When looking for singing teachers in Toronto, the choices can be overwhelming. There are singing teachers everywhere in the city, each selling themself by claiming to be the best vocal coach for opera, or the top singing teacher for musical theater. How do you find the best vocal coach in Toronto training programs?
We have put together a review of the top 5 singing teachers in Toronto based on what their niche is. Who excels at coaching pop singers? What singing teacher is an expert at working with gender diverse voices? Keep reading to find the right voice teacher in Toronto for you.Â
What Makes A Great Singing Teacher
In our analysis of what makes a great singing teacher, we consider a few qualifications. Too often we have seen aspiring singers work with a teacher that wasn’t the right fit for them, and their voice and career suffered because of it. Not all amazing singers make good teachers! Our overall advice to finding a great vocal coach is to try out a couple and see who connects with you and the way you understand your body and voice.
Hopefully your teachers will understand that singing is a journey, and they shouldn’t take it personally if you decide to leave to work with someone else. Here are some qualities to look for in your potential vocal coach, whether you are a beginner singer or professional singer looking for vocal coaching.
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1. Do good singers make good voice teachers?
Keep in mind that some people were just born with a natural ability to sing. From a teaching perspective, it is difficult to teach someone how to sing if you never actually had to figure it out yourself! Teachers who were born with the ability to sing are limited to explaining to their students what it feels like in their body: they have not had to overcome tensions, bad technique, and vocal issues and thus they really don’t know how to coach you on overcoming those same problems.Â
Look For:Â
A teacher who has had previous vocal health issues or vocal technique challenges which they have overcome, and thus understand how to coach others through the same challenges.
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2. Why Your Singing Teacher Should be A Performer
Part of what we look for in a coach is their experience in the field we want to be in. If they are an active performer, it means they are likely known within the industry and have connections. Business is about who you know, and the arts are no different. You want a singing teacher that is a full time artist because they know the people you will need to know to get roles, opportunities, and stage time.
Building your network as a singer is critical.
Your teacher is also demonstrating that they have the chops to do what you want to do! Your teacher should be able to demonstrate the techniques they are talking about. If you need to work on stamina- your teacher should also be capable of answering the question, How do you sing on stage without losing your voice?
Look For:Â
Success acquiring roles, gigs, and singing opportunities in their field.
Active participant in the scene you want to be a part of: Connections in your industry.
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3. Singers Need Alexander Technique Training
We would actually expand that statement to say that singers need one of the following body awareness studies: Body mapping. Alexander Technique, Linklater, or Feldenkrais training. Each of these somatic body movement practices connect the singer with a deep understanding of how to coordinate their body, retrain incorrect coordinations, and release tension.
Never heard the word somatic before? It refers to the connection between your mind and body.
Most singers do not have perfect technique, and depending on the issues they have, they may or may not be risking losing their voice, damaging their vocal chords, or singing in pain. When your teacher has experience in Alexander Technique or another somatic practice, they can help your body stop subconsciously using muscles that are not only not necessary for beautiful singing, but are actually preventing you from singing better!
Great side effects include no more neck pain, better breath control, more vocal power, and being able to practice singing in a way that is not frustrating!
Look For:Â
A voice coach with training in body coordination or somatic practices.
top 5 singing teachers in Toronto
In our review of the 5 best singing teachers in Toronto, Tylor comes in as one of the most well rounded. Tylor has received awards for classical voice, worked and studied Musical Theatre career path, studied acting at Guildford School of Acting. He offers singing lessons for adults in Toronto, working with singers of all skill levels in Pop, Jazz, and Musical Theatre.
With technique experience from Estill to Alexander Technique, Tylor checks our boxes on needing somatic body awareness training and he is one of the few vocal coaches in North America to incorporate techniques found in the Laryngeal Conditioning System, which aims at freeing the voice through balancing acoustics & power, dealing with issues in registration, and allowing singers to produce a healthy mixed belt.
If you live in Toronto, consider yourself lucky to be able to work in person with Toronto pop singing teacher Jenn Connor. In 2022, ReverbNation named Jenn one of Canada’s top independent pop recording artists, and Toronto’s number one artist! Vocally, Jenn is classically trained, specializing in Bel Canto over the past 13 years.Â
Jenn has worked with renowned producers including Los Angeles-based Tomas Costanza (Boys Like Girls) as well as award-winning producers Douglas Romanow (Justin Bieber) and Rob Wells (Ariana Grande).Â
Jenn teaches vocals, beginner and advanced piano (classical and pop/jazz), and helps students prepare for RCM examinations, auditions, and performances. Her experience in the recording studio makes her an ideal voice teacher in Toronto for any parents looking for a singing teacher for kids in pop music.
Another voice teacher who can seemingly do it all is Robert Popoli. Robert is a voice and piano instructor, composer, and performer based in Toronto. Work on musical theatre, pop, opera, and rock with Rob or take advantage of his incredible skills as a composer to learn how to write songs.
Rob can teach students how to accompany themselves while singing, and develop their sense of creativity for songwriting. In addition to one-on-one lessons, Robert occasionally offers masterclasses where students can perform for each other and receive feedback from their peers via live performances.Â
We recommend working with Robert if you are a more advanced singer wanting to increase your vocal range, sing with more power, learn musical theory and song writing or just ensure you are not singing in a way that is harmful to your voice. Learn to sing with a teacher who is highly trained like Rob and building confidence as a performer is only a matter of lessons.Â
If you are looking to explore finding new sounds or aesthetics with your voice, Clifford is your teacher. Clifford’s work as a voice actor and stage actor gives him the ability to show you the limitless possibilities with your sound. Think Sia, Janice Joplin, or Freddie Mercury whose iconic voices made them legends.
What interesting quirks could you pull out of your voice that may become your trademark sound? If you decide to branch into voice lessons for voice acting, you won’t even have to change teachers!
Voice studios rarely have such diversified teachers. Â
If you thought belting was only used in Musical Theatre, think again! Belting is the style of singing used in r&b, pop, & jazz when the singer gives you that moment of insane power where your jaw drops and you start to think, God I wish I could do that! Toronto vocal coach for belting Madison Clarinbold is a master at this genre.
So, though we have named her the best Toronto musical theatre singing teacher, she is in fact ideal for anyone looking to belt and sing jazz, rnb, or pop as well. Your singing voice is a muscle and like having a trainer at the gym, having Madison on your team for voice training will work you out!
How To Sing Better in Toronto
There is no other music school in Toronto solely dedicated to the voice. Express Voice Studio only hires full time artists who are active and successful in their field so that you get the best voice teachers in Toronto.
You may have been feeling overwhelmed by the idea of starting vocal lessons before. You may have stage fright and worry about feeling confident. Our teachers can work with you to build confidence and make you excited by the opportunities that await you!
Each of these teachers uses their teaching styles to craft a personalized voice routine for students. How can you learn to sing better in Toronto? Pick a coach, work hard, and know that each of these options for singing teachers will not lead you astray.
Become part of an elite music academy and work with one of the top 5 voice teachers we highly recommend in Toronto!
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