Suquamish Music Lessons

t and how best they learn. While familiar with most teaching methods, I prefer to modify my style of teaching to what is effective for each student. If the student is motivated by what we are playing, then skills grow exponentially faster. Students are encouraged to perform in spring and winter recitals to showcase their progress.

After three to six months, my students can expect to have a solid foundation in the subject they are studying, a start on the repertoire or subjects of their choice, and motivation to keep going!

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My unique studio uses the basics of Bel Canto technique to teach all styles of music to all ages. Parents often comment on how much fun their students have in lessons, while getting feedback from outside professionals (adjudicators, directors, etc) on how much their technique has improved. Adult students are commonly shocked by how easy singing can feel as they meet their career goals.

Current students can be seen performing with:
America's Got Talent!
Hardrock Cafe LAS VEGAS!
Broadway Bound
Bellevue Opera
Puget Sound Concert Opera
Seattle Gilbert and Sullivan
5th Avenue Theater
Theater Schmeater
13 Coins
Hwy 99 Blues Club
The Showbox
Chop Suey
Dicken's Carolers
And MORE!

I realize that voice lessons can be REALLY scary and I totally understand why, especially for kids and beginners! I do my best to use modern psycology and technology to help my beginning students feel confortable in what can be a frightening new endeavor.

Personal Performance Experience: Extensive lead and supporting opera performing experience with Bellevue Opera, Puget Sound Concert Opera, Skagit Opera, Tacoma Opera, Portland Opera,Seattle Gilbert and Sullivan, Seattle Opera and Seattle Youth Symphony. Prior to that spent 7 years performing Jazz and Gospel and 10 years in musical theater.

Personal Education: BA in Music from Seattle Pacific University 2002, MM in Opera Performance (Unfinished due to 1 year of German) at University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana.

Teaching Experience: 8 years as a private voice teacher in my own studio, 3.5 years teaching opera workshops throughout the USA, 2 years working in studio with local bands as a 'fixer.'

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Have you tried lessons before and felt unsuccessful?

Not all students learn the same way and for years voice teachers have been treating every student as an aural learner. What I have found is that students with a history of struggling with matching pitch simply need to be taught in a different manner. That is why I now ask students to take a voluntary learning style inventory prior to their first lesson.

Visual Learner? Not a problem when "Adam" started with me he could only match pitch 30% of the time. But after finding that he needed to see concepts in order to learn them I have now made all of his lesson visually based and he is now averaging 90% pitch accuracy 3 months later.

Kinisthetic Learner? I had the hardest time helping "Clark" learn new music until we realized that by taking the time to have him play his parts himself on the piano he could learn them in minutes. He just is a person that learns by doing and now that we know that, music has become so much less frustrating for him.

Physical Learner? With "Steve" the traditional 'visualization' style of teaching that most voice teachers start with just wasn't helping him improve his sound and reach the high notes we both knew he had. After we figured out that he needed large muscle movements to understand concepts I added the use of a resistance band to his lessons. He has had so much success with this technique that he 'stole' my resistance band so he could use it in recording sessions and before he got on stage.

The stories just go on and on.

CURRENT AND FORMER STUDENT REFERENCES AVAILABLE!

*** Lesson Details ***
Students help structure their lessons by providing a general overview of their goals during their first lesson. Just as not everyone's voice sounds the same, neither does everyone's lesson!

A typical lesson begins with vocal warm-ups specifically targeted to strengthen the students technique and help them learn more about their voices capabilities. Next students work on songs of their choosing, that help them develop the freedom of voice, control, stamina and overall vocal health that they will need to be confident in their performing.

Additional opportunities for performance are provided for students as desired. These may include Karaoke Nights (for adult beginners), no-stress recitals, studio sing-a-longs, community choirs and small roles in local productions.

NEW STUDIO FEATURE!

*** Studio ***
piano and guitar

*** Specialties ***
Voice, Music Theory, Music Performance, Acting, Speech, Theatrical Broadway Singing, Opera Voice
Singing for Musical Theater, Classical Voice, Jazz Voice, Improvisation, Rock and Metal Vocals, Healthy Metal Growling, Beginning-Advanced Intermediate Voice, Composition, Music History, Music Appreciation

Specializing in helping young singers find their voices and learn healthy technique so as to not damage their instrument, while having a lot of fun! I also teach Spanish, Latin and Italian Diction for Singers.

I have worked with many local guitar/singer/songwriters and rock band frontmen, helping them gain the stamina and power they need while maintaining their instrument for the future.

Also, I have had extensive experience and success working with students who consider themselves 'tone challenged'

have been able to help my students grow and gain confidence, which brings on-going fulfillment to their musical experience.

collaborator. Recent collaborations include Karin Stevens Dance, Mazumal (cellist Olivia J.P. Harris and soprano Felicia Chen), flutist Leanna Keith, forty/sixty, Strange Interlude, violist Heather Bentley, and saxophonist Steve Treseler. She has been awarded residencies at the Atlantic Center for the Arts (2017 associate artist with master artist Derek Bermel) and the Hambidge Center for Creative Arts and Sciences (2017) where she was awarded the distinguished Holland and Knight Fellowship. Her electroacoustic opera lily [bloom in my darkness], featuring an original libretto by Canadian author felicia klingenberg and choreography by Karin Stevens, premiered in June 2017 with the support of 4Culture's Tech Specific Grant Program. lily is also the recipient of the 2017 International Alliance for Women In Music's Pauline Oliveros New Genre prize for works exploring electroacoustic media and innovative form and style. It will be produced again in Fall 2018 with Karin Stevens Dance and the Universal Language Project alongside her new work LUNG for 6 loudspeakers, interactive electronics, dancers and large ensemble.

With flutist Leanna Keith, Eaton is co-founder of Stack Effect, a flute and voice duo. Also with Keith and violist Heather Bentley, Eaton co-directs Kin of the Moon, an improvisation-centric and technology-friendly chamber music series in Seattle. Both Stack Effect and Kin of the Moon have enjoyed recent features at new music festivals such as Oh My Ears! in Phoenix, NUMUS NW in Seattle, and the National Flute Association Convention.

As a writer with particular interest in the role of musical composition's relationship to our larger culture, Eaton has been published by KING FM's Second Inversion ("Women, Creativity, and the Classroom" (2016) and "Reflections on Wilderness" (2017)) and Common Tone Arts ("Things I wish I had known when I thought I couldn't be a composer" (2017)).

Eaton holds a DMA in composition from the University of Washington and teaches at Seattle Pacific University.

e I’ve taught music theory, composition, and musicianship at the college level for seven years, and where I continue to perform with the UW Modern Ensemble, Inverted Space Ensemble, and Seattle Modern Orchestra.

A major priority of my guitar teaching is to have students making expressive, compelling music every time they touch the instrument. And as I believe that a good guitarist is, first and foremost, a strong musician, I fold a number of diverse activities into weekly lessons, developing skills in music theory, fretboard knowledge, ear training, sight reading, composition, and improvisation, all of which reinforce the acquisition of strong technique.

I teach a wide array of styles—including classical, folk, rock, flamenco, and heavy metal—and I look forward to helping you realize your musical goals!