Gospel Singing with Braden H.

I am a professional director and performer in the Houston theater scene. I graduated from University of Houston with a Bachelors in Acting and Directing. I trained my voice at Houston Music Institute, University of Houston, and at Rice University where I primarily focused on classical, Broadway, and jazz techniques. Many acting students come to me with big broad characters and extravagant gestures. While there are some shows that might be stylized this way, this isn't grounded in truth. Many directors will see it as false. I teach students to listen and respond honestly without forcing emotion. I believe that audiences can feel when emotion is genuine and when it's not. By learning to respond honestly, allowing themselves to feel, and thinking critically about the motives of characters, students become better listeners, better communicators, and more empathetic in their daily lives. They also become more believable and dynamic performers onstage or on screen. Every voice is unique, and I want students to discover the beauty of their truly personal instrument. Because of the personal nature of the voice, I strive to create a safe space to explore. My main priority is freeing the voice from unnecessary tension and supporting it with the breath so students' true sound can be discovered. I know many different exercises for each specific element of vocal technique. I transfer between exercises to actual music pieces until proper technique becomes muscle memory and replaces old habits. I'm a firm believer in the joy of art. If we are not having fun, we should probably be doing something else. Right?