Please excuse the dust! 

This website is under construction. 

Despite the mess…here is a very quick description of what this music studio provides (much more to come in time!):

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Alison Gruber's Voice and Piano Studio teaches students of all ages and levels of skill.  In this studio, we learn to sing or play the piano in a progression that enables a high level of coordination/comprehension which readily and at any stage transfers to any other genre that student desires. 

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Alison’s Voice Lessons

As a Singer and Voice Teacher, I build and support vocal ease, freedom of expression and vocal longevity – an action that feels and looks effortless so that the singer and audience are moved by the story within the music.   I teach breath support, and all components of singing to build healthy resonance and phonation while the student is communicating in various languages, most commonly: English, Latin, French, Italian, German, Spanish.   With practice, this technique becomes habitual so that a singer can be in the emotional intent of the poetry -- not their head. 

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A healthy vocal technique enables a singer to let go and become one with their body's innate wisdom of alignment, vowel and exhale.  We move to loosen and create body awareness, establish mental tasks that cause action to form a technique and coordination, and then work with a song:  folk, art song, jazz, opera, oratorio, pop, etc.   

 

Poetic evaluation of lyrics, musical artistry in performance, and contextual understanding of the piece given its date of composition is all used to prepare a student for performance.  Performing for others is one of the greatest gifts a musician can provide other humans (and pets!  I speak from experience!) – voice students learn how to do it this while using their own voices, their own individual sound.

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It is invaluable for a singer to work with a collaborative pianist (and often!) once they are ready.  Voice lessons are intentionally not accompanied for the majority of our time together so that we can hear and build your voice.​

 

Voice lessons are offered in 45 and 60 minute increments based upon age, skill and need.

 

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Alison’s Piano Lessons

...teach both visual and aural comprehension of pitches and rhythm: reading/writing with the (Treble, Bass, etc.) staff, rhythm and chord notation systems while also orienting your ears to what you are hearing.  This all translates to *playing the piano* in any genre but also improved spatial temporal reasoning among other complex skills that can be applied to many other tasks in life. With an uplifting approach that inspires curiosity, students learn how to read, write, compose, play, improvise, sight-read, sight-sing and perform -- all with the historical context for the pieces they are playing/singing.

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I help my students access their own body's intelligence, instincts and weight to harness ease and freedom in their playing.  We eliminate unhelpful tensions that might otherwise plague a musician, developing coordination for various speeds, volumes and agility.

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Piano lessons are offered in 45 and 60 minute increments based upon age, skill and need.

 

Students who study music (voice and other instruments)...

... develop skills that transfer to many pursuits in life: psychosocial understanding, communicative confidence, emotional expression, greater ease in learning languages, mathematical reasoning (intervals, patterns, rhythmic fractions, layering of patterns to name a few), understanding of World History to name a few.  While there have been many studies documenting these findings, here is a link that serves as a succinct reference:

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https://www.classicfm.com/discover-music/instruments/piano/helps-brain-body-graphic/

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Alison's memberships with LATMA, MTAC, MTNA, NATS and NAfME, have supported her as she served as a Performing Classical Singer, Choir Director, Pianist and Private Instructor – navigating the tricky worlds of building solo voices and instrumentalists while also enabling the collaboration of many voices and instruments at once.  Alison is grateful to her instructors who have provided life-giving purpose to her career and all endeavors.

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What students are saying:

"Alison helped me fix what I thought was my pitch...I had always known my ear to be sensitive and highly accurate and so was frustrated with my inaccuracy (happened even within my tessitura!).  She helped me let go of my strength so that I could exhale for perfect intonation every time."

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"I struggled in my Conservatory to establish a solid technique.  By the time I graduated, I felt like a fake.  Even with the tactics that should have worked, I developed tension, became frustrated and sang inconsistently.  Alison helped me understand what my voice needed and how to assess my own body and voice each day. "

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"After years of singing in a choir, I wanted to develop my own solo voice for greater confidence but thought it would take many years.  Three lessons plus practice.  That is all it took for me to recognize my voice's biggest obstacles.   Five years later, I am still studying with her (my voice keeps growing; it's hard to stop)."

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"Alison helped me get into the College Music program of my choice and I still check in with her when I am in town (with my current voice teacher's knowledge; they are in sync).  She is honest, right-on, and direct so I know what I need to fix."

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"My breath support is unstoppable thanks to Alison's help.  I am so grateful for her lessons."

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"I returned to singing after ten years away and am getting hired for gigs again.  During my time pursuing a vocal degree at a prestigious music program, each semester felt like a push to learn the music but not to fine-tune and build my technique in a way that was necessary and lasting.  I needed mess-less function for consistency.  I found Alison's support and education to be accessible, simple. and sane.  I love singing again."

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"My body understand how to play...finally!  I used to struggle with tension in my body and hands and Alison helped me relax to play.  I have dynamic range...playing the piano is so much fun now."

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"My son loves to play the piano even though he ordinarily cannot sit still.  Thank you, Alison."
 

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What is the difference between a Voice Teacher and a Coach?  A Repetiteur? A Collaborative Pianist?  An Accompanist?

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What does my Pelvic Floor have to do with my diaphragm?

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How do my Hip Flexors effect my passive exhale?

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Why is Opera and Classical Singing referred to as the Olympics of singing? 

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