Hartford, SD Singing Lessons

), oboe, and voice. Study music to awaken your aural senses, develop muscle memory, and enhance your intellectual development.

*** Studio Equipment ***
Piano and bench, keyboard, guitar, guitar stand, music stand, foot stool. Ample seating for parents.

*** Travel Equipment ***
I am comfortable teaching from a piano or keyboard. I will transport my own guitar and anticipate students will own or rent the instrument they will be studying.

*** Specialties ***
Beginner to advanced music instruction, guitar notes and chords, piano melodies and accompaniment, vocal instruction, musical theater, classical piano and more.

e Classics, featured National Anthem Singer for the University of Southern Mississippi basketball games, and one of the premier vocalists for the United States Air Force Reserves 403rd Wing.

Her Theatrical Roles include: Nurse in The Outsiders 2000, Alicia in Stormin' The Teachers Lounge, Fantine in Les Miserables, Sally Bowles in Cabaret, Tantomile in Cats, Sonia Gibbons in Godspell, and Nehebka in Aida. She has also been involved in working backstage in Stage Left in West Side Story, Assistant Director in Cabaret, and Stage Right in Into the Woods.

Nikki has studied under James Harrell, Sharon Martin, Larry Panella (Director of Jazz Studies/Vocal Jazz & Jazz Piano Coach, University of Southern Mississippi), Dr. John Flanery, Dr. David Knowles, Dr. Barbara Mathis and Dr. Maryann Kyle.

She is able to adapt to many different music genres to serve your musical needs. Specializing in Jazz vocals to include Scat Singing. She is the first vocalist at the University of Southern Mississippi to complete the full two-year Jazz Improvisation Course Sequence. Able to sightread music and give a quality meaningful performance, she is ready to entertain at your next event. She was also a Vocalist for Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church and kept a very lively Music Studio offering music lessons for children and adults in multiple locations in the Denver Metro Area.

Nikki is an initiated member of Sigma Alpha Iota Professional Music Fraternity.

*** Specialties ***
Jazz Singing
Classical Singing

t the most out of it.

**In your first lesson, I will get to know you by asking for your vocal history, influences, goals, and style. Most importantly, “What would you like to get out of this lesson?” Every singer has different challenges, needs, and goals, so I approach each student and lesson as a unique experience where the student’s most pressing needs will be addressed.

I’ll give you an honest idea of where your voice needs to grow and then will work with the tools to get there! You will get a personalized lesson plan to practice with. Like a gym workout routine, these exercises will target your weak areas to correct bad habits and build a strong, balanced instrument.

**I will ask you to sing a song…… your latest repertoire, “Happy Birthday,” "twinkle twinkle little star", something just to get an idea of your voice and style. Then I will take you through a few singing technique exercises to quickly assess your strengths and challenges.

**As your technical abilities grow, you need to apply them to songs. The key is to maintain the same easy feeling in your songs that came out in the exercises. Bring in your music and we can work out any kinks and I will also suggest appropriate material in your key and style that will build upon the successes of your exercises. Stylistic and performance coaching is available, but our focus is technique, if you don’t learn HOW to sing, WHAT you sing will always be limited. I will work with you so that as a singer, you will be able to sing through a greater range with more consistency. As a performer. you will become confident that your voice will deliver time after time. My goal is to help you sing in a free, natural manner, while keeping your lessons engaging and fun.

-EAR TRAINING -
As a choir and vocal director, I am trained to listen and pay special attention to all the details including pitch, vibrato, dynamic and harmonies. I will help you learn to listen and gain confidence to "hear" progressions in the music and their voice.

-STYLES/GENRES -
Being a worship leader, choir and vocal director in a major urban church in the Sacramento area, I have over 13 years experience as a gospel artist and contemporary christian singer, singing, performing and recording with many gospel artists and contemporary christian artists, both local and professional. I have recorded and performed with such artists as Israel Houghton, Lincoln Brewster, BJ Putnan, Trent Corey, Darnisha Taylor and the Porter Brothers.

-SINGING/VOICE TRAINING -
I am a Voice Teacher (student) with the Institute for Vocal Advancement. The IVA technique is based on 17th and 18th Century principles of singing developed by the Old Italian School of Singing. Our goal is to train voices to sing in a free and natural manner, smoothly, from the bottom of the range to the top with no breaks or sudden changes in quality. Training in this technique gives the singer access to all dynamics, with tonal clarity and flexibility. Also, training in this technique helps improve a singer's range, endurance, stamina, breath control, resonance, vocal strength and vocal quality across all styles of music without fatigue or damage to the voice. We accomplish these results by training the singer to find a balance between airflow and intrinsic muscular resistance, all within a resting laryngeal posture.

=PERFORMANCE OR AUDITION PREP-
As a former entertainment business professional and singer, I have experience in dance, choreography, stage blocking, performance technique and vocal coaching. I will help you prepare for your performances and/or auditions to present the best YOU, that you can be!

ts own individual learning style. In my lessons, I highlight important principles right from the start, such as posture, proper fingering, and rhythm training, to ensure no bad habits form that later are hard to break. As we become more confident in our playing, we transfer some of the traits contained within us. Those traits become the character and style of our "musical speech," which will help to define us as musicians. I recommend books and provide sheet music when we start learning songs. Learning music with me has been said by many of my students as, "the most fun they have ever had playing music."

In addition to music, I teach science in the subjects of Chemistry, Biology, Anatomy and Physiology. I have my 200 hr yoga teaching certification and teach private class to aid people in living a healthy, fulfilling life.

Thanks again for reading my profile. Hope to meet you soon.

Hotel, Richmond County Opera, The Cotton Club, Iridium Jazz Club, and for TOHO Entertainment in Japan. Arlette’s album credits include: “Love Again” released in 2001, and soon to be released “Windmills” both on the Renesants Records label.

Subjects Taught:
Broadway, Pop, Jazz, Gospel, R&B, Belting, Performance, vocal anatomy, coaching for local competitions, and upcoming events and auditions, guided repertoire coaching, Psychology of the voice..

LESSON STRUCTURE
Every week. I do not teach bi-monthly lessons.

A NOTE TO THE STUDENT
I am so glad that you are looking into finding a voice teacher who fits your unique style, personality, and being. I love teaching voice. I love seeing my students go from where they are when they first arrive in my studio to auditioning with confidence, or singing in Broadway shows and bands, recording albums, and participating in open mics with ease and grace. It is my sincere hope to create a singer in every family! Maybe if we have a singer in every family, there will be less violence in our sometimes turbulent world. If it is your dream to be a singer, I encourage you to pursue it with abandon!

ter, and school chorus auditions. As a successful soloist and vocal instructor, I pride myself in teaching proper technique, nurturing each student's vocal development, helping singers develop a true love of music, and gaining an appreciation of their unique vocal gifts. Many of my vocalists learn the skills of reading music by learning keyboard and basic theory through piano lessons, which I am also able to teach.

With a creative and personable teaching style, I am able to connect with each student where they need to be met. My students of all ages see an immediate improvement when applying the techniques that I share with them. Focusing on healthy vocal production, good breath support, and proper techniques of support and vowel placement, I am able to help students reach their musical goals through vocal exercises and drills, direct application to selected music, and assigned home practice between lessons. After learning the basics of vocal production, we can further focus on interpretive elements of the songs and students will feel the rewards of making beautiful music with their own free and unique sound.