Students will learn the fundamentals of singing and how the voice works through exercises, examples, and technique work. 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 for how to perform a song such as objectives, focal points, stage presence, and more. They should be able to fully perform their solo for friends and family by the end of the five week class!

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 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! 

Vocal warm-ups and links to song lyrics. tracks, and sheet music (optional on www.musicnotes.com) will 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.