Singing Technique & Repertoire - Songs of Grace Vanderwaal

Students will learn and practice professional vocal technique exercises each week, and apply the vocal technique to songs by the young singer/songwriter Grace Vanderwaal.  We will look at her initial hit 'I Don't Know My Name' as well as songs from her debut album 'Just the Beginning'.  Class size is kept small to allow for individual attention to ensure that each student is singing with proper coordination of vocal technique.  We focus not only on 'what' we sing (the notes of the melody in songs) but 'how' we sing, encouraging balance and healthy placement and coordination in the voice.  Singers will learn about the different registers of the voice while Grace Vanderwaal’s songs bring us an opportunity to learn about singing with the mix voice. Students will also learn about posture, breath, basic music theory for singers, the use of diphthongs in singing, acting choices for the singer, and singing with an accompaniment track.  

My goal for my students is that they will begin to develop awareness of the technique in the voice, and be able feel the difference between what works and what doesn’t work, enabling them to eventually become their own teachers, and able to sing freely and confidently in various musical settings.  Songs are carefully selected based on student level and vocal development as well as to present different learning opportunities and balance in the voice.