Voice Lessons in Chevy Chase, MD

Instruments: Piano Voice

Also an avid performer herself, Adrienne has toured with the New York Harlem Productions company of Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess, appearing as the Strawberry Woman in important European venues including the Komische Oper Berlin. She has sung in Carnegie Hall and appears on the Grammy Award winning CD “Songs of Innocence and Experience.” Perhaps her most noteworthy performance was singing for President Obama at his second term Inaugural Prayer Service. Read More

Instruments: Voice

A typical hour voice lesson involves three parts: 1) warm-up/vocalizing and listening to ones voice to learn more about the voice, sound production, breathing and placement; 2) working on a particular technique or perceived shortcoming; 3) applying the techniques from the lesson to a song or gaining confidence in performance. My teaching style is relaxed and fun but devoted to working on proper vocal technique and confidence building. For example, to be a good singer one must have a good understanding of the muscles and parts of the body that are involved in breathing and how that relates to making beautiful sounds. Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar Voice Bass Guitar Synthesizer Electric Guitar Acoustic Guitar

For beginning piano students, I use a combination of books from Alfred's, Faber, John Thompson's. At the same time, I emphasize proper finger technique, shape, and position. For more advanced piano students I prefer exercises from Hanon, Czerny, and Bartk. For beginning guitar students, I prefer Mel Bay books. However, for guitar students I also use a much more individual and custom approach for learning how to get a good sound out of the guitar through proper hand position, finger placement and pressure, and string picking. Read More

Instruments: Guitar Voice

- As a foundation principle of the Functional Voice Method communication is essential. There should be a very open and honest dialog between teacher and student. You can, and I encourage my students to ask, propose and work together. - Because posture, movement and breathe have such a mutual influence; we usually need some work or excercise regarding the body (movements envolving legs, arms, walking, jumping and a large etcetera). - Having fun while training is extremely important to me. Read More

Instruments: Voice Flute

What I want is to nurture a life long love and appreciation of music. Every student is going to be at a different level, and have their own strengths and weaknesses. I prefer to get to know my students and their taste in music, before imposing any sort of practice regimen. Whats important is that students enjoy and are fulfilled by their lessons, not overwhelmed (because then they dont practice!). Read More

Instruments: Piano Voice

Melissa started teaching during her senior year of college when she took her first vocal pedagogy course. Teaching has been an important part of her schedule ever since. Over the years, she has taught privately, through various community schools, through several national companies, and she served as a Graduate Teaching Assistant at Illinois State University for two years. Thus, she has experience teaching all ages and skill levels. Her students have ranged from beginners to university music majors, from age 3 to age 72. Read More

Instruments: Piano Voice

I have started teaching shortly before college, and have a proven track record of working as an independent instructor and part of teaching collectives. I am a member in good standing with both MTNA and MSMTA, and have been consistently teaching students out of my home studio for the past 15 years. With younger students, I prefer emphasizing habit formation, such as setting a practice schedule, regularly committing to a set amount of practicing time, and develop a passion for the piano. Read More