WHAT’S INCLUDED IN MY “HOUR”?
My business coach thought this would be a good idea... to share with you why I charge what I charge. As with any profession, our Students benefit not only from our personalized "face to face" lesson time, but also from:
PROFESSIONAL SERVICE
- An experienced teacher and parent who truly cares about your/your child's well-being and overall health- Continual assessment of each individual student's goals, progress, vocal changes, repertoire, confidence, challenges, performance skills, etc.
- On-sight purchase and print out of sheet music (in appropriate keys)
- Providing you with practice tracks, sheet music, books and other recommendations
- Researching and purchasing new music with specific students and events in mind
- Setting up coaching sessions with my network of colleagues and vocology specialists
- Professional Resume' coaching, editing and headshot approvals
- Researching local auditions for students: Community and Professional
- Auditioning and hiring professional accompanists: organizing times/dates for rehearsals and performances
- Researching and providing monologues for auditions
- Researching schools, camps, internships for my students
- Organizing my studio … (seriously, this takes work!)
- Organizing dress rehearsals (coordinating schedules! oy!)
- Working with the accompanist behind the scenes to discuss nuances in each piece of music
- Printing students music for the accompanist folder, including performance nuances notated, and arranging into program/competition order.
- Providing continual communication w/students regarding vocal health concerns, making SLP/ENT referrals, providing write-ups to physicians for their review
- Designing recital programs, getting them printed for our guests
- Delivery of accompanist folder to the accompanist (hopefully they are here in the Valley somewhere)
- Providing sound system, mixer board, mics, stands, snakes, cables, gaffing, etc. for some of our events.
- Masterclass lesson preparation, and location set up
- My instruction time during our studio Masterclasses
- Preparing client documentation upon request (invoices, repertoire lists, song suggestions, etc.)
- Checking and responding to emails/texts outside of office hours (I do try to set limits... sometimes I can’t help myself!)
- Cataloging student payments, managing financial accounts, quarterly taxes, etc.
PROFESSIONAL TRAINING and EXPERIENCE
- 30+ years of networking and training with with Master Teachers, Vocologists, Performers, Speech therapists and Psychologists.- 30+ years of Personal Voice lessons with master teachers from around the world
- 25+ years of judging local, regional and national vocal competitions.
- 35+ years and thousands of hours teaching, directing and performing.
- 15+ Years of experience in coaching others through performance psychology and mental/emotional grounding techniques.
- Two degrees in Vocal Pedagogy and Music Education K-12
Active membership and participation in these and other organizations:NATS - National Association of Teachers of Singing
VASTA - Voice And Speech Trainers Association (international)
SECO - The Speakeasy Cooperative for Independent Studio Voice Teachers
I love what I do, the students I teach, and the excitement we share in the music we create!
- Proven approaches and unlimited ideas - our creativity and resources our boundless when it comes to helping our students understand and experience a skill set
- Honest and encouraging - My feedback will be honest and solutions based!
- Empathic nature - My empathic ability to identify my students physical tension/pain means I feel it, too. Quite literally. Thankfully, this enables me to pinpoint it and help them correct it.
- Trustworthy and Respectful - Students frequently bring and/or experience an array of emotions in studio, especially with songs that hold deep meaning to them. I provide students a safe space to allow them to feel and process, without judgement.
- Keen ears - I can hear when a student is suffering from vocal fatigue, illness, injury, misuse, vocal faults and experiencing the different levels within their maturational stages. My ears are my greatest tool.
- Physical Injury Rehab - From my own physical injuries, surgeries, etc., I have gained years of skills and valuable knowledge in maintaining and strengthening skeletal alignment, muscular function and non-medicated chronic pain management.
- Emotional/Mental trauma training - Understanding how the voice/body responds to emotional and mental trauma, and how music plays a significant part in our healing.
- Vocal Rehab - Training in the diagnostics and therapeutic treatment of vocal injury and recovery processes. Additional experience learned from mine own (and my students) Speech Therapy Sessions, Laryngeal scopes and ENT work. Am always listening for issues that may need referred out to medical professionals.
- High Functioning Spectrum Training - Years of experience and training working with high functioning spectrum and individuals who may need specialized attention
- Director/Producer - Years of experience as a director and producer of community shows, children's shows and youth choirs.
- Professional network - I have amazing friends in high places! Every day I connect with my professional peers on Vocal topics pertaining to our students. It's a professional network where I associate and collaborate with voice professionals, medical professionals, fellow acting and singing teachers and directors nationally and internationally.
- My Studio blog - I provide free online content to my students, and some items to the general public- Convenient Studio Accessibility: you don't have to wait for me! You can access studio calendars, make payments and log practice information allon our student/parent portal!
- Ongoing Professional Development - Each day I am involved in some kind of study in methodologies and resources: Appearing on or listening to professional voice teacher podcasts and presentations; Reading vocal development books; Attending Local, Regional and National Conferences and summits; Taking online courses; Guest speaking at community events; Performing in shows/venues
- Community Involvement: For our city, I served as Chairman of the Cultural Arts Commission for five years; Founded, developed and served a Non-Profit Foundation for the Arts; Sang with community choirs; Starred in Community shows; Directed, produced and supported many community productions, choirs, youth productions.
All these things are tied to the experiences and services I provide as a teacher. They ensure that I am able to stay on top of my industry and give my students the BEST experience under my care.
On the business side, all these things enable my business to run smoothly so I that can provide a great experience for students and parents alike.