Getting Started
Susan Davies Voice Studio provides dynamic, online voice lessons that incorporate movement and body-awareness in a judgment-free space to let your creativity shine! There are a number of ways we can work together, so let’s find the best option for you.
Here's the roadmap for joining the studio!
1. Discovery Call
Let’s begin together! During this FREE 20-minute session, we’ll discuss your love of singing, your experience and goals, how I work, and whether it feels like a good fit to work together. Calls take place over Zoom.
2. Discovery Package
This is a paid 4-lesson package where you’ll get a feel for what it’s like to be in the studio! You can expect to explore your voice, develop your creativity, and learn new skills and songs in a warm, supportive environment that encourages authenticity & expression.
3. Join the Studio
If we both decide after the last Discovery Package lesson that it feels like a good fit to work together, we’ll discuss which lesson option is best for you. Then, you’ll receive information via email on the next steps to join the studio. I’m looking forward to meeting you!
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Frequently Asked Questions
I’ve never taken a voice lesson before. What can I expect?
Welcome! Every voice lesson is tailored to the individual student’s voice, interests, and goals. In the Susan Davies Voice Studio, voice lessons are a space to explore, experiment, ask questions, get curious, and sing in rough draft. Perfection is never the goal!
In this studio, voice lessons typically consist of 3 parts: physical warmups, vocal exercises, and repertoire. Much of the work we do in voice lessons is based on movement and body awareness, but you are always the ultimate authority on your body and instrument. You can expect to deepen your understanding and awareness of your unique instrument through guided exploration, self-reflection, and playfulness.
Do I need any special equipment for online lessons?
No, you do not need special equipment in order to have a robust online voice lesson. However, you will definitely need reliable, high-speed internet, so that both teacher and student have the clearest connection possible. Zoom has audio settings that we’ll adjust at your first lesson for optimal sound feedback. Typically, Chromebooks have poor audio and video quality that make online lessons difficult, so I would advise using another device for lessons unless you use external equipment. If you’re interested in purchasing a microphone, external speakers, or headphones to enhance your online experience or to practice microphone technique, I would be happy to give you a list of recommendations!
What is a voice studio?
A voice studio is the community of students who study with a particular voice teacher. Without you (the students), the Susan Davies Voice Studio would not exist! Though some students only study one-on-one with the teacher, you are all part of the same studio and singing community, connected by similar experiences through working with the same teacher. If desired, students can tap into this community more actively through participation in studio workshops and recitals, where they can share their creative work more broadly.
What kinds of songs do people sing in this studio?
Students sing all kinds of songs! Though I encourage students to try out many new songs and genres (which helps to build a resilient, flexible voice and an appreciation for all kinds of music), you lead approximately 80% of repertoire choices. Currently, studio members sing everything from musical theater to pop to folk to classical. Some students work on music that they wrote, while others prepare music for school musical auditions. Whatever you sing, make sure you love it and connect with it on an emotional level!
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What’s with the sunflowers?
I once received a birthday card that summed it up well: “Sunflowers: with irresistible charm, they stand tall, unabashedly seeking the source of their sustenance. Sunflowers show us the beauty of staying connected with all that nourishes and sustains us.”
Artists can learn a lot from sunflowers and their unique combination of strength, delight, and beauty. If we are the sunflowers, then singing is the sun! Sunflowers track the path of the sun with their heads every day. Even on cloudy days, they still follow this path, chasing the light they know is there beyond the clouds.
My hope is that this voice studio provides a space for you to pursue your love of singing, following the call of your innate musicianship, even if you cannot yet see where it might lead. Singing is a profound way to connect with ourselves and others and to recognize ourselves as capable and creative.