Teaching

Where I Teach

Check out my CV for a full list of teaching experience.

Personal Studio (Currently Full)

Philosophy

My philosophy of education engages the conceptual framework that the art of singing seeks to communicate human experiences. This purpose, found through artistic expression and emotional connection, is focused through student-centered relationships, replicable technical facilities, and authentic artistry. I use this model to flexibly adapt personal knowledge to serve the individual.

My teaching is heavily informed by the student-centered philosophies of critical pedagogue Paulo Freire. Students bring rich and complex experiences into learning that influence how I adapt to their needs and goals. I try to avoid assuming student knowledge and strive to honor their individuality by spending time each lesson engaging with the events of their lives. I reinforce these student-centered relationships through open-ended questions about professional and personal goals, regular reassessment of discussed outcomes, and humanistic communication as equal partners. I show that I care about my students through shared accountability and explicit expectations while recognizing that student actions and commitment are ultimately not a reflection of myself. Avoiding the conceptual ego engages students to take responsibility for their future and provide strategically honest feedback. This idealism builds shared trust as we collaboratively develop replicable skills, knowledge, and healthy mentalities related to voice, personal identity, and career aspirations.

The profound achievements made in voice science and vocology inform the pedagogic approach I use and filter through accessible language. Motor learning theory informs the conceptual framework that experience is a powerful tool to achieve sensory and functional awareness through doing. Friendly encouragement to write notes and exercises with later reflection on audio-recorded lessons seeks to develop an informed aural palate connected to sensory work in the lesson. I then engage with the student-centered relationship model to develop individual practice skills and strategies to move from doing to knowing. Selectively applied reflection questions focusing on positive results include, “What did you feel/notice/hear/perceive/observe?” which guides us toward a shared vocabulary. These questions are critical in my teaching as I seek to ensure students understand their voices to practice effectively and prepare themselves for other studies and performances. The individualized nature of this process ultimately develops replicating where I encourage students to ask themselves how they might apply developed skills and knowledge or what they might adjust to achieve the function they seek. This process of doing, knowing, and replicating evolves with the student and uses emotional connection or affect, technical work in vocalizing tools, and functional vocal knowledge to approach any student goal.

The final and grounding intent of my teaching philosophy is authentic artistry. I seek to honor the cultural significance of the music and individual identities of the student while developing the skills and tools necessary to pursue their aspirations. I believe authentic artistry is the embrace of vocal communication in respectful and informed cultural grounding. The student uses the informed medium of their preparation and training combined with their uniqueness to communicate genuinely and unapologetically. Singing then transcends the singularities of technical, individual, and cultural contexts to achieve artistic authenticity not by trying but by celebrating the opportunity to connect and express shared humanity through their voice.