+ About the Sarah Sloan Vocal Studio

• Are you looking to move up from concert choir to a chamber choir? Do you hope to solo with your community singing group some day or get the lead in a local musical production? I can help!

• As an active performer and soloist in the Bay Area as well as New York and Los Angeles for over twenty years, it has been my passion and calling to share my experience and love for music with students of all ages and backgrounds. I am continually inspired by the musicians and performers that I have trained over the years.

• With music lessons and performance opportunities for adults and children alike, private voice lessons fill the gap left by budget cuts in the local school budgets. My vocal studio is the place to turn when one is looking to explore and nurture one's full potential. With weekly voice lessons that focus on the whole student, I strive to lay the foundation for a lifetime not only of music appreciation but learning in general.

• It is my mission to provide the highest quality vocal training possible while focusing on the individual needs of the student. By maintaining a commitment to my personal continuing professional development, I guarantee that my students are taught with the knowledge of the most recent developments in the field of voice pedagogy and performance. In addition, I strive to create an environment in which my students feel safe to explore their creativity and express themselves fully.

• Borrowing from the voice masters of the last 400 years I teach standard techniques and methods that are used in most universities and music schools today.

• For the beginning singer I use established voice repertoire and a structured curriculum designed to free the voice, calm and expand breathing and increase resonance. More advanced singers and professional singers are encouraged and welcome to bring in pieces currently or soon to be performed.

• Using appropriate materials and adjusting my teaching style accordingly, I work with students of diverse ages, genders and backgrounds to aid them in developing their full vocal potential and reach their self-defined goals.

• I provide ample opportunity for my students to publicly perform and showcase their progress. Annual formal recitals, NATS group recitals, as well as audition workshops are regularly held. Advanced students are encouraged to participate in competitions such as the NATS Singing Festival held every spring and fall, solo recitals and community theatre.

• These various services make my offerings the highest quality vocal education experience in the area. My students receive a premium service and attain premium results.

+ Tuition Rates

Half Hour Lesson- $48

The half hour lesson is perfect for students with limited time and budget. Also appropriate for the absolute beginner with little or no experience studying music or singing.

Full Hour Lesson - $95

For the more serious student, the full hour lesson encompasses the same format as the half hour but with more songs covered and broader vocal exercise progression.

I have a strict 24-hour cancellation policy.

Your lesson time is reserved for you and others will be turned away for that time so please schedule carefully.

When signing up for lessons a month-by-month commitment is required. Please see the studio policy for more info.

+ Studio Policies

• Full tuition is due monthly, in advance, due the first week of each month without exception. Make-ups are available only as my schedule permits and absences cannot be deducted from tuition. No lesson will be given under any circumstances without payment.

• Attendance – I have a strict 24-hour cancellation policy, meaning that if you must cancel your lesson it must be done more than 24 hours before your regularly scheduled lesson. This includes illness. Make-ups can be scheduled given the 24-hour notice but must be scheduled within 30 days of the canceled lesson or it will be forfeited.

• Your lesson time is reserved for you and others will be turned away for that time so please schedule carefully.

• The following are a few examples of what will not be considered legitimate reason for missing one’s lesson: sports games and practices, birthday parties, unexpectedly voluminous homework, unexpected career commitments, general tiredness. The bottom line is this: honor your commitment to your music education by suiting up and showing up. Even when you perhaps feel unprepared, a profitable lesson can still be accomplished.

• Stay Organized- I recommend a three ring binder dedicated for vocal repertoire, exercises, and other material. Please bring all your music to every lesson.

• Recording Lessons - Students are required to bring a cassette tape or recorder to each lesson. This is to be used for practicing and to learn new songs and vocal exercises.

• Visitors- Parents and guardians are welcome and encouraged to attend lessons. Other visitors such as friends, siblings, neighbors and significant others, though they may be perfectly well behaved, may not attend lessons.

• Please Silence All Cell Phones and Pagers!

My Commitment to You: I promise to work as hard as you do! If you show up with regularity and consistency, if you bring your sense of adventure (and your sense of humor) to the lessons, and if you practice on a regular basis, we will do good work together, you will make progress, and I will truly do everything I can to help you on your vocal journey.

+ Frequently Asked Questions

Can anyone learn to sing?

Yes! While it may be true that only a small percentage of us will be lucky enough to fulfill a professional singing career, I have yet to see a student who doesn't improve one way or another with consistent practice, attendance and dedication. With hard work, even people who consider themselves "tone deaf" can learn to sing on pitch.

I love to sing but I'm very shy. How will lessons help me?

Most people are nervous about singing in public. With experience and training singers learn how to handle stage nerves without being overcome by them and gain confidence as they begin to experience vocal growth and power. Stage fright may never go away for some people- and they find that they don't want it to! Such nerves add a wonderful surge of energy and presence to many live performances.

How Do Online Lessons Work?

For those of us who have been working and learning online for a while now, we understand the limitations and advantages of Zoom and other communications platforms; the main challenge being audio delay. This can work to the students’ benefit by doing much of the singing a capella and developing a strong sense of pitch. Audio recordings of songs and exercises are also provided to assist during lessons and practice time. Zoom is the preferred platform.

How long before I will learn to sing well?

Progress and growth happens at different rates for different people. No two voices are alike! In analyzing beginning voice students, I find some students are gifted with a well-placed natural voice while others have unintentionally developed many problems and barriers to overcome. As a result, some students will make swift progress, while others will take many months of careful study before much progress is evident. In all cases, it is the exercises and vocalises, which play such an important part in building the voice and developing good vocal range. This technique is gradually transferred to songs.

Can I apply your techniques to my nightclub gig/ garage band/ talent show audition?

It is my belief, after many years of studying many styles and genres of music, great singing is great singing whether it be pop, country, classical or jazz. While I consider myself a trained classical musician, I appreciate and encourage musical diversity and exploration in the studio. An open mind goes a long way for the student as well as the teacher. While beginning students are taught a strict curriculum based on tried and true repertoire taught at most established universities, advanced and professional singers are welcome to bring their own music and pieces currently being performed or auditioned.

When and where do you hold lessons? My teaching schedule runs Tuesday through Saturday all year long including summer and the holiday months at my home studio in Livermore, California. Occasionally I must reschedule evening students to accommodate my performing schedule. When this happens students are informed well in advance and a new lesson time is agreed upon that works for both parties. How often must I attend?

All lessons are held on a weekly basis. It has been my experience that lessons held every other week hinder progress as too much time goes by between lessons and motivation wanes. Additionally, lessons attended twice a week do not allow the student to develop personal discipline and time to explore independently discoveries made during the lesson.

How often must I practice?

Daily practice is essential and is the backbone of any musical education. Without it, the lesson time is wasted and progress becomes frustrating at best. For beginners I recommend practicing six days a week for a half an hour a day. This time ideally should be split up in ten to fifteen minute segments with rest periods in between to discourage build up of tension in the throat. This practice time does not include choir practice, the lesson it self, singing in the shower or vocalizing in the car! Vocal training can take a lot of focus and dedication and must be given the time and attention it deserves to get your full money's worth.

Experienced singers should set aside an hour a day if they want to change or improve their sound. One day without practice should be observed per week to allow rest and rejuvenation.

Am I too old to learn to sing?

Seniors and adults of any age can reap the physical, psychological and emotional benefits that the joy of singing will bring to their lives. Many times adult students are quite surprised at the level of skill that can be obtained after years of not singing and are inspired to take their newly learned techniques to higher levels or performance. In all instances, as with anything else, patience and a positive attitude usually overcome any initial difficulties or problems.

I'm already a great singer. What else can I improve upon?

Singers who are happy with the current sound of their voice or have no discomfort or pain when they sing can still enjoy learning healthy vocal technique that can extend the life of their voice and prevent vocal injury. There are many many singers, past and present, who's careers were all too often tragically cut short due to permanent damage to the vocal chords even though their sound was brilliant. Vocal technique also prevents fatigue in performers who must sing for many hours a day.