Voice
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Allison Beaudry, Instructor
DEPARTMENT : Voice Department"Sometimes ideas can come at the most random times. For me, it's mostly when I'm lying in bed at night or driving in the car. I'll either stay up in the dark singing through the melody line I have created until I get it right, or I'll find the sound recorder on my cell phone and recite the lyrics that pop in my head in between shifting gears in my car. Bizarre, yes, but when something inspires you, you have to grab hold of it, because you never know, it could be your next hit."
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Aubrey Johnson, Instructor
DEPARTMENT : Voice Department"Berklee is an awesome place to study voice, because they want to nurture you—who you are, what you love. They make sure that you have a great musical foundation, as well. They teach you how to be a singer, but also how to read music and direct a band and write a chart and write your own music with intricate harmonies. They take popular music and they make it what classical and jazz have been at conservatories for years."
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Sofia Rei, Instructor
DEPARTMENT : Voice Department"I have always been fascinated about the endless possibilities that the voice has as an instrument. My experience in jazz, improvised music, classical music, and Latin American styles made me aware of the importance of vocal technique to create a versatile instrument that can easily switch from one style to another. I remember when I began improvising how frustrating it was not to be able to sing the melodic ideas and sounds I could hear in my head. A healthy and flexible instrument is crucial and will give you the freedom to make any artistic choices you want, without limiting yourself."
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Jan Shapiro, Professor
DEPARTMENT : Voice Department"I teach private lessons, vocal labs, and ensembles. When I teach private lesson students, I teach classical technique and how it applies to contemporary vocal styles. As a teacher, I see myself as a guide to each individual student as they travel down the path of vocal development and their own individual progression. Whether a singer becomes a recognized household name as a recording artist, a full-time performer, a session singer, a backing vocalist, or a singer in a wedding band, I try to prepare all my vocal students for the changing music industry and vocal styles."
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Daniela Schachter, Assistant Professor
DEPARTMENT : Voice Department"I work a lot as a leader and also as a side player, so I'm trying to teach students how to be a leader and how to be a side player. If I'm performing with my own group, I decide what to play. This is challenging in a way, because you have to think which tunes to put in your set list and how to organize a set that is not boring for the audience. At the same time, as a side player, you need to try to understand what the leader wants you to play. Even if you don't have the melody written, you need to try to use voicings that don't interfere with the melody. Don't play too much. Try to be more respectful of the leader. If you are playing for a vocalist, also try not to interfere with the melody or play too many fields that may distract the melody—give it more space."
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Carolyn Leonhart, Assistant Professor
DEPARTMENT : Voice Department"I want my students to be able to make any artistic choices they want, and not have their instrument limit them. It's very easy to develop bad habits without knowing it, so we need to take our instruments in to be tuned up, just as other musicians do, to check in with someone who can hear what's going on and guide you. I want my students to have an awareness of their instrument and the relationship between the voice, mind, body, and heart—but it needs to be a healthy balance. Be compassionate with yourself, but do the work and push yourself so that you're not afraid to let go in the moment."
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Sharon Brown, Associate Professor
DEPARTMENT : Voice Department"I want students to be as free, as open, and as honest as possible so that I can see their true performance rather than something they're putting on. But finding your individual style is a natural part of growth. Our job is to wean students away from the radio in their head and foster their own talent. But I think it's a process, rather than simply saying, 'Don't try to sound so much like so-and-so.'"
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Jeff Ramsey, Associate Professor
DEPARTMENT : Voice Department"Having sung background for many different recording artists, I know how important it is to have your vocal technique together. As a background vocalist, you are basically called upon to become a chameleon. What that means is that you are going to be asked to take your voice out of its natural habitat so to speak. You have to come up with different timbres in your voice to match the other background singers and, in many cases, the lead vocalist. Versatility is an important factor in background singing. It means warming up your voice constantly to maintain the flexibility of your vocal folds as you diversify your singing style of the moment."
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"These days, we're all expected to do a lot of things. Very rarely can you just go out there and be a singer and have someone hand you a record deal and suddenly you're famous. There's a lot to be done, and you really have to do most of it yourself. So I try to share these things with my students, everything from home recording to arranging and communicating with the band. I like to be honest about how difficult it can be to strike out into the world as a musician, so they stay on their toes. At the same time, I want to acknowledge that there's some room for magic, you know?"
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Karen Carr, Assistant Professor
DEPARTMENT : Voice Department"I always tell students I'm not here to change them. I'm just here to introduce them to new styles, so when they go into a recording studio or an audition, they're ready. You never know where your musical path is going to lead you, so preparation is key. Know how to count off your tunes, know the keys you're singing in, get a songbook together of all the songs that you sing great in different styles. So when you go out into the world, you can present yourself professionally. I want my students to work when they get out of here."
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