CASSANDRA
AS A VOCAL COACH
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An in-demand voice teacher and author of “A Singer’s Compass”, Cassandra has become a
staple and representation of fine vocal technique to emerging and professional singers today. Her voice lessons remarkably not only educate, but also enrich and enlighten people of all ages therefore nourishing the appreciation of vocal performance. After she earned a bachelor’s in Music Education and began teaching, her passion to enrich lives through a person’s individual voice coupled with her entrepreneurial spirit, led her to begin her own vocal company. Cassandra subsequently went back to school to earn a Master of Business Administration in Entrepreneurship to provide better leadership in this realm.
In addition to upholding a thriving vocal studio, she is currently a Professor at the University of Miami, Frost School of Music and is a leader in promoting cultural and artistic awareness through vocal instruction. Her students have performed on stages cross-country including Carnegie Hall, NBC’s The Voice, Madison Square Garden, The Muny, Sullivan Theater on the Square, Adrienne Arsht Center, just to name a few.
Though Miami is her home base, she travels Nationally and Internationally to give masterclasses and workshops while also maintaining part of her vocal studio online. Cassandra has also had students chosen for lead roles in theaters in New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, Sarasota, and Los Angeles.
Students under Cassandra’s direction demonstrates poise and control through their talent and technique. Acclaimed as a vocal pedagogue, she was named as the Superintendent for the Vocal Competition of Miami-Dade County Youth Fair, which offers youth accessibility to stage-performances and critiques from world-class vocalists. She was also a Visiting Professor for Voice and Movement, Speech, and Singing for Actors at the New York Film Academy. Her dedication in vocal arts is widely admired as she has been invited to teach and adjudicate soloists and large ensembles both Nationally and Internationally. She has also been invited to feature her students in events across the United States.
Cassandra continually studies the art of singing, songwriting, and successful techniques for marketing musical artists. Through her work with record labels, managers, publishing houses, and sporting events, she knows what it takes to produce exciting, unique singers. Under her leadership, Cassandra produces singers that mesmerize audiences through pure tonal ability and skill of the vocal instrument. Yet beyond that, her goal with these vocalists is to produce a confident and “honest” singer with a timeless voice that stands out.
PHILOSOPHY
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My philosophy of teaching singing is one that involves the whole student; meaning not just the technique, but the mind and soul of the singer. I invite my students to explore the deepest part of their being and bring newfound depths to their singing. Yes, this philosophy comes from a singer and voice teacher standpoint that grew up in stern music programs, earning a degree in music where vocal pedagogy dominated.
I was taught to be a technically correct vocalist and learned to teach that way as well. My formative years in vocal music education were great and necessary for my path. I taught my students from the same curricula that I learned from, even including theory and ear training in their practice. As they themselves honed into those very same tools, the vocal sounds they produced were beautiful, healthy and polished. I soon began to realize that my teaching could not end there, however.
This is not solely about a blueprint to vocal performance; it is a guide to be centered and explore inner self, creating openness and vulnerability that influences singing to not only sound beautiful, but to be heartfelt and honest.
I believe in offering wisdom and courage to singers and to become a conduit to them evoking sounds that are reflective to their life experiences. I involve the importance of technique in an effort to point the way to opening the threshold of connecting body and mind, and nature and nurture to singing. I allow my students to consider beyond the fixed technique and towards a place of singing from the depths of them. Singing is personal, and it is important to feel connected to the honesty and beauty of their talent.
CONTACT FOR DETAILS AND PRICES
Vocal Instruction for Professional Singers and Recording Artists
Voice strengthening (or repair) exercises and exercises to access your proper voice with greater range and flexibility. There will be extensive work on vocal technique and vocal health to improve all aspects of the voice. The use of acting insight in songs/arias to further build on presentation skills and audition technique is also introduced. Uses of innovative methods to conquer performance related doubts and improve confidence bearing performance skills both vocally and physically are integrated.Vocal Instruction for High School Singers
Whether aspiring vocalists or beginners, Cassandra’s studio creates a realistic environment to prepare students for the reality of the music industry or any professional pursuit. With vocal health being the main component, polished technique is of the utmost importance. Accompanied with the vocal lessons, mentoring and confidence building is instilled for both on and off the stage. A journey of self-discovery through their voice is initiated along with strong performance ethic.
Vocal Instruction for Junior High School Singers
Technique is introduced at its delicacy and covering the aspects of singing with the incorporation of basic breathing techniques. There will be a goal to grow musicianship skills and musical literacy while deepening the understanding of singing concepts and ideas.Primary Vocal Instruction
Voice lessons that incorporate sound pedogical practices such as Kodaly (a curriculum written with goals of distinct musicality in mind). The focus of primary vocal instruction is to introduce students to the fulfillment singing and the exciting accomplishment of performance.
Pre-Prep Vocal Instruction with Protégé Student Teachers
Children aged 2-6 years old. Taught by advanced students trained by Cassandra, these lessons incorporate song and rhymes; teaching musical skills such as beat, pitch and tempo awareness all while developing a love for singing. The lessons also include movement, games and activities in an exciting, motivating environment.On-Line Voice Coaching
Also available Internationally, online coaching is designed to address a specific level of proficiency. Targets include audition prep, stage presence, matters of musical style and performance practice, as well as assistance in expression and “owning” a song”. Online coaching is taken by use of Skype, OOVOO, or FaceTime.
Lessons For Gaining a Successful Speaking Voice
These lessons are geared towards students who desire a confident, strong, and influential speaking voice. People that use their voices professionally can benefit from this if they have one ore more of the following (not limited to):Constant vocal fatigue, Consistent laryngitis (or loss of voice), Mumbling or speaking too quickly, Lack of authoritative sound
Phone and Email-Based Advice
Voice and Movement Workshop
An intensive, 2-day workshop that explores the connection between the imagination and the inner-world of a singer. This workshop can be done in a small group or individual. It is an intensive training that focuses on the whole instrument: body, mind, heart, and voice. It uncovers and examines nuances behind behaviors while expanding vocal and physical expressiveness and creations for authentic and compelling performances.
Vocal Instruction for Professional Singers and Recording Artists
Voice strengthening (or repair) exercises and exercises to access your proper voice with greater range and flexibility. There will be extensive work on vocal technique and vocal health to improve all aspects of the voice. The use of acting insight in songs/arias to further build on presentation skills and audition technique is also introduced. Uses of innovative methods to conquer performance related doubts and improve confidence bearing performance skills both vocally and physically are integrated.
Vocal Instruction for High School Singers
Whether aspiring vocalists or beginners, Cassandra’s studio creates a realistic environment to prepare students for the reality of the music industry or any professional pursuit. With vocal health being the main component, polished technique is of the utmost importance. Accompanied with the vocal lessons, mentoring and confidence building is instilled for both on and off the stage. A journey of self-discovery through their voice is initiated along with strong performance ethic.
Vocal Instruction for Junior High School Singers
Technique is introduced at its delicacy and covering the aspects of singing with the incorporation of basic breathing techniques. There will be a goal to grow musicianship skills and musical literacy while deepening the understanding of singing concepts and ideas.
Primary Vocal Instruction
Voice lessons that incorporate sound pedogical practices such as Kodaly (a curriculum written with goals of distinct musicality in mind). The focus of primary vocal instruction is to introduce students to the fulfillment singing and the exciting accomplishment of performance.
Pre-Prep Vocal Instruction with Protégé Student Teachers
Children aged 2-6 years old. Taught by advanced students trained by Cassandra, these lessons incorporate song and rhymes; teaching musical skills such as beat, pitch and tempo awareness all while developing a love for singing. The lessons also include movement, games and activities in an exciting, motivating environment.
On-Line Voice Coaching
Also available Internationally, online coaching is designed to address a specific level of proficiency. Targets include audition prep, stage presence, matters of musical style and performance practice, as well as assistance in expression and “owning” a song”. Online coaching is taken by use of Skype, OOVOO, or FaceTime.
Lessons For Gaining a Successful Speaking Voice
These lessons are geared towards students who desire a confident, strong, and influential speaking voice. People that use their voices professionally can benefit from this if they have one ore more of the following (not limited to):Constant vocal fatigue, Consistent laryngitis (or loss of voice), Mumbling or speaking too quickly, Lack of authoritative sound
Voice and Movement Workshop
An intensive, 2-day workshop that explores the connection between the imagination and the inner-world of a singer. This workshop can be done in a small group or individual. It is an intensive training that focuses on the whole instrument: body, mind, heart, and voice. It uncovers and examines nuances behind behaviors while expanding vocal and physical expressiveness and creations for authentic and compelling performances.
Phone and Email-Based Advice
Cassandra Claude
How long have you been doing what you do, and how did you become an
Artist Life Mentor?
To answer this question, it’s probably best that I share with you a defining moment, and a resulting “compelling story”, that brought me to where I am today – coaching people like you on exactly what to do to build and maintain stability in their creative endeavors, develop a deeper understanding of inspired creation, and really tapping into their higher potential. That defining moment in my life happened in 2015. I was a vocal and performance coach for years.
In 2012, I experienced a huge amount of trauma and loss within a short few months. My father passed away, my relationship ended, I was injured in a car accident and all while I was in a stressful transition leaving my job in hopes of helping other people navigate and master their skills as artists.
I was struggling to make ends meet at the time because I wasn’t feeling myself. Up until this point I had no idea that depression could be this debilitating. Still, I intuitively knew that I needed to make some big changes on the inside to even partially resemble the intellectual ladder that I had climbed on the outside. Realizing this, I made a quick and deep decision to be totally committed to my dream. Like most do at this point in life, I started to integrate with my spiritually more. I studied yoga and mediation and began to reconnect with my talent and creativity in a different way.
As I really started to root myself into to developing a new story for my life, my work started to take shape in a deeper way. Navigating a huge bout of depression instantly changed my approach to my world of artistry.
I began to perform differently and very soon I began to teach differently as well. It was through my experience, I realized that my students needed to be trained and treated as a whole person and not just in a pedagogical standpoint. I was asked to teach a Voice and Movement workshop for actors, singers and dancers at the turn of 2015.
While this concept and subject area was new to me, I said yes since I was at least confident in the vocal aspect. I began to train for it and research on the origin and it quickly dawned on me that he whole class focused around expression and liberating performers.
I added my own system in addition to the foundation of Voice and Movement, the workshop was a huge success and the demand from the attendees both nationally and internationally for a deeper version of this work began to skyrocket.
The more I submerged in this work, my private voice lessons even changed. Our lessons started to integrate more mindset work and as we went deeper I saw my students talents expand. I saw many of these sincerely talented people disconnected from their gifts, fearful of chasing their dreams, unable to manifest opportunities, and mired in self-doubt now all of a sudden being transformed. I knew I was living my passion and purpose when my clientele grew so large to a waiting list and I never felt overworked.
It seemed as though the measurement of success also showed up when my purpose was actualized. When talent opened up with breakthroughs and constant questions like, “will you come with me when I tour” to indescribable gratitude and appreciation from my clients, I knew I had the gift and tools to do something great.
I was now grounded into my new, elevated purpose and started teaching artists how they can do the same: I watched them build stability in their creative endeavors, develop a deeper understanding of inspired creation, and really tap into their higher potential.
I have since made a commitment to dedicate the rest of my professional life to helping other performing artists integrate fully with their human experience as artists and expand their confidence and talents.
Since then, I’ve worked with many private clients, spoken in front of countless groups: I lived my dream of building a space for personal core growth in artists where a high level of introspection and self-awareness is understood to be the most important attribute needed to succeed as artists; and I have created Artist Life Mastermind, a series of 7 steps opening and building on an artist’s Stability, Emotional Range, Personal Power and Identity, Connection to Talent, Authentic Expression, Clear Perception, and Artistry Essence and Wisdom that every performing artist needs to apply to achieve, gain or regain what they desire of their talent in a healthy, positive way with great confidence and resilience.