Alison C  
Instruments: Piano, Voice
Styles: Classical, Jazz, Pop, Rock, Folk, Country, Musical Theater, Opera, Showtunes, Spirituals

 Just as rewarding as performing is my experience teaching on the voice faculties of San Jose State University, Chabot College, The Music School of Sunnyvale, and my private studio.  Seeing my students perform lead and supporting roles with Children's Musical Theatre San Jose, Peninsula Youth Theatre, and school productions, and winning awards through NATS, VOCE, and CM is thrilling! My Students don't need to have major performance in mind.  It is also a great a joy to see a formerly timid student gain the confidence and skill to make their voice and fingers soar. As a performer, I believe strongly in the need for students to perform.  I provide recitals, masterclasses, look for performing opportunities in the community, and encourage enrollment in compeitions.

I listen to my students' goals, learning style, and abilities, and tailor my teaching to best suit the individual and help them achieve the results they want.  For singers, technique (coordinating breathing, jaw, tongue, lips, diction, and expression) is the tool that empowers them to suceed in whatever style they prefer.  With young singers, I balance sight singing (Solfege with Kodaly hand shapes), theory, easy classical, popular and musical theatre style pieces that are appropriate for children.  I am open to student selection of pieces with teacher approval for students of all ages.  For teen and adult singers, I work more intensely on vocal technique. I try to find out their interests and goals, and provide instruction that is designed to help them achieve this.   I have studied intensely with several of the greatest teachers of classical and popular style singing.  This has given both me ability and flexibility in my teaching. As a performer, I know what a singer needs as they are preparing for performances and auditions. I work with beginning to intermediate piano students.  For children I use the Faber and Faber, Adventures in Piano Series, and for children under 7, I begin with My First Adventures in Piano.  For beginning adults, I usually use Faber and Faber's Adult Adventures in Piano.  As early as possible, I try to incoroporate supplementary repertoire that provides students with the style that excites them most, to keep their practice and lessons satisfying and fun.  As students approach the intermediate level, we leave the method books behind to pursue the repertoire that inspires the student the most.  For theory, I use Regina Roper's  "Just the Facts" Music Theory series.