Biography
I help people learn to use their voices better. I am a singer and it gives me great joy. I also enjoy helping people find the joy in singing.
In college I was not the super talented singer that people were sure would have a stellar performance career. As a matter of fact, I struggled quite a bit. As difficult as that was, it has been quite an advantage for me as a teacher. I know that habits can be changed because I have done it myself! For example a student comes in and says, "My chorus teacher says I'm singing flat, but I don't know why. I know I learned the notes correctly." Together we can figure out why and we can fix it. I have done it many times!
As a young singer I had trouble with breath management, tension in my tongue, tension in my larynx, and registration issues. These issues are quite common, and very fixable. But you do need someone to guide you through the process.
When I was ready to learn all I could about my own voice I went to Westminster Choir College of Rider University in Princeton, NJ. They have a fine Voice Pedagogy program. Pedagogy is the science of teaching. This program demanded that the student become a skilled performer and aquire skills to convey that knowledge to others. To amend George Bernard Shaw's utterly wrong headed quote: "Those who can, do. Those that teach must know even more." I learned how our voices work, in detail. I learned how to "trick" students into a more flexible coordination. I learned about all the resources available to learn more: books, videos, recordings, mentor teachers, drama teachers, speech language pathologists to name a few. If you want to know more specifics about my education I invite you to look at my resume.
I enjoyed New Jersey, but after six years it was time to come home. I live and teach in Cary. In addition to my private voice studio, I teach music courses at Wake Technical Community College North Campus. I perform with the NC Opera chorus and Raleigh Little Theatre on occasion.