The singing voice can absolutely be a child's first introduction to musical study. When we nurture a child's love of singing,  they are often motivated to dig deeper into their musical studies as they grow older. The Alfano Voice Studio provides private voice lessons to children and teenagers aged 5-18.

 

There are significant physical differences between a child's unchanged larynx, a teen's larynx, and a fully-formed adult larynx; understanding what these differences mean in the voice studio is essential to providing a firm technical foundation that will set young students up for a life full of healthy singing.

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Young members of the studio can be seen singing in their school's choirs and spring musicals, auditioning for professional and amateur theatrical productions, being accepted into performing arts magnet schools and All-State ensembles, and scoring high in various vocal and theatrical competitions.

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During the initial voice consultation, students and parents have the opportunity to discuss goals, any prior musical background, and favorite musical styles. Students learn age-appropriate vocal technique in a way that is easily digestible, and above all, fun!

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Ages 13-18:

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For students in this age range, lessons are structured in largely the same manner as adult lessons. The first half of the lesson is spent refining technique through thoughtfully designed vocalizes, while the second half is dedicated to applying the technique to the student's chosen repertoire.

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Specialized audition prep is offered to students auditioning for the area's arts magnet high schools (DASOTA and SJCCA) as well as those auditioning for collegiate programs.

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Ages 5-12:

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It is a well known fact in the professional singing world that very few voice instructors are knowledgeable in the field of pediatric pedagogy, as its methods are not traditionally taught in collegiate and graduate pedagogy courses. As a result, many future voice teachers are dissuaded from teaching young, pre-pubescent singers, and instead choose to only accept voice students who have undergone their voice change. 

 

As a teacher who has done the work to fully understand what it means to teach this age group and their growing instruments, I am passionate about starting children off on the right path to healthy singing habits. Each lesson, I meet my students where they are, and gently guide them to better places. It is important for parents to understand that there are physical limitations on what we can expect from an unchanged voice, particularly concerning range, stamina, volume, and flexibility. 

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Lessons are paced much differently for this age range than for teens and adults, who have larger attention spans and more robust vocal stamina. In these lessons, we keep creativity and playfulness flowing with plenty of positive reinforcement! My youngest students work with fun props such as monkey noodles and Hoberman spheres to help them grasp vocal concepts. Students learn the foundations of vocal technique, participate in fun ear-training exercises, develop early musicianship skills, and sing age-appropriate songs. 

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Specialized audition prep is offered to students auditioning for LaVilla School of the Arts, as well as other arts magnet middle schools.

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For students in this age range, 30 minute lessons or 45 minute lessons are recommended. In the case of especially mature students, 60 minute lessons may be considered.

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