Voice Lessons
Ms. Taylor, Fall 2017, Lamar Middle School
Why Voice Lessons?
Individual lessons allow opportunities for your child to learn technical and performance skills that will enhance their natural gifts, all while developing their overall musicianship. They will learn about breathing mechanics and breath management, diction, ear training, sight singing, and the basics of performance and interpretation. Students with performance anxiety particularly benefit from less stressful one-on-one training, to help manage their fears and gain confidence in a supportive atmosphere.
Sign Up!!
Email Ms. Starkey or Ms. Taylor the following information:
- Student Name
- Choir Class Period
- Parent Name
- Parent Email
- Parent Phone Number
Voice Lesson Attendance and Payment Policies
Lessons are $20 a week ($80/month) and must be paid at the first lesson of the month. An invoice will be emailed to the parents the week before payment is due.
Payment Options
- Check: student can leave a check with Ms. Starkey in the choir room any day of the week.
- Electronic Payment through Venmo or PayPal: Parents can arrange payment through either platform. If you'd like more information about setting up electronic payment, please email Ms. Taylor or click on the links at the bottom of this page.
Cancellation and Makeup Policies
- Lessons that are cancelled less than 24 hours prior to their scheduled time will not be made up nor refunded, except in cases of student illness or family emergencies. Please do your best to inform the teacher of any field trips or schedule changes, to avoid losing a makeup lesson or a refund.
- Any lessons missed by the teacher will either be made up or refunded, depending on parent preference or scheduling.
- Students are strongly discouraged from attending lessons when sick. Allergies, however, are not a problem for voice lessons, so long as there are no severe symptoms or irritation. I use lessons like this as an opportunity for a student to learn more about their own vocal health and how to safely work around their allergy symptoms. They learn what symptoms are okay to sing with, and when they should not sing. These lessons are approached with great care, far less singing, far more breathing work, and are often fun for the student...because allergies are gross!
- All other cancellations can be rescheduled for Fridays, depending on teacher and student availability.
- Non payment may result in suspension of lessons, and notification of this will be sent via email.
Recitals and Performance Opportunities
A Recital may be scheduled for early Spring that would provide a performance opportunity for Solo and Ensemble selections, as well as Musical Theater pieces for the Spring Show. For this first year, it will be a more informal occasion, and a chance for students to hear and encourage one another in their work. More information on this recital will be available later in the year.
Schedule
Here is a link to the most current schedule:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1d8o8HH9hJJ4MavMb2i2ZVKQAxc_LHyEw-jljVq9KpW4/edit#gid=0
Ms. Taylor will be available during morning classes on Tuesday and Thursday only, if you need to change your child's lesson time. Makeup lessons can be scheduled on Fridays during choir classes, but will be subject to availability, and the rotation of A and B day schedules. No after school makeups are available at this time.
***Please note any excessive rehearsal conflicts. *** If your child has an after school time slot that conflicts with multiple rehearsals per month, please schedule an in class lesson time! Excessive absences per month are extremely difficult to manage, so I appreciate y'alls help in avoiding such conflicts.
Contact Ms. Taylor: Jamieson.Taylor@gmail.com
About Ms. Taylor
Ms. Taylor is a Voice Teacher, Choir Director and Opera singer, born and raised in Austin. She sings with a variety of organizations in the Austin area, including several seasons in the Austin Opera Chorus, and as a soloist for other individual productions throughout the year. She has a Bachelors of Music in Education from U.T. Austin and has studied and coached with Gilda Cruz - Romo, David Small, Nicholas Simpson, and Kristin Roach of the San Antonio Opera. She loves teaching voice to all ages, but middle school students are her favorite by far. She drinks too much coffee, knits badly, adores live theater, and loves books, movies, good television, running on the trails, and weird video games.