach that way. We begin with things you want (or need) to know. From there, we cover how those things affected other things, It's a huge world out there, and how we got here from where we started is a wonderful and complicated trip. History doesn't happen in a vacuum, and we learn who we are by knowing where we come from.

*Papers*
Obviously I won't write your paper for you, but I will show you how and where to start your research (and how to sort it as well). I will also proof-read for grammar and/or organizational errors and show you how to structure it in general terms.

*Drama*
I have acted, I have directed. From the community to professional levels. We will talk about character creation, about staging, about working with your director as well as your fellow actors. We will mostly brainstorm, and you will be able to experiment in vision as well as technique.

coach for the Grammy Award Winning Pacific Boychoir. I also sang professionally for ensembles such as the San Francisco Symphony Chorus, Clerestory, American Bach Soloists and San Francisco Pocket Opera.

I am currently a vocal instructor for Sweetwater Music Academy, music director for the Jesters (a theatre ensemble for people with developmental disabilities) and I sing for hospital patients as a Parkview Healing Artist. I have taught grade levels K-8 in private schools so I am accustomed to all age levels.

As a songwriter I have composed and performed music for MTV, VHI, E! and the Oxygen Network, and have acted on commercials for Southern Comfort, Old Spice, & Anthem Blue Cross.

I am also the songwriter and front man for the original regional RootsRock band, Fernando T. & The Wickersham Bros and have established myself as a teaching artist for young audiences through the Carnegie Hall Link Up Concert Series.

I look forward any questions you may have and hope to help you or your child find creative fulfillment from the most unique instrument in the world- your voice!

[PLEASE NOTE: I will be teaching exclusively online from June-December 2017 period and am happy to squeeze in as many in in location lessons you would like before then]

web series. (You can also see/hear me play a few notes in 2014's "Whiplash")

In my lessons, I am happy to cover everything from beginning techniques on the instrument, being able to improvise in any context or genre, and working in a recording studio setting.

I strongly believe in the values of listening, improvising (both in music and in life), and perceiving every instance and detail as a chance to learn. These are the values on which I base my teaching, as well as my own music.

I am a lover of all kinds of music, movies, video games, hiking, traveling, and Mexican food.

on Group, Inc. in Chesapeake, Virginia. If you are not familiar with Michael Copon Studios, the CEO Michael Copon is best known for his portrayal of the blue power ranger in the early 2000's.

I have extensive amount of training in film acting. Film acting is my sweet spot, however, aside from it I am trained in improv, stand up, theatre, teleprompter work, hosting, commercials, print modeling, sketch comedy, stage combat, etc.

My teaching style is simple, I will treat each student as an individual. No one person is the same, so therefore, I will hone in on what your goals and expectations are. I will help you achieve those goals and we will find an acting method that best suits you. There are so many different ways to approach auditioning, for example. The most important thing, I feel, is to find what works best for you, expound on that and always work towards bringing your authentic self to the table. That is what will ultimately enrichen your acting career the most and your personal life as well. Acting is one of those tools that you can incorporate into just about anything. I love it and I love what I do so, thank you for checking out my page and I hope to hear from you!

-Bernadette