Find Your Voice: Voice Lessons
Diane Postell is as dedicated to teaching as she is to performance. A music teacher in various capacities, Diane Postell has the knowledge, experience, and the talent to develop and strengthen your own individual voice to its full potential. She creates an environment of support and encouragement allowing artists to feel nurtured. Postell has a holistic approach to singing; it encompasses the mind, body and soul. She welcomes student participation and input during a lesson. She recognizes that every artist is an individual so success is dependent on individual goals challenged and attained.
Ms. Postell has worked for 15 years as a voice coach. Her clients have included Amelia Rose Blaire (Willa on True Blood), Patty Stanger (Millionaire Matchmaker), Kriss Mincey (American Idol), family members of Chaka Khan, family members of Patricia Arquette, family member of John August.
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ABOUT SPECIAL NEEDS LESSONS
Music can many times be the key that will unlock the door to learning for children and adults that think outside the box! Music lessons for the special needs population can provide breakthroughs through music therapy in ways that other approaches may fail. Studies have found that individuals with diagnoses such as Autism, Down Syndrome and many mental illnesses have been able to preserve musical abilities despite their challenges in non-music functioning, such as academics. The lessons plans that are created for this population are used to address improvement in occupational therapy and fine motor coordination skills.
Some goals includerhythm pattern in songs, movements to music, identifying instrument sounds, identifying beats, identifying different music types and genres, reading music, improvement in attention skills and recognizing note values as well as learning to sing as a means of personal expression. For those with challenges in speech, singing can be the vehicle to promote speech by helping to access new neurological pathways to compensate for communication deficits.
Music at its core is a structured way to present information. Melodic and rhythmic patterns give students with autism and other diagnoses a way to organize auditory information and help memorize task sequences and academic facts. Music can also help individuals make social connections through a mutual shared interest. Music is a creative medium that can offer a motivating and safe way to explore more flexibility and spontaneity.
BENEFITS OF PRIVATE LESSONS
Private voice instruction in-home, in studio or via SKYPE are available in lengths of 30, 45 and 60 minutes. Voice instruction is tailored to each student by taking their career goals, experience and learning pace into consideration. Some things we will focus on are: Vocal technique and correct breathing (the foundation), increase range, improve pitch and tone, vocal maintenance and endurance, stage performance and confidence, audition preparation, microphone technique, pre-production for studio recording and songwriting. Student repertoire will be selected to suit each student’s needs and goals.
Private piano lessonsbuild a strong foundation to furthering a musical career or simply for the love of playing music as a personal goal. This is an asset to any singer. The keyboard is very visual and assists with ideas for composition as well as learning about harmony. I teach music theory, keyboard technique, reading and writing music, scales and chords, composition, improvisation, arrangement and accompaniment.
Basic guitar lessonsalso assist an artist in composition and accompaniment for their singing. Guitars are portable and provide a new texture for singers’ voices. I teach music theory, reading and writing music, scales and chords for composition and accompaniment.
WHAT STUDENTS CAN EXPECT FROM GROUP LESSONS
Group lessons are a wonderful opportunity for singers to gain basic knowledge and skills in a relaxed setting, in a relatively short time and for an affordable price.
Beginning voice classesare intended for students with little or no formal vocal training. They will learn the basics of good, healthy technique singing. Students will learn about vocal anatomy, proper breathing and solid vocal tone, as well as vocal registers and overall vocal health. This class is ideal for singers in chorus classes at school, church or community choirs, bands of any genre, or anyone who would like to improve their singing voice. The goal of the classes is to provide a general overview of the voice and help beginners with some knowledge and basic vocal skills.
Intermediate voice classes are intended for students that have had some formal training and have a solid understanding of basic technique. (i.e. diaphragmatic breathing, tonal balance and the ability to sing in all registers). Students will learn about correct breathing technique to help them make better use of breath and to be able to sustain notes. We will begin learning about vocal blending in the registers.
Auditioning classeswill help students learn how to make the right song selections for their voices, how to fully prepare for the audition process, how to present themselves during and audition and how to overcome stage fright. Students will learn good vocal technique and correct breathing that will assist them for their best auditioning performance. This class is ideal for singers who wish to audition for choruses, musical theatre productions, talent shows and competitions (i.e. The Voice) or lead or background singers in a band of any genre.