voice lessons

Voice Lessons

Voice

Private voice lessons provide focused, one-on-one instruction, while guiding students to develop their unique voice at their own pace. Private lessons establish solid foundations in theory, repertoire and technique and tone. Students are exposed to a variety of musical concepts and skills while being inspired to achieve their goals. We offer private music lessons as well as more advanced training in our Conservatory Vocal Track. Please feel free to see our Tuitions and Fees page.

The basics of voice technique are applied to each area of study including opera, music theater, or modern pop music. Learning proper vocal techniques will help to control your singing voice. In traditional terms, this way of singing will help to create a clear and effortless tone. Above all, our teachers use a combination of Bel Canto, High Resonance and Vowel Altering techniques to forge beautiful singing.

Studio

At the Resonance School of Music, we welcome all types of singers. It is our goal to use a combination of traditional and music theater repertoire to help vocalists master their individual techniques. With this they can apply those techniques to whatever music they choose.

There are many opportunities for our vocal department students to perform throughout the year. In addition to performance workshops/masterclasses, we hold recitals twice a year to prepare students for their auditions and performances.

Resonance School has had successes in the area of Vocal Teaching and Coaching. Our students have been on Broadway, Television, and Radio. They can similarly be seen throughout the year performing in professional and local theatres across New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware.


Voice Instructors

Meet Barbara Toombs, a seasoned voice teacher with over three decades of experience dedicated to nurturing the musical talents of aspiring vocalists. With a passion for music that burns as brightly today as it did at the beginning of their illustrious journey, Barbara is a true maestro in the realm of vocal instruction.

For more than 30 years, Barbara has been the guiding force behind countless voices, helping students discover the full range and potential of their vocal abilities. Their teaching philosophy is rooted in the belief that music transcends mere notes and lyrics; it’s a language of emotions and expressions. Barbara brings this philosophy to life in her lessons, fostering a nurturing and creative environment where students not only learn technique but also unleash the depth of their musicality.

As a passionate advocate for the transformative power of music, Barbara has honed her skills to impart not just the technical aspects of singing but also the soulful artistry that sets great vocalists apart. With Barbara as your guide, you’ll embark on a musical journey that not only refines your voice but also ignites your passion for the extraordinary world of vocal music. Join Barbara and let your voice soar to new heights under the guidance of a true master of the craft.

Gwen Hasheian Norton is delighted to join the teaching staff at the Resonance School of Music in 2024 as a voice and piano instructor. Gwen hails from Salem County,  NJ and began her music training in the Pennsville Public School District.  Vocal studies progressed at Rowan University with Dr. Eugene Thamon Simpson,  the Academy of Vocal Arts in Philadelphia  with Bill Shuman and post-graduate studies under the tutelage of Laura Brooks Rice at Westminster Choir College.  Gwen holds a doctoral degree (EdD)_from West Virginia University in Vocal Performance and Pedagogy.

Dr. Norton’s formal educational journey was greatly enriched by a performance internship at the Curtis Institute of Music and an opera apprenticeship at the Juilliard Opera Center.  She is committed to being a life-long learner for as long as possible!

She has performed and covered various leading and supporting roles during her career as a dramatic mezzo-soprano with the Merola Tour of the San Francisco Opera,  Chicago Lyric Opera,  New York City Opera,  Dallas Opera,  Opera Company of Philadelphia,  Santa Fe Opera and La Piccola Scala Opera of Rome, Italy, among others.   Over the last three decades,  Gwen has received awards and prizes from the Mario Lanza Foundation,  Marian Anderson Foundation,  Luciano Pavarotti Foundation,  Giargiari Bel Canto Guild,  and the Northeast Regional Council of the Metropolitan Opera.

Her teaching experience in the areas of vocal and instrumental music has included students of all ages and stages throughout the tri-state area.   It has been an absolute privilege to work with ensembles of all types and sizes, as well as solo performers and she plans to continue her teaching in these domains.

A music education and vocal track graduate at Rowan University, Kathryn takes the acquisition of vocal pedagogy seriously. She currently studies classical voice with Professor Lauren Athey-Janka, professional classical singer and recently published pedagogy expert. In the summer of 2016, Kathryn studied at Westminster Choir College’s Vocal Pedagogy Institute with their esteemed faculty. Later, in 2018, Kathryn was recognized in the published pedagogy series “Solo Vocal Repertoire for Singers and Teachers of Singers” by Christopher Arneson and Lauren Athey-Janka for contributing to the research and editing process.

Kathryn has sung in college, community, and honors choirs. She has performed in operas, musicals, pageants, and oratorios. Her greatest accomplishments include winning the Marian Anderson Scholarship Competition twice, singing with the Philadelphia Pops Choir, and singing as section leader at the Presbyterian Church at Woodbury.

In musical theater, she has portrayed Mrs. Potts in Beauty and the Beast, Erzulie in Once on this Island, Vie Moore in Footloose, and Dolly in Annie Get Your Gun. In Rowan University’s opera department, she has performed Mable in Pirates of Penzance, First Lady in Magic Flute, Cunegonde in Candide, Cupid in Orpheus and the Underworld, Papagena in Magic Flute, the 1st Witch in Dido and Aeneas, and the Angel in The Happy Prince.

Kathryn has been a student of and collaborated with the following artistic community leaders: Jack Hill, Sylvia Richardson, Dr. Lillian Levinowitz, Professor Marian Steiber, and Dr. Christopher Thomas.

Currently, Kathryn is finishing her music education degree at Rowan University. She can be found doing local productions and singing as section leader of the Presbyterian Church of Woodbury.

In the future, Kathryn plans to pursue a Masters of Music degree in performance and pedagogy.

Since graduating from Rowan University with her degree in Vocal Music Education, Beth has been pursuing many musical and educational endeavors. She teaches piano and voice lessons at Resonance School of Music as well as at the Philadelphia Vocal Conservatory and is the Music Director at Holy Angels Parish in Woodbury, NJ.

Throughout her life, she has studied voice with Karen Huffstodt, Lauren Athey-Janka, and Melissa Daniels-McCann. She has also studied piano with Ellen Youssefian, Alrene Ezekiel, and Lydia Boguslavsky. Beth has a great deal of experience as a church musician and in teaching private lessons, workshops, classes, and leading choir rehearsals.

Beth started piano lessons at the age of 8 and has loved music ever since. She truly enjoys sharing her love for and knowledge of music with others. This motivates her to always continue her musical training. Beth teaches at Resonance Monday through Thursday.

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