What to Expect from Voice Lessons
Never taken music lessons before? Don’t worry, we bring in lots of brand new music students every year. Here's how it works...
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Each week, you’ll see the same instructor, at the same time, most likely for 30 minutes. Your instructor will review what you worked on last time, correct any mistakes, and assign new material. Then, you take your new assignments home and practice them on your own. Your teacher will guide you as to how to practice and for how long, but most teachers recommend at least 5 practice sessions a week, even if each one isn’t that long. It’s always best to do more practice days for shorter periods of time than it is to cram long practice sessions into only a couple days!
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With voice lessons especially, our instructors are always focused on a uniquely tailored experience for you! After all, what's more unique than a voice? Your instructor will first get an idea of your current level, range, and goals. Once they have an idea of where you are and where you want to be, they'll provide you with vocal exercises, warmups, and songs to work on that will bolster your capabilities as a singer. Our instructors are all very well-rounded in that they've worked with students of all sorts of different backgrounds and styles. Whether you're looking for some tutoring on opera or trying to nail that rock-and-roll style, we've got someone ready to help you get there!
As you progress week to week, your instructor will start to suggest supplemental material or activities to round out your training. He/She may suggest taking our Music Theory class, or participating in a summer program. Perhaps they even think you’re ready to take the stage and tell you to sign up for The Den! As you go along, your instructor will also be looking to you to set personal goals, so that you’re always working towards what you want to do with music!
If you get to the point where you feel that you want look into the music industry as a career choice, we will schedule a sit-down meeting with you (and your parents or guardians, if applicable) to help you get started. The New York School of Music network is far-reaching, and includes professionals throughout the Hudson Valley and at performing arts colleges. No matter what part of the music industry you’re interested in, we will do our best to connect you to relevant professionals in our network, arrange for work experience opportunities, and prepare you for entering the field.
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First half hour= $150/month, all additional half hours in immediately family= $140/month. We have no age limit for becoming a student!
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Scroll down to meet our wonderful instructors!
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Amy Cutter - voice
Amy Cutter has been a Licensed Massage Therapist for more than 20 years and is also a vocal performance coach. Music has been a huge passion for Amy her entire life. She has had recording studio experience and is uniquely comfortable on both sides of the studio and stage. She studied Musical Theatre at NY City's American Musical and Dramatic Academy (AMDA). Amy became a massage therapist in 1997 and currently runs a private practice which includes Cold Laser Therapy and Veterinary Chiropractitioning. Her background includes teaching as an adjust instructor at SUNY's Orange County Community College. A unique background in anatomy and kinesiology compliments her background in musical theatre and provide the insight between structural muscle integrity and sound production to create a memorable performance.
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Amy's vision for her students is to develop tools to strengthen the muscles that support the voice, eliminate tension that limits the voice, and discover strategies to help connect to a song and translate it to the audience. The amount of time a student selects to dedicate between lessons determines the growth that we will experience. The ultimate goal is to outgrow the teacher and move on the the next! (Just like everything in life... you get out what you put in.) Above all, Amy strongly believes how important it is to love what you do and facilitates that in every student at every age to determine their goals, set a game plan, and take action to achieve those goals.
Jacob Friedman- piano, guitar, voice, music production
Jacob Friedman has been composing, educating and performing professionally since
graduating Columbia University. He has received certificate of recognition from the Carnegie
Hall American Protege International Music Competition for excellence in teaching. He has
scored the soundtracks for the Mysterious China documentary series by Monarex Hollywood
and has had his pieces performed at Princeton a University and at the Corcoran Gallery of Art, in Washington, D.C. As a songwriter, Jacob has released several albums spanning all genres from EDM to World music and collaborated with some notable writers including Peter Bliss, who produced for Barbra Streisand and NSYNC.
James Lippert - guitar, bass, drums, voice, ukelele, piano
James Lippert is a young musician who has been playing all sorts of instruments since Junior High. He actually started his music career here as a guitar student roughly a decade ago and has been performing around the area ever since! He's currently pursuing a Bachelor's in Psychology through SUNY New Paltz, and has been studying music and music theory since High School. His current plans involve a career in music therapy and music production. He is currently the lead singer for Cheating the Polygraph, as well as a multi-instrumentalist for bands such as Souls at Large. He developed a love for teaching music after working with our very own Brendan and Sinclair White and has been teaching any and every instrument he can since 2023. He's proficient in guitar, voice, bass, drums, ukelele, banjo, and piano; he also spends a vast majority of his spare time writing music as a songwriter. His current projects include Telethia, Serene Mayhem, and a handful of pieces under his own name! He absolutely loves seeing his students grow and do well, and he can't wait to see them take the stage.
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Casie Snow-Hebel- voice, beginner brass
Throughout her life, Casie has always had a strong passion for singing and all things related to music. Starting in high school, she has received vocal and instrumental lessons to start pursuing her desire to teach music. Having studied at SUNY Ulster and The College of Saint Rose for her undergraduate degrees, Casie has taught choir/general music at Crispell Middle School in Pine Bush for one year and choir/musical theater at Middletown High School over the past four years. Always eager to learn and improve, she plans to continue her studies and pursue a masters degree in vocal pedagogy.
Casie has worked with students between the ages of 6-65 with different levels of experience and has helped them to become stronger vocalists and performers. Her background of vocal studies has made her proficient in performing a wide genre of music including musical theater, pop, r&b, jazz, rock, opera, and more. Casie also teaches beginner brass lessons for those starting out on their brass journey. She helps students establish a strong foundation to create a good tone and to establish proper technique. Seeing her students grow and become the performer they want to be is what she loves to do.
Brendan White- guitar, piano, drums, voice, bass
Brendan White is a 27 year old musician who was born and raised in the Hudson Valley. He studied Music Therapy and Contemporary Music at SUNY New Paltz, where he graduated in 2018 and has been teaching ever since. He is proficient at guitar, piano, voice, drums, and bass.
Sinclair White - voice
Sinclair White has a Bachelor of Music degree from Westminster Choir College where she majored in vocal performance. She has studied with Maestro Franco Bertacci and concert pianist and vocal coach David Leighton. Sinclair has performed with the Philadelphia Philharmonic Orchestra under the direction of world renowned conductor Yannick Nézet-Séguin. It was during her four years at Westminster that Sinclair 's vocal coach, Dr. Kathy Kessler Price started her on the path to teaching. Sinclair has always enjoyed singing but found her passion when she was asked to join the acclaimed Kingston High School Choir and began working with her mentor, director Lawrence Lohman. Sinclair is also a songwriter who plays piano, guitar, drums, and ukulele. Nothing makes her happier than hearing her students voices grow.