Private Lessons

Updated Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Documents available at the end of this article

The first week of school students will have an opportunity to sign up for private voice lessons during school hours. Please consider this opportunity to develop your individual talent! Private lessons help help students develop performing confidence as they receive instruction pertaining to their individual vocal technique. Voice lessons are a must for students who are serious about improving their singing skills! The Lovejoy Choir Booster Club will also sponsor a few kids for scholarships; if you would like to take voice but need financial aid to do so, please download the attached scholarship form (to be added soon) and return it to your director.

Lesson Information

Private voice lessons will be given through the Lovejoy Choral Department during class time, or other arranged time. Class time will be given on a first-come, first-serve basis.
There will be one 22-minute lesson per week.
The cost is eighteen dollars per lesson.
Monthly payments in the form of check or money order are due to the teacher at the beginning of each month (usually $72)

Teacher Expectations

Recommended practice time is twenty minutes per day, five days per week. More time may be necessary for those preparing for auditions, contests, and recitals.

Students are expected to participate in voice recitals, All-Region, and in the UIL solo/ensemble event.

Students must attend recitals scheduled during the year.

Students should come to their lessons prepared, with a cooperative and respectful attitude. They should also bring all assigned materials to each lesson.

Drop Policy

Students should make voice lessons a long-term commitment for the entire school year.

If an unavoidable situation arises making it impossible to continue lessons, the student is expected to finish the lessons for the month that is paid for (no refunds).

If expectations are not met, the teacher may choose to discontinue lessons after finishing the month that is paid for.

Absence Policy

Students to be absent on a lesson day should notify their teacher by phone. Failure to notify the teacher will result in default of the lesson.

Excused lessons will be made up as fits the teacher's schedule. If a teacher cannot make up an excused lesson, they may elect to credit the lesson at their discretion.

In the event the teacher must be absent, notification will be made and lessons made up at the earliest possible time.

All-Region Auditions

Students who are planning to audition for All-Region Choir should learn their music as soon as possible, as there will be limited time when lessons begin. Students should learn notes and music before coming to the lesson, so that lesson time can be spent on musicality, phrasing, and vocal technique. Please see your director for more information on All-Region.

About the Teachers

Crystal Chamberlain

Mezzo-Soprano Crystal Chamberlain graduated from Texas Woman’s University with a Master of the Arts in Vocal Pedagogy in 2009. She also holds a Bachelor of Music in Music Education from Dallas Baptist University. Ms. Chamberlain has performed with the Ft. Worth Symphony Orchestra numerous times, as well as performing for the Southwest American Choral Directors’ Association and at Carnegie Hall. While at TWU she received the 2008 award for Operatic Excellence and performed in operas and scenes productions with roles such as “Mrs. Ott” in Susannah, “Ms. Todd” in The Old Maid and The Thief, “Cherubino” in The Marriage of Figaro and “Meg” in Little Women. Before coming to Lovejoy she taught private voice lessons at schools in Denton and Flower Mound where her students consistently received Superior ratings at Solo and Ensemble competition and earned spots in All-Region and All-District Choirs. Ms. Chamberlain is excited to join the Lovejoy High School choir department this year.

Kay Austin

Kay George Austin has served on the faculty of Richland College in Dallas since 2001 where she teaches applied voice and lyric diction and phonetics. She has sung leading operatic roles across the United States including Donna Elvira with Pensacola Opera, Nedda with Asheville Lyric Opera and Manon with Baton Rouge Opera. Ms. Austin is a Metropolitan Opera National Council finalist and a winner of the Borchers Prize through the National Association of Teachers of Singing Artist Award. She has served on the faculties of Dallas Baptist University, Louisiana State University and Southeastern Louisiana University.

Corey Trahan

With over 50 roles in his repertoire, Corey Trahan is an active performer in opera, oratorio, music theatre, operetta and recital venues. Known for his comic timing, versatile voice, and onstage charisma, he is being seen and heard around the nation in repertoire ranging from operatic classics to modern musical theatre.

Corey Trahan’s active engagement schedule for the 2010/11 season include performances of Mr. Erlanson in A Little Night Music at St. Petersburg Opera (Fl), the role of Giordano Bruno in the new opera Bliss by Joseph Illick and as a featured soloist in a Jacques Brel concert both with the Santa Fe Concert Association, two recital tours funded with a Challenge America Grant by the National Endowment for the Arts, and as the tenor soloist in Bach’s Cantata N. 104 in New York City.

In the 2009/10 season, Mr. Trahan returned to Forth Worth Opera in the World Premiere of Before the Night Falls as the Visa/Customs Official, sang Don Basilio in Le Nozze di Figaro at Birmingham Opera where he had previously sung Pang in Turandot, performed the role of Matt at Natchez Festival of Music for The Fantastiks and was a guest vocalist in two productions for Louisiana Delta Ballett/Monroe Symphony Orchestra. Mr. Trahan also made debuts with Santa Fe Concert Association as Kaspar in Amahl & the Night Visitors, at Ash Lawn Opera Festival as Mordred in Camelot and Don Curzio in Le Nozze di Figaro, and reprised the roles of Dr. Blind/Ivan/Frosch in Die Fledermaus for Salt Marsh Opera.

In 2008, Corey Trahan sang Njegus in The Merry Widow at Opera New Jersey, Dr. Blind/Ivan/Frosch in Die Fledermaus at the Amarillo Opera, Pepe in a workshop/concert version of Before the Night Falls at Fort Worth Opera, Will Parker in Oklahoma at Natchez Festival of Music, and Monostatos in Die Zauberflöte at OperaWorks! in Los Angeles. Mr. Trahan performed a 2009 recital tour entitled Strike Up the Band! featuring works written by George Gershwin, Jerome Kern, Cole Porter, Irving Berlin and Richard Rodgers, and the same year a Holiday Concert Tour, both under the auspices of the National Endowment for the Arts' Challenge America Grant. Corey Trahan has performed as a soloist with numerous orchestra including the Akron Symphony, Lake Charles Symphony, Shreveport Symphony, Brazos Symphony, Monroe Symphony, at Jefferson Performing Arts Society in New Orleans and Houston Masterworks. Dr. Sue Cruse

Rosalind Claire Cook

Rosalind Cook holds a Bachelors Degree in Piano, Voice, and Music Education from Texas A & M – Commerce. Her Masters Degree is in Applied Voice and Musical Theatre from Texas Woman’s University. She taught classroom music in the Garland Independent School District, worked as an Elementary Music Consultant for the Santa Monica/Malibu Unified School District, and most recently as the director of Elementary Music for Prince of Peace Christian School in Carrollton. While pursuing a career in performance, Rosalind taught privately for the Garland, Richardson, and Hurst-Euless-Bedford school districts. She has also taught music to professional dancers and actors and “Introduction to Acting” courses at Brookhaven College. Professionally trained as a singer, dancer, and actress, Rosalind is a member of Screen Actor’s Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists. She has portrayed many characters in stage productions such as “Julie” in Carousel, “Cassie” in A Chorus Line, “Meg” in Merrily We Roll Along, and “Peep-Bo” in The Mikado. Rosalind is excited to return to private teaching and maintaining membership in the Texas Choral Director’s Association. She looks forward to preparing students for All-State and All-Region and auditioning students for the TCDA Honor Choir next spring.

Documents:

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Voice Lesson Scholarship App
Added Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Application to have your voice lessons subsidized by Boosters. Due September 7.