Gender-Affirming Vocal Coach, Soprano/Belter, Music/Choir/Vocal Director
Masters of Music Degree in Vocal Performance & Pedagogy, concentration in contemporary/popular vocal techniques
Hyper-mobile EDS Zebra with MCAS, Fibromyalgia, and Trigeminal Neuralgia (see my Hyper-mobile page)
I’m pleased to announce that I’m accepting new students (ages 12+) to my online voice studio! Having had so many opportunities to work with different voice types these past 18 years, of all ages (4-90), with all skill levels (true beginners to advanced professionals), and in diverse settings (MT shows, operas, choirs, bands, kids’ & teens’ classes, etc), I can easily say that I’ve been living my absolute dream career! I truly believe that, just like any other instrument, everyone has the ability to learn to sing well if they devote sufficient time and energy on their craft, while receiving proper guidance based from the latest scientific vocal research. I can help you find your most resonant, easy-to-project voice with the least physical effort, by explaining why a truly resonant sound is easier, and therefore more comfortable to produce.
I sing and teach most genres: pop, rock (including distortions/rough effects – see the last paragraph below), musical theatre, jazz, R&B, soul, folk, classical, choral, etc. I’m grateful for my decades of vocal training and experience, which has allowed me to thoroughly understand how all the different parts of the vocal tract work together as an instrument. Equally important is understanding how the current state of the singer’s body can both positively and negatively impact the voice, and how to remedy your specific difficulties. I approach vocal technique in a functional, scientific manner that allows my students to gain results quickly! I’ll help you find your most resonant, easy-to-project voice with the least physical effort, by helping you find your truly resonant sound, which will always be easier to sing, and will therefore be more comfortable overall.
I love helping other singers develop what I like to call their “singer’s toolkit” by matching each vocal technique with its appropriate physical sensation, then pairing those sensations with a thorough understanding of body-mapping (anatomy & physiology for singers). This 3-point approach has proven to be most effective, as it makes it much easier to recreate those same sensations later on while practicing. My overall goal for everyone I work with is for them to truly understand how to troubleshoot their own vocal issues in the future without my help. Of course, there’ll always be vocal emergencies, odd technical issues to sort out, and audition/concert/show prep, so I try to stay available for last-minute technical help or advice on vocal health. I strive to assist my students in achieving their vocal goals, such as: get cast in lead/paid roles for musical theatre shows, maintain their voice for reoccurring 3-hour gigs, prepare for college auditions and choir performances, or just to have fun safely “belting” out your favorite karaoke songs with friends and not experience any strain!
If you’re also hyper-mobile (naturally flexible or “double-jointed”) like myself, please be sure to check out my hypermobility page for more specific info. on ways you can alleviate your body pain, which releases excessive throat & body tension and allows your voice to soar! Typical vocal issues experienced by singers with hypermobility are: 1) poor breath support/management (due to weak/unstable pelvic floor muscles and postural alignment difficulties), 2) excessive tension problems (in the facial muscles, tongue, jaw, throat, shoulders, etc), 3) inconsistent pitch problems singing sustained notes (from breath issues & sometimes poor proprioception in the throat), 4) an overly-wide vibrato (larynx bobs up & down too far), 5) a brighter/sharper/louder tone quality than average (due to an unusually narrow/high hard palate that didn’t spread out during puberty years), and more. I slowly but successfully worked through each of these issues over time and have finally achieved a sound I really like, and so can you!
And yes, there’s even a safe way to “scream,” aka distortions/rough effects! This includes vocal fry (the back part of the true folds), the rattle (arytenoid cartilages), the growl (epiglottis + arytenoid cartilages), the grunt (most of the vocal tract is involved), as well as the infamous false folds “scream” (false folds) – all without hurting yourself! It’s crucial to keep in mind that because these distorted sounds require other parts of the vocal tract to oscillate (repeatedly open-close to create sound) other than the true vocal folds. With multiple oscillations occurring at once throughout the vocal tract, these distortions really do require an advanced level of coordination, which in turn requires the proper guidance and feedback from a well-trained vocal coach. Always practice in very short segments. Just a few minutes at a time until your voice feels tired or uncomfortable, then immediately stop and wait until tomorrow before practicing again.