About Me
I bring my focused attention, pursuit of excellence, honesty and sense of humor to every minute of working with you. I am direct, challenging, encouraging and optimistic.
Background and Professional work
I am a graduate of Wayland University's Vocal Performance program. I'm a member of the National Association of Teacher of Singing, and I studied vocal pedagogy with Master Teacher Jeanie LoVetri regularly for 10 years. While many teachers will claim a full certification in Somatic Voicework (which can be obtained in just 9 days) it takes much, much longer to gain real expertise in hearing the functional movement of every distinct voice you will run across in a voice studio. I spent 10 years developing this skill so that I can zero in on what exactly is under or over functioning in your voice, quickly, because quick accuracy and good communication is what makes a voice teacher paramount as you balance the pressures of your career.
I was also part of the specially selected Faculty for Somatic Voicework where I helped train other voice teachers in this method at the yearly Somatic Voicework conference.
Other pedagogs I have studied with include: Dr. Trineice Robinson-Martin, Dr. Ian Howell, and Kenneth Bozeman. Other voice teachers include: Dr. Jenny Lynn Hodges, Jeff Kensmoe, Aliki Katriou.
I have studied composition with Jeff Kowalkowski, Heidi Joosten, Marc Lemay and Johnny Iguana.
I have a BA in Theater from Wayland University. I've studied on-camera acting at The Greenroom Studio, improv with Antoine McKay and Second City. I've performed as an actor professionally in various mediums.
I have worked as a professional singer for many years, singing in live bands (country, rock, pop, R&B,) as well as in musical theater. I currently front The Claudettes, a roots based "garage punk-cabaret" band. I've recorded many times as both a lead vocalist and session vocalist. You can hear my first album with The Claudttes here: Garage Glamour.
My students are label-represented industry professionals, unrepresented professional musicians equity and non-equity actors, and hobbyists of many genres. Each singer's process is highly individual.
How I work
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I believe that function is the way to freedom. Changing your physical patterns relieves so much stress, insecurity, inaccuracy, and lack of dependability in a voice. It is the first step into finding comfort of expression, and "your" sound.
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But I strongly feel that all of the healthful function in the world won't help you communicate to an audience without solid performance and song delivery skills, and that ultimately - it is your unique perspective that will engage any audience. Finding your authentic "voice" - in terms of who you are - is necessary in making music that is actually impactful.
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I also teach theory, ear training, sight reading (when appropriate), and mic techniques.
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I advise on song-writing and album production in an objective way that allows the artist to assess pros and cons and make their own decisions.
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I am happy to accompany students to the recording studio or help warm them up backstage for important performances.
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Whether you are a major label artist, an auditioning actor, a guitarist or producer who wants to sing their own songs, a hobbyist who is looking for an outlet, or anything in between -- I take your goals seriously and treat them with the care I give to my own voice and career. I see your success as an extension of my success. It greatly matters to me that your voice becomes something you can command, trust and enjoy. I want you to surprise yourself. If you don't have confidence yet, don't worry - as a teacher, I do. I have earned it slowly over years, and now you can earn it as well.
My own Voice
First, let me emphasize that your voice is not my voice. Your experience, music, desires and priorities are different than mine. But I do have extensive training and experience as a vocalist and a musician in this industry. I have done considerable work on my voice, as I've moved through my years as a performer - changing bands and styles. I even presented at the Voice Foundation Symposium in 2021 on "Crossover Singing" with Jeanie LoVetri - demonstrating facility in a classical, musical theater and R&B singing - not only in style, but in the deep functional coordination changes. And I have known what it is to find what an original song means to me as I record it - taking it from notes written by my songwriter to an emotional, dynamic delivery that I originate. I have had miserable tours and wonderful ones. I've pushed my voice in bad ways and good. I've learned the absolute necessity of listening to my body and mind. And that no amount of "know-how" compensates for the daily work of really conditioning my voice and practicing my music. And I love doing it all.
If you'd like to hear me live or listen to a recording, check out: The Claudettes. Before joining this band, I had a very heavy rock belt. I did considerable work to lighten my voice so that I could bring in elements of jazz and soul in a way that matched the songwriting and the playing styles of the three instrumentalists. I play with coquettish sounds as well as maniacal theatrical sounds and everything in between. You can bet every tone, diction, phrasing, registration, vowel, emotion is on purpose.
