Information About Jessica - Waltham Forest teacher

Personal Description:

I have been performing since I was 8 years old and have sung in genres from choral, to barbershop, to gospel, to opera, to rock, to jazz. I love singing, the voice and I love to share my knowledge. As a trained actor, I have extensive experience in voiceover, public speaking, and performance technique, as well.

Please note that I am a freelance artist so my schedule can change from week to week so flexibility is appreciated, but I do my best to give students a consistent schedule that works for them.

Available to teach online via Zoom or in-person from my home.

Tutoring Experience:

I've spent years teaching students from age 5 to age 70 and have worked with independent musicians, hobbyists, musical theatre performers, professionals, and public speakers.

I began my teaching life in artist outreach & peace-building projects around the world, receiving the prestigious Rotary Ambassadorial Scholarship for my work, taking me to South Africa to study, perform, and facilitate community service projects.

I've taught privately students from age 8 to 70, in primary school settings, drama school masterclasses, teacher training programs, public speaking workshops, as well as leading my own self-developed "Embodied Voice" group workshops which using my work as an EFT & EMDR practitioner to incorporate the voice into our understanding of the body-mind connection & mental health.

Tutoring Approach:

My teaching style is three-fold: 1) Lessons are practice; we are there to learn and make mistakes and not be perfect so enjoy it! 2) I use classical performance technique as a foundation. Basically this means that the foundation/beginning of our work will be with the body, breathing, relaxation, etc. 3) I incorporate learning pieces into the lesson to apply the practical skills of exercises and to develop as storytellers so please come with pieces in mind. Everything is a workshop; you are not singing FOR me, we are working together to find out how to unlock your individual sound.

Please note, I want to focus on the student, so I do not play the piano in lessons. I use pre-recorded piano scales so that I can get up and work with you to model technique and also do hands-on work to help you find physical release/relaxation so that you are in your body in a neutral position. The body is, after all, the instrument and singing requires the whole body. When it comes time to sing a song, we will use a backing track so I can observe your technique and give you feedback and continue to work with you on your feet. You are not performing FOR me, we are working together and I am facilitating exploration for you to discover your sound.

My goal is to encourage my students to develop their own unique style, taste, and artistic identity.