In our first lesson, I get to know the student—their musical interests, goals, and any prior experience. We introduce the basics of posture, breath awareness, and how the voice works in simple, age-appropriate terms. I guide students through basic breathing exercises and vocal warm-ups, followed by fun pitch-matching or ear training activities. We’ll also start a short, familiar song to assess their vocal range and comfort level. By the end of the lesson, I’ll suggest a simple, structured practice routine they can start using right away.
Once students are grounded in technique, we refine their tone, increase vocal agility, and deepen their breath support through more advanced exercises. I help them develop a small repertoire across multiple styles of their choice—pop, musical theater, folk, or classical. We may also explore harmonizing, basic improvisation, and musicianship skills like rhythm, interval recognition, and music theory. At this stage, students are often ready to prepare for informal performances, auditions, or recordings. My focus is on helping them grow not just as singers, but as confident, expressive artists who understand and own their unique voice.
At this stage, we build on the vocal technique we’ve established by focusing on breath control, vowel clarity, and resonance. I help students explore their vocal registers and begin blending between them in a healthy way. We expand their repertoire by adding 1–2 songs tailored to their interests and vocal range. These lessons also include expressive elements—dynamics, storytelling, and phrasing—as well as light music reading or lead sheet interpretation if it suits their goals. I encourage students to perform short excerpts in fun, low-pressure settings, such as recordings or mini-performances.
These early lessons reinforce the fundamentals of breath support and posture while expanding our warm-up routine with vocal exercises like sirens, lip trills, and vowel shaping. I introduce the foundations of tone production, diction, and different ways to start a note. We continue developing the first song, now focusing more on pitch accuracy, phrasing, and vocal confidence. I also begin introducing basic ear training or solfege exercises as appropriate, always keeping lessons engaging and encouraging.