Voice Teacher Apprentice Program

About the Voice Teacher Apprenticeship Program from Transformational Voice Training on Vimeo.

We are pleased to announce that applications are now being accepted for the Institute’s third Voice Teacher Apprenticeship Program, to begin September 2012. This program is designed and directed by Founder/Artistic Director Linda Brice, and is the crown jewel of the Institute. Successful graduates of the program are thoroughly grounded in the practice of holistic voice, and are granted a Certificate as a Master Teacher of the Transformational Voice Training system of principles, techniques, and methodologies.

Our innovative program, unlike any other, will accept up to twenty-four diverse, experienced singers, across genres, who seek both theoretical and hands-on experience in the teaching of holistic voice. The program is especially looking for individuals who are committed to dedicating their life to an artistic, musical, and spiritual purpose capable of contributing in a positive manner to the lives of others, and believe that voice teaching will fulfill this purpose. If this is you, then we encourage you to apply!

Voice Teacher Apprentice Program Duration and Content
The Voice Teacher Apprentice Program is designed as a part-time, residential program of one-year duration. It is based in beautiful and creative Portland, Oregon, which enjoys a mild (if wet) climate and a relatively low cost of living. The design of the program enables apprentices to participate in the program while working for a living.

It also insures that participants gain hands-on experience in the craft and art of voice teaching to gain skill and confidence in their abilities. The training consists of a minimum weekly program of one hour of private instruction (alternating between the Artistic Director and senior faculty), 3 hours of apprentice group instruction, and 2 hours of hands-on co-teaching (with the Artistic Director and Institute faculty) of the Institute’s group voice classes. As there are currently 135 students in the Institute, and we are growing by a one-fourth every term, there are many students from every level, age, voice type, and style to learn from. This is one of the most significant advantages of the program, for there are few places where a voice teacher can gain experience teaching so many different voices in such a short period of time. The group dynamic also catapults the learning as well, enabling teachers to learn by observation as well as through their own direct experience.

In addition, apprentices attend and have the opportunity to co-teach at the Institute’s Open Mic Studio (for Portland area singers not affiliated with the Institute) and our Performance Studio (a masterclass format for Institute students, apprentices, and faculty). There are listening and writing assignments, as well as performance requirements.

Apprenticeship, then, can be accomplished with an intense 10-12 hours per week dedicated to the program, though many will elect to do much more, at no additional tuition expense. Apprentices would be welcome to commit themselves full-time if they wished, yielding an incredibly rich plate of vocal, musical, pedagogical, and spiritual experiences.

The combined curriculum gives the Apprentice a solid theoretical foundation in how to unleash the Authentic Voice, which is in some ways measureable, is a perfect mirror of the innate nature of the singer, and is as unique as one’s DNA. The curriculum includes vocal physiology and function, physics of the respiratory and vocal system, breath-based vocal technique for speech or either classical or non-classical singing, phonetics and diction, spirituality of voice, learning styles, communication and teaching strategies, breathing for meditation and fear management, and numerous other topics. For a complete list of the program’s curriculum, please see Voice Teacher Apprenticeship Curriculum (coming soon).

Who Should Apply
The holistic nature of the program insures that it is multi-disciplinary, and for that reason, we encourage those who may not have had a traditional music conservatory training to apply, as well as those who have. If you look at the biographies of the current class of Apprentices, you will notice the tremendous diversity of life path and experience that they bring to the learning, practice and teaching of Holistic Voice. This diversity is both intentional and essential. It is intentional in that it emanates from the core philosophies upon which the Institute is based. It is essential in that it fulfills its missions. 

Certification
The culmination of Apprenticeship is certification. To be certified as an Institute Master Voice Teacher, there are Assessments to be taken towards the end of Apprenticeship that qualify the Apprentice for Certification. These include:
Satisfactory passing of demonstrated skill standards in:

• musicianship
• teaching ability
• vocal technique

Satisfactory passing of content exams in the Institute’s:

• techniques
• methodologies
• principles

Certified teachers are free to utilize the principles, techniques and methodologies, and all curriculum derived there from (as long as proper credit is given to the Institute) in their private voice teaching practices, and to market themselves as Certified Transformation Voice Training Master Teachers. As the Institute is less than two years old, this certification will become more and more valuable as the years go by, and its reputation expands.

Application for our Voice Teacher Apprenticeship Program is here.

Interested in learning more about our Apprenticeship Program?
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