Frequently Asked Questions
                   
    •  Do you require auditions to be considered for your studio?
       No.  I don't require auditions.  If I have an available time slot I schedule a prospective student. During that first lesson, I present an overview of what I can offer and the student expresses his/her desires.  Because the instrument is the body, we are dealing with a very personal issue.  Generally within the first 30 minutes either one of us can tell whether or not we can work well together.  I believe strongly about building a relationship.  However, I've also worked with students, coaching them for a particular audition.
     
    • What age students do you teach?
        I generally take  students no younger than ten or eleven depending on their desire and ability to focus.  I will audition younger students to assess talent.  I tend to vacillate between the theories that one can injure the voice by starting to soon or if you just let the child sing, he/she could injure the voice or learn very bad habits so as to make learning correct vocal production much more difficult!

        At present the youngest student in the studio is 10 years of age and the eldest is 50 years old.  As a side note.  I remember listening to NPR  one afternoon.  The program was an interview with an otolaryngologist.  The question put to him was, "How old should I be when I should stop singing"? There was a brief pause and then he retorted. "Um, good question.  I think you should be at least 101 years old!"
     

    • What kind of teacher do you consider yourself?
        I consider myself to be a very enthusiastic person with great empathy and patience.  I've dealt with having a language disability myself and feel that this has provided me with tools to be more tolerant and accepting of other people's challenges.  I have a passion for performing and delight in encouraging others to experience  the same joy. I genuinely enjoy the process of teaching and get great gratification in seeing a student making progress because of something he/she gleaned from my teachings.
     
     
    • Can you tell me whether I have what it takes to be a professional performer?
        Breaking into the professional world is a very "iffy" situation.  One can be extremely talented and not get the breaks one needs to reach stardom.  I can't tell you whether or not you have what it takes.  Only you  have that answer.  It takes desire, dedication and a lot of hard work.   I can teach you to sing.   It's what you do with that information and the "breaks" you get and choices you make during your career building that determines your future. I will never profess to make you a star and if a vocal teacher or coach tells you that-run as fast as you can!
     
     
    • What is the format of your lessons?
        At present all my students take 50 minute sessions.  Although the majority of the studio take weekly sessions, I do offer bi-monthly time slots.
        At your first lesson, I will give you a health questionnaire and general questionnaire to fill out and return at your next lesson. The health questions pertain to just that your health. The individual general questionnaire addresses your musical experience, personal information, and your desires etc. All information is confidential.
        Come to the lesson with two tapes; one to record the lesson and one to record accompaniments.  If you forget a tape,  you can either purchase one for $1.00 or replace it with a new tape the next lesson.
        We begin with a series of gentle warm-ups.  Basic sirening up and down your register.  Sometimes we loosen up the body with movement depending on stress level of the day.  At any given lesson we work on music you're mastering,  sight singing, interval training, theory, stage presentation of the music, anatomy and exercises to strengthen the instrument. We also discuss keeping the voice healthy. The body is the instrument and needs to be kept in good physical health.  I keep a written record of your progress of development  in a binder and refer to  it at each lesson.  I also keep record of your repertoire. This includes the date you begin a selection of music and the date that we both feel that you've mastered the song.  You and I are partners in your vocal education so selection of music is a joint decision.
     
     
    • How long should I take voice lessons?
        This of course is really up to you.  What is your motivation for learning to sing?  If you want to be a professional, you probably will be taking lessons or coaching throughout your career.  How long you stay with a particular teacher usually depends on a couple of things.  Are you making  progress? Is the style of teaching meeting your needs?  Can you afford to continue lessons? You must evaluate and except responsibility for your development.  I encourage experiencing other approaches by providing you with information about symposiums and seminars etc.  By the way, the door swings both ways.  If I feel that I'm not giving you what you need, or you're not making progress, I will suggest you stop taking lessons.  To continue when nothing is progressing is unprofessional and a waste of your money and of my time.
     
    • How often and how long should I practice?
          Actually, I dislike the word, "practice".  I like to put this whole idea into a positive light.  Replace the word with "sing".  One should exercise the instrument on a daily basis.  Every time you produce tone, you are using the voice.  What you need to address is making a focused effort do one of several things: to either learn and memorize your music; or concentrate on the physical production of the sound to strengthen the muscles that produce the voice; or any other element of the prior lesson.   For a lot of my students just setting aside a minimum of 15 minutes at the same time every day seems to be very helpful.  Of course if you go longer, all the better. Shower singing is a great way to start the day.  Basically you get whatever you put into something.  So again, it comes down to excepting responsibility for your progress.
     
    • What are your fees for your services? How do you handle fee payments?
    Fees for my services are:
    Individual                                                                               $45.00 per session (50 min.)
                                                                                                   $35.00 per 30 min session
    Family (2 or more taking lessons in the same week)            $35.00 per person / 50 min session

    If I have to raise my rates, the student is locked into the rate in which he/she began lessons.
    Scholarships are provided on a financial need, availability and talent basis.
    Students are required to give a 24 hour cancellation notice, otherwise you will be assessed the lesson fee.

        As far as handling payments.  I keep a manual and computer record of monies received for lessons.  We agree on the frequency of payment:  weekly, bi-monthly or monthly.
    I will assess a bad check fee (whatever the bank charges) for returned checks with insufficient funds.
     

    • What hours are you available to teach?
        I'm available Monday and Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. ; Tuesday and Thursdays  from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m.;  Fridays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sats from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.  These hours change with rehearsal schedules and productions that I might be working on.  However, my priority is teaching, once we've set a time.  I try to work out my schedule accordingly.
     
    • What level of expertise do you teach?
        I teach all levels from the very beginner, shower singer, and late bloomer to the professional performer.
     
     
    • What style of music do you teach?
        Knowing that once a person understands how to manipulate the vocal instrument, he/she can sing any style, I introduce all styles of music from country western, folk, jazz, and musical theater to opera arias and art songs.  By becoming aware, one can be much more versatile and more marketable. However, I've discovered that each student does have a preference towards one particular style and the selection of music generally leans in that direction.
     
     
    • What is your background?
    I've been interested in performing since I was seven years old.  I use to walk to and from school singing at the top of my lungs hoping that I would be discovered.  I was told that I had talent and was encouraged to get voice lessons.  This was not a priority for my parents.  My father felt that I should do something with my life that would definitely make a living.  My mother was more concerned about me to getting married and having children.  I performed in high school musicals (My Fair Lady, South Pacific), and was in the select choirs in high school and college.  I was also a runner up in the Miss San Leandro Pageant which was influenced by my singing abilities.
        At 19 I had thyroid surgery.  A well meaning college professor told me that I would never sing again.  I respected this opinion and quit singing for years.  Talk about not taking responsibility for one's training!
        Meanwhile I married, had two children. Obtained a degree in Psychology and went in and out of several professions from retail clerk, pet shop owner, life insurance, and permanent and temporary placement agencies.  All of which did not satisfy me (except for my husband and family).
        I went back to singing in the church choir. Because of the many accolades I received, I was encouraged to continue singing.  I was asked to be the choir director.  I thought that I couldn't do this unless I got training.  I then returned to school and got a B.A. in Vocal Performance at CSU Hayward.  I also earned a teaching credential.  I taught vocal music to elementary and high school students as well as  adult school levels for 6 years.
        During these years, I  performed in musicals and operas with chorus and lead role parts in  Dido and AEnus, and H.M.S. Pinafore.   I directed the California Women's Chorus at the Paramount theater.  I was the musical director for "The Best of Broadway" with the San Leandro Community Library Theater.    I've also vocal coached for several musicals: "Hello Dolly, Guys and Dolls",  "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying" and "Little Shop of Horrors" to name a few.
        I began building my studio one student at a time. Rather eclectic in my pedagogical approach,  I took several courses at CSU Hayward covering the art and science of vocal pedagogy.  I read the various standards at the time.
        The two vocal instructors that have influenced my teaching techniques the most are Eleanor Cohen and Susan Witt, both instructors at CSU Hayward at the time I earned my BA.
        The majority of my methodology I gleaned from courses I took from Jo Estill  and "Voice Craft".  The main idea of Voice Craft is to learn to isolate and engage  the extrinsic muscles freeing  up the vocal fold production.  Her program puts theory into realization to be able to demonstrate that "the body is the instrument".   What a thrill it has been to assist vocalists unveil the mystery of  vocal production so that they could realize  their potential for singing and performing.
     

     Last updated 3/2001