David Walther, Voice Teacher: I have been teaching voice for over 35 years. I have been a professional singer much longer. You can here me sing under “Media" on this website or google: David Walther, Dramatic Bass for to hear me sing. I have given vocal workshops at Lexington, MA (Hancock Church) and Waterville, ME (Colby College). I taught voice privately in Alston and Waltham. I currently teach in Roslindale, MA. I teach all voice types, ranges and levels of experience.
Education: I hold a Bachelor's Degree from The Juilliard School of Music. I studied voice with Oren Brown, Jeffrey Gall and Jerome Hines, and have a Master's Degree in voice from Trenton State Teachers' College in NJ, where I was a graduate assistant in Ear Training. I also attended the Ph.D program at Boston University where I was a graduate teaching fellow and taught classes in both Keyboard Harmony and Ear Training. I received scholarships to New England and Boston Conservatory Opera Department.
Philosophy of Vocal Pedagogy: I am non-threatening, non-judgemental and devoted to nurturing each singer's unique sound. I believe in experimentation. Through trying many ideas we arrive at our own truths.
A computer is capable of millions of different colours. The human voice is capable of an INFINITE number of colours. In a voice lesson we experiment with this infinite pallet of sound colour to find choices that best suit the music. The style of the composition is, of course, a factor, but the final decision is always the performer's choice. However, I do believe that some ways of singing can cause vocal problems. We always avoid ways of singing that are painful, since discomfort is the body's natural defence system.
I believe, as a starting point, in singing with as little tension as possible. Singing is hard enough work without added, useless tension. This is the system that Oren Brown taught me. I believe that all singing is acting. Listeners respond to an emotional experience.
There are two types of acting: 1. studying what people do in certain situations and replicating them; and 2. digging into our own experiences and reliving the memories that are applicable to the music. This second type, called method acting, is my preference but both are useful.
Availability: I charge 60$ for an hour lesson. Partial lessons are also available at a reduced rate. I teach in my home in Roslindale, MA. My phone number is: (617) 325-7745, and you may leave a message. My email address is [email protected] I hope to hear from you soon.
Let's experiment and grow together. David Walther, Voice Teacher