Teaching

Interested in voice lessons?

Do you wish your voice could sound better, clearer, and more resonant?
Do you dream of nailing that choir audition or scoring that role?
Do you want to give your children a musical head-start, beyond the traditional piano or violin?

It might be time to try voice lessons.

About Me

Meet Ms. Cornelia!

A native of Long Valley, I first discovered my passion for music through choral singing at West Morris Central, and I hope to inspire a similar lifelong love of music in my students. I am a current Master of Music candidate at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, TN and a recent graduate of Montclair State University with a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance. I currently teach Class Voice for Non-Majors at the University of Tennessee. I have previously worked with the Philadelphia Boys Choir’s Summer Opera Camp, helping teenage singers produce scenes from opera and musical theatre. While my first love is opera, I believe all forms of music are valid and worth exploring, and I've performed a wide variety of styles from video game symphonies to jazz standards to baroque cantatas and beyond.

I have five years of private voice teaching experience, and I love working with students of all ages, genders, and backgrounds. I teach voice and beginner piano lessons in Northern NJ, both at my home studio and in the homes of my students. I particularly love working with young singers and helping older students prepare for auditions.

Testimonials

How do other students and parents feel about Ms. Cornelia?

"Ever since we started lessons, this is all he talks about. He just can't wait to come see you every week!"

Ana E.

"I don't think I would have been able to get the leading role in the school musical if it hadn't been for your lessons!"

Emma H.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do Lessons cost?

Current prices for the 2020-2021 year are $30 per half-hour lesson and $60 per full hour lesson.

Do you offer Make-up Lessons?

I offer make-up lessons for students who let me know of a cancellation at least 24 hours ahead of time. If I am not notified, students will lose the benefit of the lesson, but I may be able to provide a video lesson or group make-up at my discretion.

WHAT SHOULD I BRING TO MY LESSON?

Your sheet music (at least 2 copies, one for yourself and one for me), your recording device (a smartphone works just fine for this), a pencil, and a bottle of water.

WHAT GENRES OF MUSIC CAN WE WORK ON?

While my background is largely in classical singing, I am open to helping you with any genre of music you may be interested in working on, be it musical theatre, opera. jazz, pop, or rock. All students can benefit from good posture, consistent breath support, and healthy production of sound. However, if what you need is beyond my range of expertise, I will recommend you to another qualified and talented teacher in the area who might be better suited to helping you find your voice.

CAN YOU HELP ME PREPARE FOR _____?

If you are preparing for an honors choir, musical theatre audition or a role, you may want to take lessons for a finite amount of time. While I typically like to take students on for longer periods of time, I may have room in my schedule to take on a student for a short period of time. Contact me and I will do my best to find a time in my schedule to help you rock that audition!

CAN I SIT IN ON MY CHILD'S LESSON?

You are certainly welcome to, and I definitely encourage parents to listen in and help their children practice if they are able! It's always excellent to see parents taking an interest in their children's musical growth. However, I have found that children are far less self-conscious and nervous the moment their parents leave the room. While I completely empathize with the need to make sure your child is both safe and behaving properly, a bit of distance may be necessary to keep parents out of sight (while keeping them within earshot).

is my Child Old enough for singing?

This can be a controversial topic among voice teachers. Many feel that it is impossible to teach voice lessons to students under age 13. I find that children of all ages are capable of learning to sing, assuming they are ready to listen, willing to participate, and can maintain a certain degree of focus over a 30-minute period. While I do not teach my 5 year-olds the same way I teach my 15 year-olds or expect them to perform to the same level, there is a great deal that can be taught to a young child through voice lessons. Voice lessons for very young singers will largely consist of music theory, beginning ear training, posture and beginning breath ideas, performance skills that develop confidence, language skills, some gentle vocal warm-ups, and -- of course -- plenty of fun and games! There are some parents who want to prepare their very young singers for stardom -- this is fundamentally the opposite of what I aim to do. My goals at this age is to build musicianship skills and develop a deep love of music that will last the student's entire life.