About The Vocal Precisionist Blog
Hi! I’m Sarah, a singer and voice teacher. I’m forever curious about vocal technique and view singing as both a microcosm of life, and a reflection of our whole self. My hope is to make vocal technique more accessible, in part by making these connections.
Here is what I know: As singers, we are entitled to both beauty and ease. The proverbial grind, however seductive, never results in our most exquisite vocalizing, or satisfying expressions of self. Our work as artists can be deep without being depleting. I promise.
I’ve observed in my students and colleagues that the common foil to obtaining ease is perfectionism. As someone who used to wear the label “Perfectionist” as a badge of honor, I invite you to join me in calling bullshit (even just a little bit) on this masochism. We can choose mindfulness over freneticism, intention over ambiguity, authenticity over comparison—what I would encapsulate as choosing precision over perfection. In this way, a “Vocal Precisionist” is an aspirational alter-ego for any recovering perfectionist.
Precision is also the mental clarity and balance that begets the same in our vocal technique. The phenomenon of a small observation or adjustment having a huge impact. The miracle of our darling walnut-sized vocal instrument and the intricate mind-body system that supports it—for the specific purpose of beauty and expression.
A Precisionist not only rejects perfectionism but communicates clearly and with economy. Vocal technique is complex. The ability to speak about it in a proportioned and precise way spares it from becoming complicated (or exclusive). When writing about aspects of vocal technique here, I will not attempt to cover the full breadth of voice science and pedagogy (no matter how much they beguile me behind the scenes). Instead, I will strive to mirror how I would distill and lightly unpack the essential information for my students.
Singing is a fluid skill. It is innate to our humanity and has infinite potential. The satisfaction you experience with your singing is directly proportionate to how curious you are about it, and how this curiosity drives the integrity of your work. The Vocal Precisionist blog is for any curious singer or voice teacher. Will you join me?
About Me
I live in Los Angeles, CA with my husband and two dogs. I have sung with LA Opera Chorus, LA Master Chorale, De Angelis Vocal Ensemble, and LA Camerata to name a few. My LA-based voice studio serves singers of all ages and levels, professionals and hobbyists alike. I also contribute to the Los Angeles Children’s Chorus as one of their vocal coaches.
Before relocating to LA in 2010, I lived in Boston, where I completed my Masters in Vocal Performance at The New England Conservatory of Music. My time in Boston also included brief experiments in 9-5 admin and middle school music education—and a post-graduate-school hiatus followed by a post-improv-comedy return to singing.
I grew up in New Jersey with regular access to the wonder and inspiration that is New York City. In some ways I am still an East Coaster and Jersey Girl at heart. I earned my Bachelors in Vocal Performance from The College of New Jersey.
I’m grateful to be freelancing as a classical singer and voice teacher. These two sides of my career inform and balance each other. The more I teach, the more I understand about my own singing and vice versa. The Vocal Precisionist is inspired by my experiences as a singer/teacher/human.
