Students will learn the fundamentals of singing and how the voice works through exercises, examples, and technique work. Students will work toward learning a song they can perform. Topics covered include breathe support, placement, phrasing, vocal registers, belting, healthy singing, vowels and dipthongs, and vocal agility. Students will also learn acting and performance techniques so they can perform their song for an audience.

Melanie Leibner Perkins holds her Masters in Musical Theatre from Boston Conservatory and BA from University of Pennsylvania. She is an adjunct faculty member at Nova Southeastern University and runs Perkins Performance Studio where she has taught hundreds of students to sing to their full potential. Students have gone on to perform internationally and star on Broadway and in national tours as well as study at NYU, Boston Conservatory, PACE, Elon, Shenandoah, Penn State, and more.  She has distinguished herself as an actress, singer, director, and teacher with her work in theatres in Philadelphia, Boston, and South Florida. As an instructor, Melanie has taught for over 20 years, teaching voice, acting, audition prep, monologue, scene study, and improv to students aged 4-74! 

Homework Offered
Students will be expected to learn their songs at their own pace by putting in some time practicing at home in addition to class. Students should ideally practice for 20 minutes 4 times a week to learn the notes and pitches to their song and practice techniques learned in class. Everyone has different time constraints so this is just a suggestion for minimum ideal practice.
1 - 2 hours per week outside of class
Assessments Offered
Grades Offered

Vocal warm-ups and links to song lyrics. tracks, and sheet music (optional on www.musicnotes.com) may be posted in the classroom for students to review and practice. Students will need the printed lyrics and/or sheet music, a karaoke backing track, and a separate device to play it on. Students should print song lyrics from the teacher links or sheet music so they can have the words in front of them in class to make notes for themselves . Information for optional purchase of sheet music and links to song guide vocals and karaoke tracks (iTunes, Youtube, and/or Spotify) will also be provided in the classroom.  Students should also have another device like a tablet, phone, or speaker on which they can play their tracks.