CONTEMPORARY VOCAL INSTRUCTION
Rick meets with the student in the first lesson to discuss short-term and long-term goals in detail, which then becomes the framework for the student’s study program.

A common question raised by prospective vocal students is “What makes a contemporary vocal instructor different from a traditional classical/broadway instructor”?

The contemporary approach differs from classical in that there are more sub-divisions of music styles such as pop, rock, country, R&B and jazz. There are differences in tone production, and the rhythmic phrasing will vary in contemporary because of the stylistic variances in the music. A good voice teacher will include theory within the program in accordance with the goals of the student.

This is what Rick has to say about the teaching experience: "Teaching is truly a wonderful experience for me. It is immensely gratifying to teach others to discover and build on their innate ability to sing and perform. Watching people grow and exceed beyond their expectations is truly priceless."


"Rick is a highly original vocal teacher specializing in contemporary music. Whether your interest is in rock, pop, blues, broadway or jazz, Rick will create a custom program of study to help maximize your potential."
- Chuck Anderson, internationally acclaimed music educator

TEACHING STUDIOS
Lessons are usually conducted in 30 or 60 minute segments. The fees vary with each studio.
Please contact Rick directly for all questions regarding scheduling or his teaching program: 610-513-5223

Rick conducts contemporary vocal instruction at 2 locations in the Philadelphia area. All locations are convenient to public transportation.

Fairmount Music, 28th & Brown Streets. Philadelphia, PA.
Limited afternoon and evening openings on Monday & Friday.

Old City Music School - 153 North 4th Street (4th & Race Streets), Philadelphia, PA.
Limited afternoon and evening openings available on Tuesday, Wednesday, & Thursday



BANDS & HARMONY
Does your band waste a little or a lot of time on vocal arrangements at rehearsal? Would you love to duplicate the smooth and rich background vocals that you hear in your favorite band?

Many bands claim that their greatest weakness is vocal harmony. Contrary to popular opinion, vocal harmony is not a gift from heaven. Vocal harmony can be learned and developed. Rick teaches a very effective program that can increase the income potential of your band. Most booking agents say that musical groups that use harmony are 4x more likely to get work than bands that do not. Let Rick show you how to enhance your band’s popularity by using vocal harmony.



HARMONY MASTER CLASS
Focus: In this master class, the focus is on harmony as well as the motion principles of harmony and how they relate to vocal arranging. The more that you understand harmony, the greater the appreciation you will have for harmony as a complement to melody. Through this master class students gain the initial tools necessary to create original vocal harmonies.

The motion principles of harmony each have a name with there own characteristics. In the master class we discuss the principles and the vocal parts are learned. These motion principles cause pitches to move up and down in different distances from one another.

Harmony is traditionally 3 or 4 part. Harmony is defined as a melodic line sung to complement, but not duplicate, the lead melodic line. Sometimes the melody is on top and the harmony is on bottom, but it is possible to reverse the two. A larger vocal group is usually needed to create 3 & 4 part harmonies.

Featured Song(s): Rick is currently using various selections by The Beatles as the vehicle for the master class. The original recordings are typically sung in 2-part harmony. While categorized as contemporary in genre and idiom the songs help to capture the essence of the four motion principles: Parallel, Oblique, Contrary and Similar. As a result, the master class becomes an opportunity for students to learn new Vocal-harmony principles as well as new contemporary songs.