Learn Singing your way with a TakeLessons expert

By Cecilia C. - San Jose Singing Teacher

When we mention the city San Jose and the Bay Area, people first think of high tech companies and competitive schools. However, there are also many hidden star music teachers, wonderful musical ensembles and performance venues. I am Cecilia, and I teach singing lessons in San Jose.

The first question I always ask my students is: "Do you sing or play music with any groups?" Music is always about team work; one rarely sees a one-person show with music - as composing the piece, renting or sharing venues, showcasing the piece and actually getting performers to perform the work takes a lot of time, energy and people. Most teenagers sing with their school choir, which I recommend all of my younger students do. Singing in choir guarantees students to improve their knowledge in music theory, musical expressions and sight reading skills. Not to mention, singing in choir also improves people's mental health, builds teamwork skills and allows both children and adults to make friends with those who share similar interests.

Choosing a group that suits you all depends on what you are looking to achieve with singing. Younger students should look for singing groups from their schools - whether a cappella groups or the school choir. Most of them are free and are always welcoming new members. As for adult students with some experience in singing, The San Jose Symphonic Choir and The Santa Clara Chorale are great options for those who are looking for regular rehearsals and performances with the best conductors/directors in the nation. Check out their websites here: http://sanjosesymphonicchoir.org/ http://www.scc.org/

For intermediate to advanced level students, I highly suggest auditioning to sing for the chorus ensemble and small roles for the opera companies around the area. Bay Shore Lyric Opera in Los Altos, West Bay Opera in Palo Alto and Verismo Opera in Berkeley provide great opportunities for classical music students and emerging singers. If anyone feels ready to step in the top professional field, there are also opportunities to try out for the chorus and small roles of Opera San Jose (http://www.operasj.org/).

Besides performing with different groups, I also suggest that my students go to as many concerts as possible while taking singing lessons in San Jose. I will admit: I learned most of my music knowledge through attending concerts. While studying and singing in Italy, I attended at least two concerts per week. Whether the concerts are good or bad, I learn something through seeing and listening. Seeing how others perform will give you ideas of how you would want to shape the music yourself and how you would like to perform such pieces. Opera San Jose has a student special for only $10 per show, and the groups which I have mentioned above also have multiple concerts per season.

One may also check out the schools around this area, especially universities such as Santa Clara University, Stanford University and San Jose State University. These schools have the best performance venues and facilities such as The Stanford Bing Hall, Santa Clara University Recital Hall, and Mission Santa Clara de Asis. You will find great quality concerts with the cheapest price.