Voice at the Old Town School
A Guide to Voice Classes
What skills are you working on? We want you to find classes that fit you where you are! Find your skills on this page, then choose your classes from that group. To study deeply, repeat your classes, and to advance, move to the next group. Your teacher can help you choose.
Vocal Techniques Series : Class Curriculum
The Vocal Techniques series is meant to be taken in order (beginning at level 1) and is not just for vocalists but for all musicians, instrumentalists looking to learn more about the voice as an instrument. Each student moves through this series at a different pace. The levels are designed to be repeated should you feel like you need a refresher or if you just aren't ready to move on. Please bring a recording device to class to aid your practice at home.
Open to All
Vocal Techniques 1: Breath, Free Tone
- Breathing, posture, floor exercises, relaxation.
- Warm ups, voice building exercises, introduce techniques for relaxed sound and tone.
- Each class presents opportunities for group singing and individual opportunities to sing in order to receive feedback.
- Learn proper vocal health.
- Experience success in singing.
- You will find singing fun.
Melodies, expanding your range, improving tone, matching pitch, singing in tune, breathing.
Level 2
Vocal Techniques 2: Register, Range
- Review and reinforce breath, posture.
- Connected singing low -> high.
- Exploring and understanding your entire range.
- Continue techniques in relaxed sound and tone.
- Continues to build on concepts learned in Vocal Techniques 1.
- Begin to discover the uniqueness of your voice.
- Individual evaluation "What do I do next?"
Rhythm, experience with harmony, blending voices, holding a part. You should already be able to sing in tune, manage breath and provide adequate support free of tightness.
Level 3
Vocal Techniques 3: Practice, Musicianship
- Understand concepts of rhythm and pitch.
- Learn how to choose and learn a song (basic concepts of reading lead sheets and song interpretation.
- Become a more independent singer.
- Learn how to incorporate practice and self-correction into your daily vocal practice.
- Basic concepts of theory.
- Begin to discuss ways to manage nerves and stage fright.
Holding harmony part on your own, choral and solo experience, intricate rhythms.
Level 4
Vocal Techniques 4: Techniques for Performance
- How to pick a song.
- Mic usage.
- Stage fright.
- Movement.
- Working with other musicians.
- What to do before, after, and during a performance.
- How to pick a song: range/tessitura, style needs, etc.
- Interpretation.
- How to perform: microphones, movement, attire, rapport, collaboration, pre-performance-during-after.
Interpreting songs, improvising, subtleties of phrasing.


Private Instruction for Voice
Private lessons run in 8-week sessions, just like our group classes, but allow a more personal, individually-directed experience.
Click for info on private lessons and give us a call at 773.728.6000 to get available lesson times and locations.
Voice Instructors
Click for a list of voice faculty
Voice Workshops
Check out something new and different in one of our weekend workshops.
Click for schedule and information on upcoming Workshops