Lessons
An image of Kokopelli, a fertility god often shown playing a flute.
(CC BY-SA 3.0)
What is music?
Let's talk about music before we talk about singing and lessons.
You already know what music is through experience. If you listen to a Beyonce song, you know it has a beginning and end and a lot of (organized) sounds between the two. Music is sound organized over a defined period of time. The sounds are typically organized using things we can measure like pitch, rhythm, and duration. These sounds can come from instruments like saxophones or violins or everyday objects like pots and pans. They can also come from the human body through body percussion (e.g., clapping, stoping), singing, and rapping.
Singing is a tool to communicate a story or emotion using the sounds of human speech — vowels and consonants — in combination with measurable musical elements. We don't know how or when people started singing, though some theories suggest upwards of 200,000 years. It's been around way longer than we've recorded history, and there are no direct archaeological records of its origins. It may have originated as the calls of our ancestors communicating across forests and jungles. Maybe those calls evolved in complexity as they became part of religious ceremonies or entertainment. Who knows! Honestly, all of that is conjecture. We have no idea. For fun, below are some cool videos of some of the oldest music we know. You don't have to know anything about these to sing. They're just freakin' cool.
Seikilos Epitaph (Greece)
Neanderthal Bone Flute (Slovenina)
Hurrian Hymn (Syria)
What's singing?
Singing is a skill, and a voice lesson is a one-on-one session with a teacher to explore and develop that skill.
There is not a right or wrong way to sing. In lessons, you learn how to make different sounds through discovery. You notice how your body works through nonjudgmental observation and why it works that way. You’ll become aware that something you did works more efficiently. Those actions become habits or techniques you can use through repetition and practice. Over time, you make choices about which sounds you make and how you make them. This process is a lifetime of learning and fun — and that is exciting because it means there’s always something new to discover!
We all come to lessons with different goals. My goal is to create a space to explore your voice, physically and metaphorically. My goal is to help you develop tools for singing that give you artistic choices for expression and encourage efficient, healthy singing for a longer and more fulfilling musical life.
Who takes voice lessons?
Everyone. Everyone takes lessons.
Singing is a skill everyone can learn. Maybe you want to become the world's next opera or pop star or just sing better in the shower. Maybe you want to learn to match pitch or expand your range. Maybe you want a better stage presence or to master stage fright. Voice lessons can help you reach your goal. Regardless of your goal(s), the most successful singing students have the drive to learn and put in the practice time between lessons.
If you have some time, check out this awesome video featuring one of my mentors, Sheri Greenawald, as she discusses what a singer does and how they do it. Fun story! I was working with Sheri to sing a soprano high C. I was petrified and would stop myself before I even made a sound. Sheri said, "To make a beautiful sound you first have to make an ugly sound." She stood beside me, held my hand, looked into her studio mirror, and sang as high as she could until she made a screech. I didn't have an excuse after that so I hit a high D. :)
This masterclass features Mark Crayton who has had the biggest impact on my singing. I left my teaching job and home in Dallas to move to Chicago to study with him. Hands down best decision ever. Here he is representing Roosevelt University in a free streamed masterclass offering sage technical advice. All of my students will know his exercises and/or advice because they are the bread and butter of our technical work together.
What's a lesson?
Lessons are one-on-one sessions where you work with a teacher on "how to sing" (technique) and "what to sing" (repertoire & style).
How often should I have a lesson?
Typically, lessons are every week or every other week, but we can make other arrangements depending on what works for your time and budget.
What styles do you teach?
My goal is to help you achieve your goals. Many concepts in singing — breathing, posture, expression — are similar across genre. I specialize in Western classical singing. Most people think of this as "opera," but classical music is more than that. I perform a lot of music before 1800, especially music from the British Isles and the works of Bach. I also work with students on belting for pop, contemporary, jazz, folk, musical theater, and other contemporary styles.
What would we do in a lesson?
Adult Learners + Professional Singers: Adult lessons can last 30-, 45-, or 60-minutes. We’ll work technique and repertoire, but what and how we do it is very flexible based on skill level and goals.
Teens: We can do lessons that last 30-, 45-, or 60-minutes. Like adult lessons, we'll focus on developing technique and learning repertoire. I encourage high school students to participate in solo and ensemble festivals, and private competitions like those hosted by the Classical Singer Vocal Competition and the National Association of Teachers of Singing.
Children (prepubescent): I typically don't take children singers. Parents should note that voice building at this age is not developmentally appropriate, and kids are better served by working on other musicianship skills. I strongly encourage these students to join choirs and perform in musicals over taking lessons because they will pick up these skills in a fun, social environment with their peers. I’ll consider children on a case-by-case basis. Those kids that I accept will take 30-minute lessons and focus on developing music skills (rhythm, pitch matching, music reading), breathing and posture, and learning simple songs. If you want to develop your child into the next opera star, Josh Groban, or Miley Cyrus, I am not the teacher for your child.
Why should I study with you?
It's always a good idea to know about the person with whom you're studying.
Background
I grew up in a family of educators. My mom and dad both taught in elementary school for most of their careers which meant I was always around teachers. I love working with people from all backgrounds and skill levels and helping them realize their potential and reach their goals.
You can hear me sing and read about my performance experience at my professional singing website: thomasalaan.com
Education
I've studied voice for ~20 years. I still take lessons because I know there's so much more to learn!
I completed the Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Vocal Performance in 2021 at the University of Wisconsin - Madison with Jim Doing, one of the developers of Voce Vista. At UW-Madison, I researched how Irish singers ornament their songs, and how music is used in environmental and social movements.
I completed my Master of Arts in Vocal Pedagogy with the queen of pedagogy, Joan Wall, at Texas Woman's University in 2007.
I earned my Bachelor of Arts in Music Education in 2005 and received certification in choral, instrumental, and general music (pre-K through 12th grade). I had a dual focus on voice and saxophone, with additional training in pipe organ and keyboard accompanying. Even though I’m primarily a singer, I still play saxophone. 🎷
I’ve also worked with other amazing teachers and coaches, notably early music guru Ellen Hargis (Newberry Consort) and inspiration-to-everyone Ann Baltz (founder of OperaWorks).
Professional Teaching Experience
Private lessons in Dallas (2005-2009) and Chicago (2009-2024)
Everyone from beginning singers to professional performers, from high school to adults
Choral, orchestral conductor at Holy Name Cathedral (2009-2024)
Lecturer in the University of Illinois Chicago’s Honors College (2020-2024)
Workshops and presentations on music, environmentalism, and performance skills
I'm also a member of the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) and a certified personal trainer and nutrition coach through the National Association of Sports Medicine.