Let's make some joyful noise together! Singing beautifully is one of the most freeing and gratifying experiences one can have. I grew up singing in church, my local high school music program and community choral organizations. So singing is a fundamental part of my personal history and experience. My education in music resulted in my earning the Master of Music degree in Voice Performance from Boston University College of Fine Arts, where I was a private student of the esteemed operatic soprano, Phyllis Curtin. As a teacher, I continue Phyllis' legacy of instruction with her "Five Basic Exercises for Singing" - a tried and true, disciplined approach to discovering one's own unique singing voice. My pedagogy embraces the fundamental tenets of classical bel canto technique. With strong emphasis on maintaining a well-coordinated singing posture and fully-supported diaphragmatic breathing, my students see initial results immediately in terms of ease of production and beauty of sound. The significance of word /text conception as a frontally-placed sensation is the ultimate goal of singing in my studio. We sing "outside ourselves", with our imagination governing all of the physical demands we ask of the voice. As a classically trained pianist as well, I am able to teach students in any genre of music. From beginner to advanced, the language of music is all the same. An understanding of rhythm, intonation and legato as it relates to what is on the printed page is of utmost priority in my instruction. As singers we are "re-creative" artists, charged with the task of realizing the composer's creation. And so integrity to the score and to the composer's intentions are lessons consistently taught in my studio. The thing I love most about teaching voice is seeing the "break-through" moments happen for a student. Our voices are intangible instruments, and so we must discover them through imagery and sensation. Once a particular combination of ideas really makes practical sense to a student, the voice then begins to become their own. As a busy performer myself, I provide the singing voice for celebrated San Francisco drag chanteuse, Vanessa Bousay. The opportunity to sing and live in this theatrical character is for me the ultimate expression of freedom in singing. My teaching definitely embraces this important aspect of being "in character" in any music one sings.