Gender affirming voice sessions are offered at a pay-what-you-can rate.
Voice Lessons
Singers and voice users, I’m so glad you’re here. I look forward to playing and exploring together.
My teaching philosophy is all about exploring through guided play and experimentation. My goal is to foster insight, awareness, and expansiveness. I want to give you the tools to find and feel freedom, flexibility, and possibility in your voice. Gone are the days of following a checklist of things to fix or do right. Let’s discover from a place of joy, curiosity, and compassion.
When you sign up for a voice session, you’ll see an intake form where you can share your goals and your story with me — whether it’s preparing for an audition, finding more ease in your voice after a long singing break, singing at a virtual open mic night, or getting support while on tour, I’m here for you.
You can upload a score, a script, or a link to your own music if there’s something specific you know you want to work on. For any of the voice work sessions, repertoire is not at all a requirement.
Pedagogy and training: Nature Summit (May 2023); Wholeness in Motion with Babette Lightner (2019-present); courses with Dr. Shannon Coates including but not limited to Contemporary Voice Practicum, How We Learn, How We Teach, 101 The Vocal Instrument and Voice Ped Follow Up and Fanciness, and more; LoVetri Institute for Somatic Voicework TM Level 1; Trans Voice Alteration with Renée Yoxon (November-December 2022). Keep scrolling for more info on my background.
Affiliations and memberships: NSrTMA, CLC, Music NS, ECMA, CMC (Board Member)
A bit of background
I grew up playing various musical instruments: I started with piano lessons, and violin lessons, joined a choir, and then, added saxophone. Between orchestra and band practice, choir rehearsal, or fiddle camps, I was always surrounded by music. And I loved it. When I started singing lessons, however, I knew I had found something special. Singing felt different than all the other music activities. From then on, I would enter in the music festival competitions as a singer, singing up for art song classes as well as musical theatre classes. Oh, how I loved the music festival—a chance to meet new singers and have shared performance experiences!
When I got my first role in our high school musical, that’s when the performing passion really hit! I knew then that singing would always be a part of my life—I didn’t know or care what that meant in terms of my life and career, but I knew I wanted to keep learning about singing.
My love for teaching started very early. I come from a long line of educators in my family. And I began teaching as early as high school when I did a co-op position with a middle school band teacher. I love teaching so much that after my Bachelor of Arts, I got accepted into a Bachelor of Education, but instead decided to go do a Bachelor of Music. And then when I finished my BMus, I still wanted to be immersed in learning about singing, so I did my Master of Music. That just happened to be my educational path, but I believe that there are many ways to support your singing life. One of the things I love most about teaching is that I get to keep learning, growing, adapting. The people I work with are always an inspiration to me.
We’re all in this together. Learning, sharing, exploring, evolving. In my own professional development, I’ve been working outside of the box. And I bring a lot of that same style of work into my work with others. What if we just… threw away all the rules, even just for a bit? What if all sounds we made were “good” or “right” or “perfect”? We can have specific goals and we can start from a place of appreciating all that we already know. What if we could show up for a lesson exactly as we are in that moment—no matter what—and start from there. This philosophy “Here I am as I am” is entirely inspired by Wholeness in Motion; and I am a proud WIM practitioner and wholeness activist.
These types of reframes are what I’m interested in exploring within the voice studio. Ultimately, when you book a session, we’re a duo, moving through the session together.
And that’s the place I like to live as I keep learning how to sing.
What if you already have the answers?! What if all you need is your current self?
That’s where we can start together.
TYPES OF SESSIONS
1:1 60-minute voice session
Singing lessons
Age/level: teen-adult; beginner to professional
Genres: Western art music, musical theatre, pop (used here as a catch-all term for pop, indie, folk, rock, etc.)
Explore vocal colours/sounds, shape technique, talk repertoire, develop practice plans, hone storytelling, clarify lyric diction, complement other vocal work that you might already be doing.
Voice, breath, body work – embodied voice and movement for all voice users (teachers, public speakers, actors, singers)
Voice care consultation – support for singers and voice users who might be experiencing a change in their instrument, including but not limited to age, time away from regular voice use, fatigue, illness, or any new circumstances (check out multi-sessions, too, for gigging musicians who want support leading up to an event or project). See more below.
Vocal play – vocal improv games, and outside-of-the-box singing sessions!
On a case-by-case basis in-person sessions can be arranged. Please be in touch if you want to chat about this.
Multi-session check-in
Designed for someone on contract for a show, on tour, or prepping for a gig/audition/recording. Sign up for shorter, multi-session check-ins to support your upcoming gig or project. Sessions could include warm-ups for tired or post-illness voices, technical tune-ups, pre-show warm-ups, or tour/gig support.
No prior voice lessons necessary. All voices/singing styles welcome.
Book session #1 (45 mins), then add shorter sessions via follow-up link in confirmation email.
Maureenbatt.com/contact if you want to discuss sessions outside of times listed.
1:1 Voice care consultation
Whether you’re looking for voice care consultation in the form of a 60-minute lesson or a multi-session check-in, use the intake form to indicate you’re signing up for voice care consultation. You’ll then see a Google form to fill out in your confirmation email where you can share as much about your current vocal health/situation as you desire.
Select voice care consultation if you’re interested in exploring your instrument after a change has occurred. This is designed to offer support for singers and voice users who might be experiencing a change in their instrument, including but not limited to age, time away from regular voice use, fatigue, illness, or any new circumstances.
A voice care consultation session might look like developing some strategies for your voice care needs through personalized warm-ups and cool-downs, new technical discoveries, voice and movement work, discussions around any new circumstances that could be contributing to whatever has led you to booking a session.
*I am not a doctor or a medical professional – meeting with me doesn’t take the place of seeing a doctor, SLP, ENT, or other vocal specialist. My hope is that our time together will give you support with new (or familiar!) angles to consider as you’re recuperating or renewing.
Gender affirming voice sessions
Gender affirming voice sessions could include work, awareness, and care around feminizing/masculinizing/androgenizing the voice, peri and menopausal shifts within the voice, and more.
No matter what you’re curious about exploring, we can embark on this voice care journey together!
Gender affirming voice sessions are offered on a pay-what-you-can basis. Book here and we’ll follow up to communicate about other details.
If you don’t see a time listed that works or if you have any questions, contact me! maureenbatt.com/contact or DM on social media @maureenbattsoprano
Follow-up and continual asynchronous support
I use the video chat app Marco Polo to offer asynchronous support in between sessions. You can also book a Marco Polo session instead of a synchronous Zoom session. 3-day pass here. One-week pass here.
Group work
If you and your friends are interested in working together, please be in touch via the contact page and we’ll set that up. Some examples of this group work could include warming up together then singing for one another in a cozy masterclass-type format, or could also be a chance for songwriters or composers to share or workshop their work. Another format might be a group of singers wanting to explore similar vocal goals such as belting, singing improv games, singing in new-to-you styles. In all of these group work scenarios, I will tailor our sessions to your groups’ goals, and you’ll have the added benefit of shared experiences and learning. January, February, and May are typically great months to propose group or buddy work – be in touch if you’d like to set something up.
Sample Group Session:
4 weeks, 6 singers
Each weekly session will include working both as a group and individually on Zoom.
Singers, you will have the opportunity to experiment and explore behind your mute button, and then have the option of being invited to share your vocal discoveries with the group.
This sharing might happen through one sound or a full song — you decide!
This group work includes video messaging support, continued voice exploration, and community building throughout the week via a private group in the Marco Polo app.
The primary vehicle for this work will be embodied play. When you sign up, I’ll ask you to define some of your hopes and goals for the 4 weeks. Your goal might be something as specific as preparing a song for an audition or virtual open mic, or as general as just showing up! Weekly themes will be designed in response to your goals.
These sessions are designed to be complementary to whatever you might be working on — whether in your own practice or in the work that you’re doing with another voice teacher.
Special events such as workshops and group work sessions:
Sign up for my newsletter to receive notices about special events!
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Maureen offers these lessons with an eye on your own goals, without shaming whatever challenges you are working with, and with a spirit of fun and possibility. My tension has caused me a lot of fear, yet I emerge from her lessons with a sense of hope that I can sing despite it, and that it is also workable. I have recommended Maureen to many friends, and will continue to do so. Her lessons, wisdom, and belief in all of us is a gift.
Lindsay, singerI feel so blessed by the time Maureen was able to work with me and I continue to use her lessons daily.
Colleen, singerMaureen has challenged me to think of singing SO differently than I ever have, and it’s allowed me to use my voice in ways I didn’t think were “good” or “proper”, but are me and just as good/valid/beautiful as anyone else!
Nikki, singer, actorMaureen is a wonderfully open, encouraging teacher, who has gently led and pushed me to think of singing in unconventional (to me) ways. This has allowed me to feel comfortable and actually like the sounds I’m making, and I’m less judgemental of my voice – instead I’m falling in love with it!
Nikki, singer, actorLots of fun at the end of an intense teaching day. Productive in that I found my voice and was using it more correctly. Appropriate because we began with what I could produce and not what I couldn’t. Open and engaging, because I found myself relaxing and taking risks such as whole body warm-ups.
Janine, singer, public school teacherMaureen’s passion for life and for her craft inspires others around her. Maureen is very dedicated to helping others build on their strengths to create success.
Rebecca, singer, actor, dancerI found some success in practicing alone, but my coachings with Ms. Batt allowed me to sing the role with much more freedom and ease. Ms. Batt had me singing much higher and easier than I previously thought possible. Our work stands out as a great point in my vocal learning.
Sean, countertenorMaureen was my first experience with a diction and style coach, and now that I have worked with many more since, she remains at the top of my list. She understood where I was in my stage of development. She was very patient, and explained concepts thoroughly to me. I felt very comfortable with Maureen, and was not afraid to speak up when I did not understand a concept. Maureen was very engaging and adapted her teaching based on learning style.
Madeline, sopranoShe is extremely professional and makes for a relaxed environment to learn where you feel free to explore and create. Her teaching style is relaxed and confident and she takes her time to make sure you are developing the skills you want and need. She goes above and beyond to ensure you are prepared and have everything you need for success. I wouldn’t want to go to anyone else in the city! She truly is a unique teacher and always has something new up her sleeve to help you out.
Tyler, singer, actor, public school teacherMaureen is an incredible vocalist and a great teacher, a combination that is very difficult to find. She struck a really good balance in lessons between pushing me but also making it really fun.
Stacy, singer