Singing Lessons
Why do I love to teach?
Who are these
lessons for?
Young singers, 13 -19 years of age, who have an amazing voice inside of them and just need some guidance, a little confidence, and a whole lot of, “You’ve got this,” to help that voice emerge.
What is my teaching intention?
Of course, I want you to thrive both technically and artistically. I also want you to have fun. But my ultimate goal is for you to leave each lesson feeling confident about sharing your voice in any venue, be it on stage, in a classroom, or at a university interview. Because when you can stand up and sing, you can do anything.
What do I
teach?
Classical vocal repertoire, suitable for young voices following (but not limited to) RCM guidelines as well as Musical Theatre and pop repertoire.
What do you need for your voice lesson?
For online lessons, you need a laptop or tablet, a space where you can sing without distraction, and a Skype account. In-person lessons take place in Toronto ON (East York), Canada.
Student Testimonials
“Marcia was the perfect combination of vocal teacher and cheer leader in her Masterclass.”
Maria Riedstra, ACL Music, Rosedale Heights School of the Arts, Toronto, ON
“Marcia Whitehead has been instrumental in the development of my daughter Amelia's voice. She has been a student of Marcia's for the past four years and has helped her to develop into a confident, beautiful soloist, and working in a Broadway length production of Sister Act last summer in New Haven, CT. Her encouragement, positive attitude and expertise have made my daughter develop in an outstanding way. I would highly recommend Marcia to anyone looking to take their voice to the next level of performance. ”
Marla Majewski, Parent, Toronto, ON
“Your support has been invaluable... you've gone above and beyond the call of duty when responding to my panicked, 'I failed!' emails and I am immensely grateful.”
A.S., Age 18, Toronto, ON
“Not only is Marcia is an amazing vocal teacher, she is also an amazing role model and friend. She cares deeply about the wellbeing of her students and individualizes each lesson to constantly support her students along their vocal journey. She regularly gives feedback and different ways for her students to improve, provides lesson sheets with detailed notes of what was covered in each lesson, and what the student should work on the following week.”
C.D., Age 16, Toronto, ON
“Marcia, You have been such a key figure in my life. Thanks for helping me build up my confidence. I wouldn't be going to the best school in the country if it weren't for you...Don't miss me too much!”
A.H., Age 18,Toronto, ON
I am a classically trained singer who has performed professionally as a mezzo-soprano with Opera companies and Symphonies across Canada for 15 years. I have apprenticed with L’Atelier Lyrique de L’Opéra de Montréal, and am an alumnus of various young artist programs across Canada. My Bachelor of Music degree is from the University of Manitoba.
About Me
My Story
The plot of my singing story has taken many twists and turns, but I wouldn't change a thing. I know that the challenges I've faced, and the lessons I've learned along the way now serve the young singers in my studio.
When students come to me with their doubts and fears that their voices aren't enough, my job is to show them how to build confidence from within, and maintain it wherever they sing. It's the strongest muscle they will ever possess.
My Reason
It gives me immense joy to see the progress of my students, and to know that they receive more than just singing lessons, as one of my long-time students said:
"Not only is Marcia an amazing vocal teacher, she is also an amazing role model and friend. She cares deeply about the wellbeing of her students and individualizes each lesson to constantly support her students along their vocal journey.”
Speaking Testimonials
“Marcia, as always, your blog reads like a thriller. Jesus. The things the desire to return to our voice makes us do. I identify 100%.”
Kimberly Barber
Mezzo Soprano, Associate Dean and Professor of Voice at Wilfrid Laurier University
Kitchener, ON, Canada
“I attended Marcia's 'Clean Slate: A Singer's Story Forum' and every singer, coach and teacher would benefit greatly from the generous contributions of this extraordinary host.”
Giuseppe Spoletini
Baritone, BMUS, MMUS, Faculty Manhattan School of Music
New York, NY, USA
“I went back and listened to the talk you gave for 'From The Voice Of Community' all over again. Wow - Thank you so much for sharing your journey, Marcia!”
Kim Ramón
BMUS
Voiceover/Stage/Film/Actor/Soprano
Toronto, ON, Canada
Confidence Conversations
for teen voices (ages 14-18)
"I'm afraid my voice sounds bad when I sing in front of people."
I hear you. Singing in front of people can make your throat choke up, your knees shake, and your belly flip right out. But what if there was a way to experience something new? Something calm. Confident. Something that you could rely on. And what if that something...was you?
What are they?
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Confidence Conversations are online gatherings for teens to learn how to disrupt self-defeating performance patterns and gain simple strategies to go from feeling freaked out to feeling fierce in front of an audience.
Who are they for?
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Teen voices, ages 14-18 who want to build up their confidence muscles when using their voice in front of people.
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Max. 20 participants.
What will we talk about?
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How to create a performing environment, both internal and external, that sets up a singer for the magic of possibility instead of the limitations of their expectations and fears.
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Students will learn how to let go of who they think they are and find out how much more they can be.
Masterclasses
“Marcia was the perfect combination of vocal teacher and cheerleader in her Masterclass.”
Maria Riedstra, ACL Music, Rosedale Heights School of the Arts, Toronto, ON
There is nothing more thrilling than watching a singer discover a sound within them that they never thought possible. My masterclasses are a fast-paced, don't overthink it, kind of energy. My promise to every student is this, "I will never ask you to try something I don't think you can do. And I think you can do more than you've ever done before."
