Voice | ASMPitman.com

Private lesson structure:

Technique

Opening exercises that build foundational technique (breathing, tone, vowel structure).

Theory

The student will demonstrate solfeggio and counting exercises taught and assigned at the previous lesson to be practiced and mastered at home. The expectation is that the student will progress through independent work.

Song Exploration

30 minute lessons: One song at a time, developing performance skills, demonstrating progress in concepts taught in previous lessons.

45 minute lessons: Two or more songs, developing performance skills, demonstrating progress in concepts taught in previous lessons.

Lauren Musick Canna

(it's her married name!)

Ms. Canna holds a BM in Voice from Rutgers University and an MM in Choral Conducting

Ms. Musick Canna (it's her married name!) holds a BM in Voice from Rutgers University and an MM in Choral Conducting from Temple University. She has completed additional studies at Westminster Choir College and Rowan University. Owner of AfterSchool Music, Ms. Canna maintains a selective studio of students. She is the conductor of the Sparrow Women's Chorale - a local feminist women's choir. She is a member of the National Association for the Teachers of Singing (NATS), the American Choral Director's Association (ACDA). She is pursuing her DMA at Shenandoah Conservatory

She is the former conductor of the Garden State Girlchoir, (a part of the Commonwealth Youthchoir Systems and cousin to the renowned Pennsylvania Girlchoir). She was the Program Director of the Pitman Recreation Theater for 10 years. She has taught voice and conducted the choir at Rowan College of New Jersey for 10 years, has taught at Buena Regional High School, Cape May Technical High School, and the New Jersey School of Music.

She is especially proud to have taught over 25 local music teachers and maintains a warm and collegial relationship with many of her former students and their families. Many of her students have become professional performing musicians, academics, working actors, music therapists, and studio musicians.

Ms Canna is a great choice for 6th-12th grade developing singers with some previous experience, although dedicated beginners are fine as well. Adult singers and those looking to improve their classical, musical theater, or pop/jazz singing. Ms Canna's approach is centered in solid, healthy singing technique that is grounded in the research surrounding the anatomy of the singing voice. Her standards for her students tend to be very high while maintaining a friendly and supportive atmosphere.

Ms Canna teaches Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday in Pitman. Her room is Room 1 just between the kitchen and waiting room (look for the glass door)

Adi Achterberg

Adelaide is a singer, musician, and actor graduating from Rowan University with a degree in Musical Theatre. Her main instruments are voice and piano, as well as oboe, ukulele, saxophone, and bass guitar.

She started playing piano and performing onstage at a very young age and performed with many musical groups and community theatres in her home county of York, PA.

Adelaide prides herself on her versatility of vocal styles, though she specializes in musical theatre and jazz. With her strong background in musical theatre, she believes in creating a well-rounded performer with a healthy voice and an equal focus on musicality and emotional expression.

Adi teaches singers of all ages. Our K-8th grade students particularly love her.

She teaches on Mondays and Thursdays in Room 4 (second floor)

Grace Mazzola

Grace Mazzola is a Soprano who graduated with a Bachelor of Music in Vocal

Performance from The University of Hartford, The Hartt School. She specializes in solo

singing, early music, and sacred music. She has had the opportunity to study in many Vocal

Studios at The Hartt School, including those of Dr. Wayne Rivera, Dr. Thomas Cannon,

Professor Cherie Claudia, and Dr. Lisabeth Miller. During her Undergraduate Degree, she

sang with the Schola Cantorum at The Cathedral of St. Joseph in West Hartford, CT where

she was regularly singing Sunday Masses, Confirmation Masses, Funerals, and Weddings

under the direction of Dr. Gabriel Löfvall. One of Grace’s most fond memories while

studying at Hartt is being asked to sing in the Final Fantasy: Distant Worlds concert series

at the Bushnell Performing Arts Center with the Hartford Symphony Orchestra under the

direction of Arnie Roth. In her free time, Grace can be found hiking, going to the gym, or

snuggling with her cat Toby.

Grace teaches singers of all ages, and has a strong pedagogical background in classical technique. Her focus is on healthy, age-appropriate singing and on the building of solid musicianship.

Grace teaches on Tuesdays and Wednesdays in Room 4 (second floor)

What students need to start voice lessons:

All students will need a non-school email address, preferably gmail, for sharing recordings and assignments.

They will need the technology to play those tracks at home and an external speaker for listening to those tracks. In-ear or over-ear buds or headphones are not recommended.

Some students will require songbooks, which will be supplied individually since all students and voices are different.

Voice class students do not require sheet music - all pieces are provided for them in a binder.