The first rule of voice lessons....

...is to do no harm!

Every medical student takes the Hippocratic Oath, which states that every doctor must promise, "first, do no harm."

A voice teacher must also serve that same ethical standard.  When I first hear a new student, my first question is not what needs work, but what does the student ALREADY do well, and makes them special as a singer?  Once I have identified those strengths, I try to build upon them so that singer develops a unique sound.  I never want a 'cookie-cutter, everyone sounds the same' sound from my studio.  The best singers are not necessarily the best technical singers; rather, they have a unique tone and presence that draws peoples' attention.

Voice lessons are about improving a singer, which means a good voice teacher addresses both the singer's strenghts and weaknesses.  Lessons are not all about criticism; in fact, many times I praise a student's ability because they need to know what the are doing right as much as what they need to work on.

​DWS