Lovejoy Choirs

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 23-minute lesson per week.
The cost is twenty dollars per lesson.
Monthly payments in the form of check or money order are due to the lesson teacher at the beginning of each month. This will usually be $80.

Participate in the solo/ensemble event.
Attend recitals scheduled during the year.
Come to the lesson prepared, with a cooperative and respectful attitude.
Bring all assigned materials to each lesson.
Recommended practice time is twenty minutes per day, five days per week. More time may be necessary for those preparing for auditions or tryouts.

Students should make voice lessons a long-term commitment. (Ideally, 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.

If a student knows they will be absent, they should notify their teacher by phone. Failure to notify the teacher will result in default of the lesson.
Excused absences will be made up per the teacher’s schedule.
If a teacher cannot make up a lesson, they may elect to credit the lesson back.
In the event the teacher must be absent, notification will be made and lessons made up at the earliest possible time.

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 choir directors for more information on All-Region.

Mezzo Soprano Jessie Hinkle received a Bachelor’s Degree of Music in Vocal Performance from the University of North Texas and her Master’s Degree of Music in Operatic Vocal Performance from the prestigious Manhattan School of Music in New York City. After graduating, Ms. Hinkle lived in New York for many years and performed on some of the world’s most respected opera stages, concert halls and in the 2003 Broadway production of Puccini’s La Boheme, produced and directed by the legendary film director Baz Luhrmann (“The Great Gatsby, “Moulin Rouge” & “Romeo + Juliet”). She is equally at home in the musical theater repertoire having performed such roles as Anita in West Side Story and Petra in Sondheim’s A Little Night Music to great audience acclaim. Ms. Hinkle has studied and coached with some of the opera world’s most esteemed and influential teachers and singers and brings to her students the techniques and body of knowledge that comes from working with many of the greatest operatic figures of the 20th and 21st Centuries.

University of Texas, Arlington, Bachelor of Music in Voice Performance

Texas Christian University, Master of Music in Voice Performance

Texas Tech University, Doctorate of Music Arts in Voice Performance and Vocal Pedagogy

Dr. Susan Carter has sung professionally, nationally and internationally, for over 35 years performing in her early career as ‘Susan Barrow’ with the Dallas Symphony Chorus, Dallas Lyric Opera and Ft. Worth Opera and under the stage name, ‘Carter Fricks, in leading operatic roles including ‘Queen of the Night’, ‘Lucia’, ‘Constanza’ and ‘Dona Anna’. She has served as soprano soloist in NYC at Carnegie Hall in Mozart’s Coronation Mass, Town Hall, and the Liederkranz Society.

Dr. Carter has taught at U T Dallas, Texas Tech, Lubbock Christian University, served as vocal coach with the Dallas Symphony Chorus and most recently retired as Director of Vocal Studies and the Director of the Opera Program at Missouri Western State University where she worked with singers winning awards in opera, music theater and performing in music venues across the country and Europe.

Dr. Carter is an innovative music theater and opera director where she placed 2nd nationally in the National Opera Association’s opera stage director competition, Alpha Chi National College Honor Society Compass Award for Most Influential Professor, Foundation Award for Excellence in Teaching and numerous awards from the Kennedy Center’s American College Theater Awards.

Dr. Carter continues to teach performance based workshop classes and body and breath movement for all ages. She now resides in her home area of Dallas/Ft. Worth where she maintains an independent private studio, works with area high school singers and enjoys membership in NATS, MTNA, and PMTA.