VOCAL LESSONS
My style of teaching is tailor-made for each individual student. I teach all levels of singers from beginners to professionals and every student of mine receives a personalized lesson and approach to his or her development. Singing is not a science; it is a highly personal combination of technique and musicality; the physical and the emotional. As a professional singer, I understand the demands of combining my emotional and musical instincts with a well-founded technique, and I help each of my students strike that balance. Some of the things we work on include:
Focusing and gathering your sound so it is as efficient and resonant as possible with the least amount of work being done by your muscles
Finding where your tension lies and releasing it to produce a more relaxed, effortless sound
Making singing feel good; no, GREAT!
Exercising to maximize your time while vocalizing and getting you warmed up quicker.
Using the words in your songs to help "pop" your sound without doing any extra work
Establishing maintenance and "survival techniques" for singing professionally, on an 8-show-a-week schedule
Building your repertoire list
Performing the song: the final product!
I am currently pursuing a Masters Degree in Music at New York University with a certificate in Vocal Pedagogy. My growing knowledge of the voice combined with my years of professional experience as a singer provides my students with the ultimate in guidance and knowledge. I am very passionate about teaching and sharing what I have learned. I look forward to working with you!
ELENA'S FORMER STUDENTS INCLUDE
ANDREW KEENAN-BOLGER (Newsies, Submissions Only)
MADDY TRUMBLE
(Wicked, Mary Poppins)
TALISA FREIDMAN
(The Last Goodbye)
NATHAN STARK
(Macbeth)
TESTIMONIALS
“I have never enjoyed singing more than I have with Elena — every week I’ve worked with her I feel like I’ve made a new discovery about my voice. Her focus on ease and tension-free singing changed the way I approached the production of sound. She is so supportive and so easy to connect with, I can’t thank my lucky stars enough for having found her!”
“Working with Elena Shaddow has been a blessing! I noticed a difference within our first lesson, and her sense of knowledge and expertise in training gave me the skills and confidence to continue growing. She has an expansive vocal vocabulary and her understanding of the voice has brought my performance to the next level. Her teachings have brought out the best in my voice.”
“Elena combines sound technical knowledge with impeccable musicianship and interpretive skills to provide a truly unique training experience. Not only has she studied voice pedagogy thoroughly, but she also brings to the table the wisdom of having implemented it in her own career and performing. This affords her the wonderful ability to know exactly where her students are coming from and also to use their vocal technique to enhance their dramatic power, and vice versa. She is an absolute asset to anyone looking to improve their confidence and ease in singing.”
“I came to Elena from primarily a ballet background, and I think any dancer would really click with her approach to vocal training. Elena teaches the way a dancer thinks: envisioning proper internal physical structures and placement. She teaches you how to engage your whole body to produce sound with a sense of certainty and freedom. Both the quality of my sound and my confidence are completely changed because of Elena’s instruction, and I love the new songs we add to my book.”
“Elena embodies all the qualities one seeks in a gifted teacher: experience, professional knowledge, technique, people skills and trust. With Elena’s teaching and coaching I have achieved new and exciting vocal discoveries and broken through what I once never realized were surpassable goals in my singing. She is simply put, the best of the best.”
“I was nervous about taking lessons after being away from musical theater for almost 10 years, but Elena made me feel comfortable right away. She is so personable and her energy makes every lesson so fun! Everything is catered to my skill level and she has really introduced me to a technique that works for me. Now I can’t wait for my lesson every week!”
“I am so grateful to work with Elena. I came to her with no previous vocal training, and I already noticed improvement in my voice after our first lesson. Her way of teaching is so open and positive, which makes it easy to grow. Her knowledge of the voice is incredible, and she uses that to improve her students no matter what level of singing they are at. Elena is helping me discover my voice, and boost my confidence each lesson! ”