SOUTH HIGH PRIVATE VOICE LESSON PROGRAM 2018-19 I. General Information: Studying voice privately with a teacher is perhaps the most powerful step a student can take to develop their singing voice. We have 5 highly-qualified voice teachers who are available to teach - during a student s choir period - before school - during a student s free period or study hall - during a student s lunch period Students can earn music-lettering points with weekly private voice lessons. Students enroll for the entire school year to receive weekly 25-minute private lessons in one of Choir s practice rooms. Lessons are competitively-priced at $25 per lesson. II. Fees: Registration, Accompanist for Spring Recital, Tuition A. Due Thursday, September 13 th to Ms. Meyers: - $10 Registration Fee (non-refundable) - $15 Accompanist Fee (for Spring Recital Accompanist) - Completed Registration Form - All payments in cash or check payable to South High - Lesson slots are filled on a first-come, first-served basis Please note: The first tuition payment is due at the first lesson and is given directly to the voice teacher. It is NOT due with the Registration Form. B. Tuition Fees (20 lessons in the school year) - Lessons begin the week of 9/24-5 Tuition Payments ($100 each; $500 total) - cash or check payable to your teacher; give directly to your voice teacher *Save the Date! Spring Recitals: Mon, April 22 nd, 6:00pm & 7:30pm in the Choir Rm. 1
III. Expectations of every Private Voice Student at South High: A. Be on time to every lesson, with all materials requested by your teacher B. Practice between lessons & be prepared to demonstrate your progress C. Each student will sing a solo at the Spring Recital (Evening of Mon, April 22 nd ) - Optional opportunities: 1) Prepare 2 solos & develop skills for ACDA Honor Choir Auditions -record auditions in October at lunches (9 th & 10 th graders) 2) Prepare 2 solos & develop skills for All State Choir Auditions -record auditions in February at lunches (10 th & 11 th graders) 3) Prepare solo for State High School League Solo/Ensemble Contest -off-site in April (10 th, 11 th, & 12 th graders; may conflict with Tour) 4) Prepare for South High Musical Theatre auditions (or other shows) 5) Prepare solos for college/scholarship auditions D. You must provide at least 24-hours notice to cancel a lesson (to be considered an excused absence) - Plan ahead if you will be absent for field trips, family trips, holidays, sports, etc. - Exception: you wake up sick the day of your lesson and will not be at school - You must contact your private teacher as early as possible that day - If you contact them before the lesson time, it counts as an excused absence - If you simply do not show up, it counts as an unexcused absence and you will be charged for the lesson; there will be no makeup lesson scheduled - Only 1 makeup lesson per semester will be rescheduled for excused absences - There are no makeup lessons scheduled for unexcused absences E. If payment is 2 weeks overdue, you may forfeit your spot in the studio. F. Subscribe via text or email to Remind (website anonymizes cell numbers) - Text the message: @442b8f to number 81010 - Class is titled SouthVoiceLessons 2
South High Private Voice Lessons 2018-19 *Note: There are no regular lessons during makeups weeks. These days are set aside so that a student may schedule a makeup lesson for an excused absence. Payment #1 due: $100 (cash or check payable to your voice teacher) 1 Week of 9/24 2 Week of 10/1 3 Week of 10/8 Makeups: Mon 10/16 & Tues 10/17 (No School Wed 10/17-Fri 10/19, MEA) 4 Week of 10/22 Makeups: Mon 10/29-Wed 10/31 (No School Thurs 11/1-Fri 11/2, Teacher Work Days) Payment #2 due: $100 (cash or check payable to your voice teacher) 5 Week of 11/5 6 Week of 11/12 Makeups: Mon 11/19 & Tues 11/20 (No School Wed 11/21-Fri 11/23, Thanksgiving) 7 Week of 11/26 8 Week of 12/3 Payment #3 due: $100 (cash or check payable to your voice teacher) 9 Week of 12/10 10 Week of 12/17 No Lessons 12/25-1/5 (Winter Break) 11 Week of 1/7 12 Week of 1/14 Makeups: Tues 1/22 & Wed 1/23 (No School Mon 1/15, MLK Jr Holiday) (No School Thurs 1/24-Fri 1/25, Teacher Work Days) 13 Week of 1/28 Payment #4 due: $100 (cash or check payable to your voice teacher) 14 Week of 2/4 Makeups: Mon 2/11-Thurs 2/14 (No School Fri 2/15, Conference Day) Makeups: Tues 2/19-Fri 2/22 (No School Mon 2/18, Presidents Day) 15 Week of 2/25 16 Week of 3/4 17 Week of 3/11 Payment #5 due: $100 Tuition: cash or check payable to voice teacher 18 Week of 3/18 Makeups: Week of 3/25 (No Wchool Fri 3/29, Teacher Work Day) No Lessons:Week of 4/1 (Spring Break) 19 Week of 4/8 (Wed-Fri Music Tour) PS & VC students pre-schedule makeup lessons 20 Week of 4/15 (Mon Music Tour) PS & VC students pre-schedule makeup lessons Evening Recitals: Monday, April 22, 2019, 6:00pm & 7:30pm, South High Choir Room #100 *Students will perform at only one recital, not at both 3
Get to know our 5 private voice teachers on the next 5 pages! Sam Baker Sam Baker earned M.M and D.M.A. in Vocal Performance from the University of Minnesota and has a B.M.E. from Texas Christian University (go frogs!). Sam has sung with VocalEssence, the Minnesota Chorale, the Oratorio Society, One Voice Mixed Chorus, the Border Crossings Ensemble, and the Westminster Presbyterian Church Choir. He has sung tenor in many of the University of Minnesota s opera productions and has also performed abroad in Italy, Austria, and France. Sam is looking forward to learning alongside the singers of South High, and looks forward to hearing you all! Sam s specialty is sight-reading skills, diction in foreign languages, and recital preparation. Sam enjoys hobbies outside of music, including drawing, writing, and space exploration. 4
Maggie Burton Maggie Burton has been teaching private music lessons for over 35 years. She holds a B.A. in Music and a M.M. in Vocal Performance from the University of Minnesota. She is also holds a certificate in Contemporary Commercial Music (CCM). Maggie has sung with the MN Opera, Gilbert & Sullivan Very Light Opera Company, Dale Warland Singers, Bach Society of Minnesota, and the Twin Cities Jewish Chorale. She performs as a flutist and soprano soloist with the First John Philip Sousa Memorial Band, and recently performed in Park Square Theatre s production of The Soul of Gershwin (December 2016). Maggie believes that singing is truly a gift to explore and nurture, and loves helping singers of all ages to make the most of their unique gifts. She focuses on healthy singing techniques, and enjoys working with a variety of styles and genres. She teaches voice at St. Barnabas Center for the Arts and in her home studio, not far from South High, and is excited to work with students at South. She is a member of NATS, NAFME, MMEA, Guild of Temple Musicians, Pi Kappa Lambda, and Pi Lambda Theta. She also plays and gives instruction in flute, clarinet, and beginning piano. 5
Siri Caltvedt Siri Caltvedt has taught private lessons in voice and piano for 19 years. She is a former member of the Minnesota Chorale and teaches voice class and assists with rehearsals for Voices of Hope, the choir program for women incarcerated at MCF-Shakopee. Siri majored in Music and Computer Science at Smith College and has Masters degrees in orchestral conducting from Southern Methodist University and voice and piano performance from the University of South Dakota. She is a member of NATS and MTNA. Her hobbies include running, reading, and vegan baking. She ran the Twin Cities Marathon five times but now prefers distances that require training runs not much longer than 2 hours. Siri is beginning to rediscover her creative writing skills through poetry and essay forms. She is also (nearly) fluent in German. 6
Robin Helgen Robin Helgen has been teaching voice at the high school and college level for over 20 years. She holds a B.A. in Music Education from Bethel University in St. Paul and her Master of Music Degree in Vocal Performance from the New England Conservatory in Boston. Currently Robin is singing with VocalEssence in the Ensemble Singers, a 32-voice professional choir and is a section leader at Central Lutheran Church in downtown Minneapolis. She has also sung with the MN Opera, being a part of over 20 productions. Robin loves to teach voice! She enjoys helping singers find their own voice. By understanding how the body works to allow singing, a singer can grow farther and more quickly to their own goals. Robin is also very excited to begin teaching at South High School. She lives in the city and has a great desire to help the young people of the city reach their fullest potential and reach the goals they have!! 7
Dennis Petersen As a singer actor, Dennis first love is the stage. His second love is helping others find their joy in singing and performing. During his thirty-five years as a highly-successful opera singer he has performed with almost every major opera singer in opera houses including San Francisco Opera, Chicago Lyric Opera, Metropolitan Opera of New York and international venues. His greatest teachers and mentors are the exceptional singers with whom he has had the privilege to perform. Dennis has also had the privilege of working with some of the major conductors of our time including James Levine, Zubin Metha and Seiji Ozawa. Dennis teaching philosophy is to approach each student with fresh ears and eyes. He recognizes the uniqueness that each student possesses. His specialty is to train and support operatic voices, though he enjoys working with all ages and genres. 8
South High Private Voice Lesson Registration Form 2018-19 Due to Ms. Meyers: Thursday, September 13, 2018 - with non-refundable $10 Registration Fee - and $15 Accompanist Fee (for Spring Voice Recital) - Cash or Check payble to South High Date Received: Reg. Fee Check# Accomp. Fee Check# Scholarship donation Check# & Amt: Choir Period(s) (circle all that apply): 0 1 2 3 5 6 Free Period(s)/Study Hall Periods available for lessons: 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 If interested in lessons during lunch, when is your lunch? 1 st 2 nd 3 rd 1 st choice teacher:, 2 nd choice:, No Preference: - Voice Teachers: Sam, Maggie, Siri, Robin, Dennis Student First & Last Name: Student Preferred Phone Number: Student Preferred Email: Parent/Guardian Name(s): Parent/Guardian Preferred Phone Number(s): Parent/Guardian Preferred Email(s): Parent/Guardian Signature: Are you registered for free/reduced lunch? (In case we receive donations for scholarship money to help students on free/reduced lunch. We are seeking donations) YES NO YES! I ll donate money to the Private Lesson Scholarship Fund! - You can include your donation with the Registration Fee or make a separate payment. (If making separate payment, write Lesson Scholarship in memo line of the check) 9