Vocal

Please see www.MADDIVA.me Thank you!

My early training was in piano, and I studied voice and composition in college. I came to vocal music teaching through musical theater, where I was a performer. Because my piano skills often had me playing in the rehearsal hall, I frequently found myself giving advice or encouragement to my fellow singers. In 1993, when my children were still young, I hung out a shingle for my studio, and have since become a well-respected vocal coach/accompanist in my own right.

Dedicated to my private students ranging in age from 8 to 85 years old, they include flute students aspiring to be professional performers and adult or young players enthusiastically loving every new song they learn. I equally enjoy working with reed players honking out their first notes, piano players discovering new patterns, and elementary students excited to practice pieces for their school band.

Eric Howe is a frequent guest soloist, chorister, conductor, and piano and organ accompanist for many groups, and is also in demand as a clinician and adjudicator. As well as private teaching (currently online), Eric taught Vocal Physiology and Pedagogy at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music and Holy Names University, and at HNU taught conducting, organ, and conducted the HNU Chamber Singers. He has been Cal-Western regional NATS governor, was president of the SF Bay Area chapter of NATS and chaired its annual Singing Festival.

You can read about me and my work at www.raeeka.com

I've been teaching voice lessons privately for the last 15 years, At Santa Rosa J C, beginning voice classes as well as advanced, ranging in style from pop to musical theatre to classical. I have also taught diction for singers in Italian, French, German and English.

ONDINE YOUNG (violin/viola) is currently teaching at Crowden/CCMC, St. David's, Tehiyah, and other local schools, and has recently been choir director, chamber-music coach and musicianship instructor at the Crowden School of Music and a conductor for the San Francisco Boys' Chorus. Previously, she headed the choral program at the University of San Diego. Ondine completed a doctoral degree at the University of Southern California, studying Choral Conducting and Early Music Performance.

I'm a singer, and I know how it feels to be a voice student. Singing can seem so random and hard to grasp; one day everything's easy and great, and the next day nothing works. We are the instrument, and we have to build the instrument at the same time that we play it, but like golf, the harder we try, the worse it gets. Finding the balance between technical skill, energy, emotion, expression, focus and confidence is what's it's all about. I teach technique, with strong but flexible support, optimum resonance and beauty, and clear diction free of tongue and jaw tension.

Ann Moss has been teaching voice for 10 years, first in Boston and currently in the Bay Area. Since moving to Berkeley in 2004, Ann has become much sought-out among singers of all ages and experience levels. She holds two graduate-level degrees in Vocal Performance, and has been honored to work with many of today's best musicians and teachers in master class and private studio settings. In addition to her extensive performance career as a classical singer, Ann has performed and recorded in popular genres including funk, folk-rock, and r&b.